Lemon Basil Aioli (Whole30, Gluten Free)

As you all know, if it is a sauce, a spread, or a condiment I am likely to adore it, and this Lemon Basil Aioli is no exception.  Made from scratch with fresh basil growing in the pots on my deck, this is the perfect addition to any sandwich, vegetable, or french fry!  And once you learn how to make this Lemon Basil aioli, there is no end to the amount of variations you can come up with.

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Some of you are asking, what exactly is aioli?  The short answer is that it is a mayonnaise type condiment.  Most aiolis are flavored, with garlic, herbs or spices. Bon Appetit describes it best (and much more eloquently than I) in this article.

For those of you who follow our Instagram account (and if you don’t you should), you may remember when I was experimenting with homemade mayonnaise and having such a difficult time.  I was “breaking” jar after jar of the stuff.  Turns out it IS really easy, and the key was an immersion blender (I use this one).  Using the immersion blender in a glass jar just slightly bigger than the head of the blender (I use these jars), and starting by whisking the egg alone, it worked-every time.  The other tip is adding the oil drop by drop, so very slowly.  Before you know it, a thick, creamy emulsion appears that is ripe for flavoring!

Basil was an easy choice for flavoring as the pots of basil that I planted on my deck are growing like crazy. I planted Thai Basil (which is perfect for making this Thai Basil Pesto), Italian Basil (which is perfect for this Lemon Basil Aioli or this Chimichurri Sauce), Rosemary (which is perfect for making this Lemon Rosemary White Bean Dip or these Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies) and Lavender (which is perfect for making this Iced Lavender Almond Milk Latte or these Lavender Lemonade Tonics), all of which are producing large quantities.  I’m so excited for all of the amazing herbs that have been so easy to grow this summer.

One word of caution.  This Lemon Basil Aioli does use a raw egg. This means it is not appropriate for those who are pregnant or immunocompromised, as raw eggs can be a risk for foodborne illness.  For this recipe, I recommend using pasteurized eggs which will cut down on this risk (although this does not take away the risk altogether).

Enjoy this delicious sauce!

Adapted from a recipe by Melissa Urban (creator of the Whole30)

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Lemon Basil Aioli

This is the perfect sauce for dipping.  Whole30 compliant and gluten free!

Course Dips

Cuisine American

Keyword basil aioli

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 140 kcal

Author With Two Spoons

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard (ground)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup fresh basil (chopped)

Instructions

1. In a container large enough to fit a stick (immersion) blender, combine the egg, ground mustard, and salt.

2. Place the light olive oil into a pourable liquid measuring cup.

3. Place the head of your stick (immersion) blender into the container and start blending.  Very slowly with blender running, add oil drip by drip.  A creamy emulsion should start to form.

4. Continue adding olive oil (slowly) until all oil has been incorporated.

5. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and basil to the container and blend until well combined. 

6. Refrigerate until needed.  Will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for approximately 3 days.  

Recipe Notes

I can not stress enough how slowly the olive oil needs to be added.  You can start adding it faster once the emulsification (thick, creamy base) has formed, but it should still be added slowly.

Since there is raw egg in this recipe it is not intended for anyone who should not be eating raw egg (pregnant, poor immune system, etc).  I also advise using pasteurized eggs in this recipe.  

This Lemon Basil Aioli is great on vegetables, chicken, fish, sandwiches, etc.  Stay tuned for my favorite way to use this, coming in 2 weeks.

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