Difference Between Aioli and Mayonnaise

Aioli vs Mayonnaise

Some people often hear the notion that in order for your salsas and other food preparations to taste well then you must add some aioli. To the surprise of many, upon seeing aioli they might mistake it for mayonnaise. Nevertheless, one must taste the two products to know their distinct differences.

Many chefs have embraced the description of an aioli as a mayonnaise preparation that just got flavored up. That’s why many got confused because they always call flavored mayonnaise as an aioli even if it isn’t. Aioli must use an additional crushed garlic and extra virgin olive oil to be named as such. When one prepares aioli, it is actually almost the same as making mayonnaise but you just have to exchange canola oil in mayonnaise for the virgin olive oil in aioli. And of course, you need to add several cloves of peeled garlic in the blender.

The addition of garlic is said to be medicinal and is therefore good for one’s health. An original recipe from Provence in Southern France, aioli is a common partner to shreds of baked potato, boiled artichokes, fresh veggies, grilled sea foods most especially fresh fish and any other dish that needs more flavoring.

Nevertheless, other chefs try to use egg yolks to bind the blend a lot quicker. If this is the case, it will taste and look a lot more like mayonnaise. But to those who don’t use egg yolks, some reconstituted old bread or boiled potatoes will do the trick. Standard aioli has a strong taste that’s why it is not a very versatile dish add-on because it may overpower the taste of other dishes.

On the other hand, mayonnaise is made by the emulsification of egg yolks, the addition of pepper, oils, vinegar and salt. It is a little bland to taste and is considered to have a lighter texture than aioli. Some mayo recipe variations add several other ingredients like lemon juice, mustard and even herbs like oregano, rosemary and paprika (a kind of spice). These will help enhance the mayonnaise’s flavor. Lastly, the main fat foundation of mayonnaise is the neutral oil; examples of which are canola and grapeseed vegetable oils. Though rarely, some also use light olive oils.

1. Aioli includes garlic as its primary ingredient while mayonnaise doesn’t use any.
2. Aioli has a strong taste while plain mayonnaise has a bland taste.
3. Aioli makes use of extra virgin olive oils whereas mayonnaise uses canola or grapeseed oils.

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