This roasted Garlic parmesan aioli is creamy, rich and abundant in deep garlic flavor. It is a perfect spread for sandwiches and pizza and an even better creamy dip for dunking fries, roasted Brussels sprouts, steamed artichokes or green beans. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to make it and talk about everything you can slather it on.
I’m a sauce person. Are you a sauce person!? Not going to lie, I do not understand people who don’t like sauce. I’ll still be friends with you of course but like… can I really trust you if you don’t like sauce?
For me, one of the keys to a sustainable healthy lifestyle is making food that is healthy but also flavorful and drool-worthy. Enter: sauce. dressing. condiments. spice. All of these things can take something otherwise bland and boring, say, a potato or a Brussels sprout, and transform it into something absolutely delicious.
I have said “I hate mayo” for the past 32 years. But make mayo into an “aioli” and I’m here for it all day. It’s the glow-up of the century, my friends. So let’s make it. Garlic Parmesan Aioli, a dip of dreams.
What you will need to make it:
Garlic: we are roasting an entire head of garlic for this recipe, so you will need fresh garlic (aka-not garlic powder or garlic paste)
Extra virgin olive oil: olive oil provides the moisture and fat necessary to roast the garlic until it is deeply caramelized
Sea salt and black pepper: these two seasoning pillars lift all of the other flavors in this irresistible garlic-parmesan aioli
Mayo: I like to get a good-quality avocado oil mayo, but any mayo will work! You can find avocado oil mayo in the condiments aisle or natural foods aisle of most grocery stores.
Parmesan: call me a diva, but I highly recommend buying a block of Parmesan cheese and grating it yourself- the flavor is significantly better freshly grated than those little sticks that come in the tub. I also recommend using a microplate or the smallest holes on your box grater to finely grate the parmesan as it will dissipate and blend into the sauce better.
Lemon juice: a small squeeze of lemon gives the creamy base just a little lift and some brightness and freshness. Add a touch of lemon zest if you’re fancy like that.
Thyme: fresh thyme and garlic are a flavor match made in heaven. You can use one teaspoon of finely minced fresh thyme or a half teaspoon of dried thyme.
How to make garlic parmesan aioli:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the top of the head of garlic off, exposing all or most of the garlic cloves.
Drizzle the exposed cloves with olive oil, slowly rotating the head of garlic so the oil drips down in the crevices between the cloves. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Wrap the garlic in foil and place in preheated oven for 50 minutes, until garlic is deeply golden brown and caramelized. Remove it from the foil and let it cool a bit.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, parmesan, lemon, salt, pepper and thyme. Squeeze the Roasted Garlic cloves out of the peel onto a cutting board. This is going to be either your most favorite thing or least favorite thing. It’s very satisfying but also very sticky and you might burn your fingertips off if you don’t wait for the garlic to cool down. I speak from experience. Use a fork to slightly mash them into a cohesive paste. Whisk the roasted garlic into the aioli. You could also use a food processor or immersion blender to blend sauce until smooth.
Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly, per your taste. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or bit of cayenne pepper if you like a spicy aioli.
The beauty of this recipe is its versatility!
You can enjoy this delicious garlic parmesan aioli as a:
garlicky dipping sauce for:
tasty Italian-inspired spread for:
pizzas
sandwiches
breakfast burritos
sauce/dressing for:
pasta or pasta salad
corn or potato salad
grilled proteins like chicken, pork or shrimp
FAQs
Can I use oil and egg yolks instead of mayo?
Yep, absolutely. Use an immersion blender to emulsify 1 large egg yolk into ¼ cup avocado oil, canola oil or another light-tasting oil to replace the mayo.
If I don’t have time to roast the garlic, can I use fresh garlic or garlic powder?
Sure. But please note it will not taste the same. It will still be good! Add 2 cloves finely minced garlic or ¾ teaspoon garlic powder or garlic paste. To bump up the flavor missing from the roasted element you can add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and/or Dijon mustard.
Recipe ideas for what to serve garlic parmesan aioli with:
If you love this creamy aioli you’ll love these other simple, flavor-boosting condiments:
Alright, give me a big bowl of this roasted garlic aioli and some hot fries!
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Roasted Garlic Parmesan Aioli
Description
This roasted garlic parmesan aioli is the perfect way to give a huge flavor boost to pizza, sandwiches, salads, noodles and steamed or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the top of the head of garlic off, exposing all or most of the garlic cloves.
Drizzle the exposed cloves with olive oil, slowly rotating the head of garlic so the oil drips down in the crevices between the cloves. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper.
Wrap the garlic in foil and place in preheated oven for 50 minutes, until garlic is deeply golden brown and caramelized. Remove it from the foil and let it cool a bit.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, parmesan, lemon, salt, pepper and thyme. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the peel onto a cutting board. Use a fork to slightly mash them into a cohesive paste. Whisk the roasted garlic into the aioli.
Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly, per your taste. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a spicy aioli!
Scoop big dollops onto smashed potatoes, crispy French fries, halved artichokes or literally any vegetable for a great snack or the perfect appetizer.
Notes
Refer to blog post above for ideas on how to use this aioli and answers to frequently asked questions.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary slightly.
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