Authentic Aioli recipe without eggs (vegan garlic)

The best smooth, drizzle-able, garlicky vegan aioli recipe. This easy creamy authentic homemade Aioli is made without eggs…it’s a vegan dairy-free restaurant-style garlic sauce that’s a hit at parties. Aioli is the best creamy garlic dipping sauce for any occasion. Try this creamy Aioli as a dipping sauce with fries or use it as a sandwich topping or a sauce for dinner. 

This Vegan Aioli Has My Whole Heart

This is the kind of recipe I think about way too often.

Like… standing in the kitchen, dipping crispy golden potatoes into a smooth, creamy, garlicky vegan aioli and thinking:

why is this SO good?!

This is:

• a traditional aioli without eggs (yes, authentic!)
• AND a fail-proof vegan aioli recipe that actually works

Because let’s be honest — aioli can be a little dramatic.

But when it works?

It’s a rich, velvety, restaurant-style garlic sauce that goes with everything.

In this easy authentic Catalan Aioli recipe I will walk you through the steps to make homemade aioli traditionally with a mortar and pestle as well as the easy way to make Aioli in a blender. It’s a perfect dipping garlic sauce and it’s surprisingly easy to make. 

Creamy, cool, and garlicky sauce. Is there anything better? Not if you’re a sauce lover like me. Just imagine dipping crispy golden nuggets into creamy garlic sauce. Not to mention dunking golden fries into this velvety vegan aioli and scooping up all that creamy goodness. Yum. 

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Aioli

• The best creamy vegan aioli (seriously)
• Smooth, drizzle-able texture
• Made with simple ingredients
• Works as a dip, spread, or sauce
• Includes a 5-minute fail-proof version

In this accidentally vegan aioli recipe we’re covering

What is garlic aioli?

Aioli is a creamy garlic sauce made with simple ingredients like garlic, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. It’s similar to garlic mayonnaise but this aioli recipe is completely vegan and dairy free. 

What Is Aioli really? Let’s take a closer look:

Aioli is a creamy garlic sauce traditionally made by emulsifying:

• garlic
• oil
• salt

Authentic aioli without eggs comes from Mallorca and Catalonia in Spain.

👉 Unlike mayonnaise:

• aioli = garlic + oil
• mayo = eggs + oil

This means:

✔️ naturally vegan

✔️ dairy-free

✔️ intensely garlicky

Aioli is a traditional Catalonian emulsion sauce. It originated from Catalan in Spain and its delicious garlic creaminess means it’s spread throughout France and Europe where it’s a very popular day.

Although some aioli recipes use eggs the authentic Catalan way to make aioli is without eggs (although this is a topic of hot debate as everyone seems to have their own opinion)

Ingredients to make easy vegan creamy aioli without eggs

Garlic – aioli is all about the garlic. Grate it, mince it, or crush it as finely as possible to get the best creamy Aioli texture and to release all the wonderful garlic flavors in the sauce. If you don’t have fresh garlic you can substitute it with garlic powder. It won’t be quite as good as using fresh garlic but it will still make a delicious garlicky Aioli sauce.

Olive oil – I recommend using a good extra virgin olive oil or other good quality neutral flavored oil. Because aioli is a simple ingredients sauce you need great flavors. Olive oil is slightly bitter and makes the aioli taste fresher. You can also use any other good quality neutral-flavored vegetable oil that you prefer.

Salt – coarse salts like sea salt or kosher salt help emulsify the sauce and bring it all together. 

Lemon juice – a little lemon juice brings freshness to the sauce and also helps emulsify the oil and make it extra creamy.

Water – only add a little water if your aioli is too thick and needs a little more creamy lightness. 

Soy milk (optional for texture)- adding soy milk to your aioli is optional but it will give you an extra creamy garlic sauce that also keeps for longer. You can easily omit soy milk in the aioli if you prefer. 

How to make homemade eggless aioli with mortar and pestle 

Step 1:

• Use a garlic press to crush the garlic or grate it very finely, until it’s almost creamy. 
• Put the finely crushed garlic in the pestle and mortar and start grinding.
• Add the course salt and continue to grind with the pestle.
  

Step 2:

• Whilst grinding: pour in a teaspoon of lemon juice. 

Step 3:

• Pour in the vegetable oil a few drops at a time at first. Continue to grind with the pestle until the oil begins to thicken. Add more oil a few drops at a time. Let it thicken before adding more. Once you have a couple of tablespoons of thick aioli, you can begin to add 1/2 teaspoon of oil at a time while continuing to grind with the pestle. Finally you can continue incorporating vegetable oil, teaspoon by teaspoon, mashing and stirring until the aioli thickens up. If the aioli gets thicker than you like, add a few drops of water.
• After about 5 or 6 teaspoons you can gradually add the vegetable oil a bit quicker.
• Continue to grind with the pestle until the aioli is thick and creamy. 

