This garlic truffle aioli tastes gourmet but doesn’t require any chef-level skills. Perfect for dipping all kinds of fried goodies. Way better than store-bought options and a great dip for potato wedges and fries.
It’s an updated and upgraded version of my garlic truffle aioli. Still garlic-forward, in fact, it’s got even more garlic, but despite that, there’s none of that in-your-face sharpness or bite. I roast the garlic, which mellows it out and gives it a nice caramelized flavor.
Sure, roasting takes a bit of time, but I use an air fryer to speed things up, and that step is mostly hands-off. Other than that, the process is pretty easy and quick.
If you don’t have time to roast, go with my quick truffle aioli recipe. That’s the one I make when I throw frozen fries in the air fryer and just want a super tasty aioli in under five minutes.
Pre-cooking notes
- I know someone’s going to comment that this isn’t an authentic aioli, and yeah, that’s true. But I still use mayo as the base in all my aiolis. It’s a shortcut, works great, and is way more convenient. I use Hellmann’s or Kewpie. Just make sure it’s neutral-flavored. Sorry, not sorry!
- Truffle oils can vary a lot in flavor and strength. Start with the small amount I’ve mentioned in the recipe, then add a few drops at a time until it tastes right for you. If using black truffle oil instead of white, go extra light as it’s usually stronger.
- You need the whole head/bulb of garlic intact. I use big ones with about 10–12 cloves. Roasting takes care of almost all the harshness, so I don’t stress about variations in bulb size. Use whatever you’ve got.
- Use fresh lemon juice only, not the prebottled juice from stores. You could swap in fresh lime juice, but start with half the amount since lime is sharper, then adjust to taste, if needed
- I use yellow mustard because I always have it on hand, but Dijon is fine too.
A visual guide for making garlic 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.
Slice off about ¼ to ½ inch from the stem/pointy side of the garlic bulb/head to expose the tops of all the cloves. Drizzle cooking oil on top and wrap the bulb completely in foil. Air fry in a preheated air fryer at 380°F (190°C) for 20 to 24 minutes, or roast in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cloves are soft.
Let the garlic cool for a few minutes, then squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins into a bowl. Add truffle oil, lemon juice, black pepper, cayenne, and salt, and mash it all together with a fork. Add this mashed mixture to the mayonnaise and mix well. Taste for truffle flavor. If it's too weak, add a little more oil, a few drops at a time.
Top tips
- If your aioli is thicker than you’d like, add a teaspoon or two of water and mix it in.
- Roasting the garlic doesn’t have to be done the same day. I’ve once used garlic I roasted the day before, and it worked just fine. If you’ve never roasted garlic before, I recommend making a few extra bulbs. It’s mad good spread on a toast with a little salt and pepper. You’ll also love it in pasta and soup recipes.
- If you have the time, make the aioli about 30 minutes before serving. You can also prepare it well ahead of time and keep in the fridge for up to overnight. The resting time lets the flavors meld nicely.
If you try this aioli recipe, let me know how it turned out!
Happy cooking – Nelo
Garlic Truffle Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 whole garlic bulb/head
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil
- ¼ teaspoon truffle oil - black or white truffle oil; quantity may need adjusting, see Note A
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice - fresh
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne
- ⅛ teaspoon salt - adjust to taste
- ½ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Remove any loose, papery layers from the garlic bulb/head. Slice off about ¼ to ½ inch from the stem/pointy side. Cut just enough to expose the tops of all the cloves. Leave the root side of the bulb intact so cloves stay together.
- Drizzle the exposed cloves with cooking oil and wrap the bulb completely in foil. If you’re roasting multiple bulbs, wrap each one separately.
- Air fry in a preheated air fryer at 380°F (190°C) for 20 to 24 minutes, until the cloves are soft. Alternatively, you can roast in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Roasting time can vary depending on the size of the bulb.
- Let the garlic cool for a few minutes, then squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins into a bowl. Add truffle oil, lemon juice, black pepper, cayenne, and salt, and mash it all together with a fork.
- Add this mashed mixture to the mayonnaise and mix well. Taste for truffle flavor. If it’s too weak, add a little more oil, a few drops at a time. The flavor can get strong really fast, so be careful. If you try this recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out through ratings and comments.
Antonia says
We made a copycat burger of restaurant burger over the weekend. They use a bacon garlic truffle aioli on theirs, but we decided to try this out and just top burgers with bacon instead. The aioli is delicious and so easy to make. It was delicious on last night's burger and this afternoon on a simple turkey & arugula sandwich. I may try blending a couple pieces of crispy bacon in to see if it's close to the restaurant one we like.
Nelo says
Yaaaay! I'm so happy this garlic truffle aioli was enjoyed, Antonia. If you decide to make the crispy bacon variation, I'd love to know how it turns out.
Antonia says
I added the bacon, roasted the garlic, and skipped the salt (because bacon) and my gosh. It's so good. It's going on turkey sandwiches tonight.
Nelo says
That sounds delicious, Antonia! I bet those turkey sandwiches will be fantastic tonight. Liked your twist so much that I’ve featured it in the blog post above under recipe variations. Thanks for sharing your creativity with us!