Pesto Aioli

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This creamy pesto aioli recipe will be your next favorite dipping sauce! It’s easy to make in 5 minutes with only 5 ingredients and can be used in so many different ways.

Jump to:

• What is Pesto Aioli?
• Recipe Highlights
• How to Serve
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Equipment
• Instructions
• Expert Tips
• Variations
• Storage
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe

What is Pesto Aioli?

Pesto aioli is a mix between classic aioli and basil pesto.

Traditional aioli is made from garlic, egg yolk, lemon juice and olive oil. It is so similar to mayonnaise that in many recipes mayonnaise is used instead. Pesto is made from basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil.

This pesto aioli recipe combines mayonnaise (as a substitute for traditional aioli), with pesto.

Recipe Highlights

• It’s easy to make in less than 5 minutes, using only 5 ingredients.
• It has so many different uses. It can be used on everything from fries to a breakfast burrito.
• It’s a great way to use up leftover pesto that you may have after making a pasta dish.

How to Serve

This pesto aioli is so versatile, you can use it on almost anything you can think of. Here are a few ideas of how to use it:

• French Fry Dip: Use it as a side dip for home fries or frozen fries.
• Burger Sauce: Use this instead of regular mayo on a homemade beef burger or on a veggie mushroom burger.
• Panini Spread: Try this spread on a chicken panini or in a caprese panini.
• Shrimp: This makes a tasty shrimp dipping sauce. Use it with grilled shrimp, or try it with these fried coconut shrimp.
• Roasted Vegetables: Drizzle this sauce over roasted vegetables, such as roasted broccoli or asparagus.
• Salmon: Add this aioli on freshly baked salmon for a healthy pesto salmon.
• Pizza Crust Dip: If you like dipping sauces for your pizza crust, this one is delicious!
• Breakfast Burrito: Add this dip into a breakfast egg burrito or into a pesto egg breakfast muffin.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Pesto: Use a high quality store bought pesto sauce. If you have fresh basil, you can also use your own homemade pesto.
• Mayonnaise: Any type of mayonnaise will work, however full fat mayo will taste the best. You can also use homemade mayonnaise instead.
• Lemon Juice: A dash of lemon juice brings out the other flavors. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best taste.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic. Powdered garlic doesn’t add the same flavor.

Equipment

• A small whisk to mix together the ingredients.
• A small tupperware to store the sauce in.

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the mayo, pesto, garlic and lemon juice together until smooth. Taste and season with salt as needed. 

Step 2: Optionally, cover the dip and store in the fridge for a couple hours to let the flavors marinate. Serve with fries, or however else desired.

Expert Tips

• If you want a stronger pesto flavor, add an extra ½ to 1 tablespoon of pesto.
• If you have time, let the aioli marinate in the fridge overnight or at least for a few hours for the flavors to fully combine.
• If you prefer the sauce to be served warm, warm it up in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds before serving. Discard any leftovers that have been warmed.
• To prevent waste, make this aioli in small batches. It is quick to whip together, but only lasts for up to 5 days, so don’t make too large a batch at once.

Variations

• Low-Fat Version: Replace half of the mayo with plain greek yogurt.
• Spicy Version: For a little bit of spicy, add in a dash of cayenne pepper and/ or red pepper flakes.
• Vegan Version: Replace the mayonnaise with a homemade vegan mayonnaise.

Storage

• Fridge: Store the aioli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: It is not recommended to freeze this sauce. Mayo will not hold its form when frozen.

FAQ

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📖 Recipe