Easy way to make homemade aioli in a blender (no eggs)

• Use a garlic press to crush the garlic or grate it very finely. 
• Put the finely crushed garlic along with all the other ingredients in a large jug and blend with an immersion blender until thick and smooth. 

What to serve with aioli

Aioli is great with everything. Use it as a dip with French fries or fresh vegetables, serve it as a sauce with roasted veggies or use it as a delicious sandwich spread. Here are some of my favorite dishes to serve with aioli on the side:

• Vegan nuggets – the creamy garlicky sauce was made for dipping my crispy vegan nuggets into.
• Sesame roasted potatoes – these sesame roasted potatoes are AMAZING with a side of garlicky aioli. Yum!
• Portobello mushroom steaks – portobello mushrooms and garlic sauce is a match made in heaven.
• Couscous salad with roasted carrots and Dukkah – serve this tasty couscous with a dollop of aioli. It’s a flavor match made for each other.
• Meatless meatballs – my delicious meatless meatballs are perfect for dipping into aioli. 

You can also use this vegan garlic aioli as a spread, a drizzle, or a quick sauce for bowls and wraps.

Once you try this easy vegan aioli, you’ll want to add it to everything — it’s one of those simple sauces that instantly upgrades any meal.

How to Store Aioli 

This homemade vegan aioli is best enjoyed fresh, but it stores well if you have leftovers.

Keep your aioli without eggs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. The texture may thicken slightly over time, so just stir it before serving to bring back that smooth, creamy consistency.

Because this is an emulsion, freezing is not recommended. The oil will separate, and the aioli will lose its creamy texture.

If you’re making this easy vegan aioli ahead of time, it’s best prepared the same day or the day before for the best flavor and texture.

Egg free aioli troubleshooting:

Why Didn’t My Aioli Thicken?

Common reasons:

• oil added too fast
• garlic not smooth enough
• emulsion didn’t form

🔧 How to Fix Broken Aioli

1. Add 1 tsp soy milk (or water)
2. Slowly whisk in broken aioli

👉 It usually comes back instantly.

🛢️ Best Oil for Aioli

• Neutral oil = most stable
• Olive oil = more flavor but slightly bitter

👉 Best combo: neutral oil + a little olive oil at the end

Vegan Aioli Variations 

One of my favorite things about this vegan aioli recipe is how easy it is to customize. Once you’ve made the base, you can turn this creamy vegan aioli into a completely different aioli dipping sauce depending on what you’re craving.

If you love a little heat, try a spicy vegan garlic aioli by adding chili flakes, sriracha, or smoked paprika. It’s perfect as a dipping sauce for fries or spread onto burgers.

For something fresh and bright, a lemon vegan aioli is a great option. Just add extra lemon juice and a little zest. It turns this easy vegan aioli into a lighter, fresher sauce that pairs beautifully with vegetables.

For a deeper, richer flavor, try roasted garlic vegan aioli. Swapping raw garlic for roasted garlic gives you a slightly sweet, mellow version of this homemade aioli without eggs.

You can also mix in fresh herbs like parsley or basil for a quick variation. Same base, same easy vegan aioli — just a new flavor every time.

Aioli vs Mayonnaise 

Although they look similar, aioli and mayonnaise are not the same.

Traditional aioli without eggs is made with garlic, oil, and salt, creating a bold, garlicky flavor. It’s naturally vegan and has a more intense taste.

Mayonnaise, on the other hand, is made with eggs and oil, resulting in a milder, more neutral flavor.

This vegan aioli recipe gives you the creamy texture of mayonnaise, but with the stronger garlic flavor of authentic aioli. It’s the perfect balance between a classic garlic aioli and a smooth, spreadable sauce.

Why This Recipe Works 

This vegan aioli works because of a simple but powerful process called emulsification.

When making aioli without eggs, oil and liquid are slowly combined to form a smooth, creamy texture. Adding the oil gradually is what allows the mixture to thicken into a stable sauce.

Garlic plays an important role in this homemade aioli, helping bind the ingredients together while adding that signature flavor.

In the easy vegan aioli version, soy milk acts as a natural stabilizer. It contains proteins that help emulsify the oil, making this method more reliable and giving you a perfectly creamy vegan garlic aioli every time.

Vegan aioli Frequently asked questions