The Glover Gardens Aioli: Golden, Garlicky, Glossy, and Just-Right

Golden, silky, and deeply aromatic with garlic and bright lemon, our Glover Gardens Aioli is the kind of kitchen staple that quietly transforms everything it touches—from shrimp toast to sandwiches to roasted vegetables. After years of trial (and a few broken emulsions), this is the one that never fails me.

Recipe: Glover Gardens Aioli

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves, very finely minced or crushed in a mortar and pestle
• 2 large egg yolks (preferably room temperature)
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus 1–2 tsp. more as needed
• ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cooking Instructions

You can make the aioli by hand or in a food processor.

By hand: Place a heavy medium bowl on a kitchen towel. (This will keep the bowl from spinning while you’re whisking.) Add the finely minced or crushed garlic, 2 large egg yolks, 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and ¼ tsp. salt to the bowl and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, begin adding the olive oil drop by drop until the mixture starts to thicken and emulsify. Once it has formed a stable base, you can increase to a thin, steady stream. (This will take several minutes.) If the aioli is thicker than you like, whisk in a little more lemon juice, 1 tsp. at a time.

In the food processor: Add the finely minced or crushed garlic, 2 large egg yolks, 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and ¼ tsp. salt to the work bowl and pulse a few times to combine. With the motor running, gradually stream in the ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil until the aioli thickens. Stop the motor and check for the consistency; if it is thicker than you like, add more lemon juice while the motor is running, 1 tsp. at a time.

Notes and Variations

• If your aioli breaks: start with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl, then slowly whisk the broken mixture into it as if it were the oil. It will come back together beautifully.
• Everything works better if your eggs are room temperature.
• Chipotle Aioli: Stir in 2 tsp finely minced chipotle in adobo plus a little of the sauce. It’s smoky, spicy, and especially good with shrimp.
• Roasted Garlic Aioli: Swap the raw garlic for roasted garlic. It’s softer, sweeter, and hard to stop eating.
• Lemon-Herb Aioli: Add a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, or whatever you have) and a little lemon zest. Yum! It’s bright and fresh.
• Harissa Aioli: Mix in 1–2 tsp harissa paste for a warm, slightly spicy twist.
• Miso Aioli: Stir in 1–2 tsp white miso and ease up on the salt. Adds a nice savory depth.
• Zippy Aioli: Add ½–1 tsp of your favorite savory Zippy seasoning and taste before adding more salt. This is easy and really versatile, adding layers and layers of flavor.

The Backstory

Over the years, I’ve made aioli quite a few times, always with a different recipe, never having found my standard-bearer recipe. But all that changed when I tried a recipe for Shrimp and Tomato Toasts from Bon Appetit.

Make This Smoky Shrimp Toast with Aioli and Burst Tomatoes Today!

I made the Shrimp Toast again and again, playing with it and adjusting until it was my own creation.

I struggled with the aioli in the original recipe—it kept breaking. So I kept at it, adjusting ratios and technique until I landed on a version that works every time. This is that recipe.

You Choose: Make the Aioli by Hand or in the Food Processor?

In true Glover Gardens fashion, the final aioli recipe I landed on is garlic- and lemon-forward. There are countless aioli recipes out there, and I’m sure all of them are good. But this one works well with modern ingredients from our standard grocery stores, and can be made in the food processor or by hand. How to choose? Make it by hand to feel an incredible sense of accomplishment and connection to your food, but make it in the food processor if you want easy perfection. It’s much easier in the food processor, and there’s no shame in that.

Ways to Use Aioli

We have a great panini recipe that uses aioli!

New Panini! Smoked Gouda, Ham and Prosciutto on Jalapeño-Cheese Bread

But also:

• Spread on shrimp toast or panini
• Dolloped over roasted potatoes or grilled vegetables
• Paired with seafood—especially shrimp, crab, or salmon
• As a dip for fries or crusty bread
• A general, wonderful condiment whenever you need a golden, garlicky, lemony punch

What is Aioli?

Aioli gets tossed around like Nerf balls these days, and there isn’t a standard, clearly understood definition of it. Check out this Bon Appetit essay to better understand its garlicky goodness: What is Aioli?

©️ 2026, Glover Gardens