Alioli

Name: Alioli
Prep time: 15 min
Cuisine: Spanish (Catalan/Valencian)
Ingredients: Garlic cloves — 4; Coarse salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp); Extra-virgin olive oil — 200 ml (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp); Fresh lemon juice (optional) — 10 ml (2 tsp); Egg yolk (optional, modern version) — 1

The Quirky Foodster Team

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15 min

Prep

0 min

Cook

Ingredients

Garlic cloves — 4
Coarse salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp)
Extra-virgin olive oil — 200 ml (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)
Fresh lemon juice (optional) — 10 ml (2 tsp)
Egg yolk (optional, modern version) — 1

Method

Pound garlic with coarse salt in a mortar until a smooth paste forms.
Continue pounding while adding olive oil in a very thin, slow stream, working in a consistent circular motion to build
the emulsion.
Continue until all oil is incorporated and the sauce is thick and pale.
If using the modern version, whisk in an egg yolk before adding oil to stabilise the emulsion.
Season with a few drops of lemon juice if desired.

Cultural Background: A garlic and olive oil emulsion from Catalonia and Valencia, traditional alioli contains no egg, relying instead on slow pounding of garlic and oil into a stable emulsion, though a modern egg-based version is now common outside Spain.

Tips: • Traditional egg-free alioli requires patience and a very slow drizzle — rushing causes it to split. • A food processor with the egg yolk version is far more forgiving for beginners.

Variations: • Modern Spanish restaurants commonly serve an egg-based version closer to garlic mayonnaise. • Add a pinch of saffron for a golden-hued variation.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days if made with egg; traditional egg-free version is best used within a day.

Reheating: Not applicable; served cold. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 110 kcal, 0.2 g protein, 12 g fat, 0.5 g carbohydrate per 15 ml serving.

FAQs: Is traditional alioli made with egg? No — the classical Catalan/Valencian version is just garlic and oil; egg is a later, more forgiving adaptation. Why does egg-free alioli split so easily? Without egg's stabilising proteins, the emulsion relies purely on technique — slow, steady oil addition while pounding constantly.