Truffle Aioli

This truffle aioli is super simple to make and gives the ones at upscale restaurants a serious run for their money. Creamy, earthy, slightly tangy, it's a recipe that makes me very happy about my skills with food.

My first bottle of truffle oil came as a holiday gift. I remember sniffing it and wondering what on earth to do with the strange-smelling oil.

Fast forward, and it’s now one of my favorite ingredients. I use it for creamy chicken on special occasions, in pasta, mashed potatoes, gnocchi, hummus, you name it.

My favorite use, though, has to be in aioli. I have a garlic truffle aioli recipe that’s garlic-forward (obviously), but not pungent or sharp, because I use roasted garlic. It’s low effort, the roasting part is hands-off, but you do need the time.

The recipe I’m sharing today is just as impressive, but way quicker. When you’re throwing frozen fries in the air fryer and want a fancy, delicious dipping sauce in under five minutes, this is the one to count on.

Pre-cooking notes

• This is a shortcut aioli, so I use store-bought mayo. Homemade works too. Make sure it’s unflavored.
• Truffle oil can vary a lot in strength. Black truffle oil and white truffle oil both work. Start with a small amount, like what I've mentioned in the recipe, then add tiny increments if needed.
• I’d avoid jarred minced garlic from the store; I find it gives a slightly off taste. The garlic should be finely grated. I use a microplane, but if you don’t have one, you’ve got options. 1) Chop the garlic as fine as possible or use a garlic press, then sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt and press it with the flat side of a wide knife, or 2) chop the clove and finish it in a mortar and pestle. The problem with hand-chopped or minced garlic is that the bits can sting when you eat the aioli.
• Feel free to swap honey for maple syrup. The idea is just to add a little sweetness to balance the other flavors.
• I use yellow mustard because I almost always have it on hand, but Dijon is fine.
• You can use lime juice instead of lemon, but I’d start with half the amount since it’s sharper, then adjust as needed.

A visual guide for making truffle aioli

Here are two photos of the key steps to guide you through the prep. For a printable version with quantities and notes, see the recipe card below.

To a bowl, add mayonnaise, truffle oil, grated garlic, lemon juice, mustard, pepper, honey and salt.

Whisk together, then taste for truffle flavor. If too weak, add a bit more oil, a few drops at a time. The flavor can get strong pretty quickly, so be careful.

Serving ideas

My favorite way to enjoy this aioli is with air-fried potato wedges or fries tossed with a little salt, dried parsley, and Parmesan. Also great on on crusty bread like ciabatta or a baguette, with some grilled chicken and greens.

It’s a top-notch dipping sauce for fried foods like chicken, fish, or calamari, and for veggie sticks served with your favorite wings. Of course, you can also slap it on a burger.