Lemon-Dijon Aioli
A from-scratch olive-oil and egg-yolk aioli with lemon, Dijon, and garlic.
Proposed · not yet testedEstimated active time; an optional 30-minute refrigerated rest lets the flavors blend.
Ingredients
- 1Pasteurized large eggsUse the yolk only; reserve the white for another dish. Check that the carton explicitly says pasteurized. Pasteurized liquid egg yolk may be used in the equivalent amount stated on its label.
- 200 mlOlive oilChoose a mild-tasting olive oil; a strongly peppery extra-virgin oil will dominate the sauce.
- ½ cloveGarlicFinely grate or mash to a smooth paste.
- 5 mlDijon mustard
- 15 mlLemon juiceFreshly squeezed; add more to taste after emulsifying.
- ½ tspLemon zestFinely grated, avoiding the white pith.
- 15 mlWater OptionalAn allowance for thinning; add only as needed.
- 0.5 gKosher saltStart here, then adjust to taste.
Ingredient quantities scale; oven temperatures and cooking times do not. Keep batter depth and pan crowding consistent. For fractional eggs, beat and weigh.
Method
Whisk the yolk base
Set a clean mixing bowl on a damp towel so it stays steady. Whisk the pasteurized egg yolk with the Dijon, garlic, salt, and half the lemon juice until smooth.
Build the emulsion
Whisk constantly while adding the olive oil a few drops at a time. Once the mixture thickens and holds the oil, continue in a very thin, slow stream. Stop pouring whenever oil starts to pool; whisk until it is incorporated before adding more.
Finish with lemon
Whisk in the remaining lemon juice and the zest. If the aioli becomes too stiff, loosen it with a little of the optional water, a teaspoon at a time. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt.
Chill and serve
Cover and refrigerate immediately. Serve a small portion at a time, keeping the rest cold. Stir before serving and taste again, since the garlic flavor strengthens as it sits.
Preparation & notes
- Best made the day it is served, or up to one day ahead. Store in a clean, covered container at 40°F / 4°C or colder. Use within 2 days as a conservative house limit; follow any shorter limit on the egg packaging.
- This egg-yolk version is whisked from scratch; no prepared mayonnaise is used.
- For a fractional batch, beat the yolk and measure the required fraction by weight before mixing. Do not round the yolk quantity without scaling the other ingredients too. The base 4-serving batch is easier to whisk than a very small batch.
- If it splits, put a small spoonful of Dijon in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken aioli into it, starting drop by drop. This adds a little extra mustard flavor.
Use pasteurized shell eggs or pasteurized egg yolks because this sauce is uncooked. Regular raw eggs are not a substitute; the lemon juice in this recipe is not a validated pasteurization step.
Wash hands, utensils, and work surfaces before and after handling eggs. Keep the sauce refrigerated at 40°F / 4°C or colder, and discard after more than 2 hours out of refrigeration, or 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C.
Recipe & safety notes
Adapted from published aioli and mayonnaise techniques, with lemon-Dijon seasoning developed for this book. This exact formula has not been kitchen-tested; yield and timing are estimates.
Jamie Oliver: Garlic aioli (oil-to-yolk ratio and whisking method) ↗Jamie Oliver: My beautiful mayo (Dijon-and-yolk emulsion method) ↗Jamie Oliver: Homemade alioli (rescuing a split emulsion) ↗FDA: egg safety and pasteurized eggs ↗FDA: safe refrigeration and the two-hour rule ↗