This creamy, egg-free Vegan Garlic Aioli recipe is easy to make and so flavorful. Spread it on sandwiches, wraps, or enjoy it as a dipping sauce! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
Let's make a creamy, flavorful vegan aioli sauce! (It's so good.)
Classic aioli is typically an emulsion of olive oil, egg yolk, salt. So I take some liberties with this egg-free, oil-free version. But the result is so luscious & tasty... it's a fantastic substitute for traditional aioli.
The velvety cashew base is infused with fresh lemon juice, bold garlic, and a little mustard for good measure. Plus it's so quick & easy to prepare.
Best of all, it's versatile! Spread this creamy, garlicky goodness on sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. Or enjoy it as a dip with potatoes, veggies, chips, and beyond.
Ingredients for Vegan Aioli
For this recipe, you'll blend in a small high-speed blender:
- Raw cashews: We'll soak these first with my "quick-soak" method below. This helps soften the cashews so they're easier to blend. (I've also read it helps to digest them better.)
- Fresh lemon juice: You'll need 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. For an even stronger flavor, you could also include a little lemon zest.
- Water: Or you can replace this with dairy-free milk. Just be sure it's plain and unsweetened.
- Fresh garlic cloves: Use 2-3 cloves (or more!) depending on how much you like the flavor. Roasted garlic would be amazing as well.
- Dijon mustard
- Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. It helps bring out all the flavors. Use as much or as little as you prefer however.
- Kala namak (black salt): Traditional aioli contains eggs, so I like to include kala namak which has an eggy, sulfur-like flavor. I really enjoy the unique taste it adds! But if you don't have this ingredient, simply leave it out and add more salt to taste if needed.
Customizing
Add herbs: Fresh herbs add amazing flavor to this creamy aioli! Blend the aioli as written, then pulse in the herbs afterwards to incorporate them. Fresh dill, parsley, basil, cilantro, or chives are tasty.
Flavor variations: Add a splash of vegan Worcestershire sauce for depth of flavor. You can also slightly reduce the lemon juice and add a couple teaspoons of apple cider vinegar for more tang. Smoked paprika, onion powder, chipotle, white miso, or black pepper could be added as well.
Serving
Condiment: Spread it on your favorite sandwiches, wraps, tacos, or burgers instead of mayonnaise. (It pairs great with this amazing Portabella Mushroom Sandwich!) You could even thin it out as a dressing for grain bowls.
Dipping sauce: Serve it in a bowl to dip your French fries, sweet potato fries, roasted vegetables, cauliflower wings, crackers, chips, quesadillas, roasted mushrooms, green beans, artichokes, or whatever else sounds good!
Storing
Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container or mason glass jar with a lid. I find it keeps for about 1 week, but use your best judgement. The texture will thicken as it chills.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan sauce & seasoning recipes or cashew recipes.
Vegan Garlic Aioli (Oil-Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 kala namak (black salt)
Herbs to pulse in (optional):
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, chives
Instructions
- Soak cashews: Place cashews in a heat-safe bowl. Pour hot water over the top until cashews are submerged. Set aside and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse when finished.
- Blend: Place all ingredients in a small high-speed blender. (I use a NutriBullet.) Blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth.
- Adjust: For a thinner sauce, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Add more salt, garlic, lemon, etc.
- Herbs (optional): If using fresh herbs, add them to the blender after blending your aioli. Then pulse a few times to incorporate.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you're enjoying this vegan aioli recipe with garlic, also check out:
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Jennifer says
I made this aioli last night, and used it for something other than intended...pizza!! Rather than using the typical tomato based sauce, we opted for a creamy sauce, and this fit the bill perfectly!! We added it to a gluten-free crust, followed by diced roasted beets, sweet potato, fresh tomato and smoked tofu, with a sprinkle of vegan mozzarella. It tasted so good!! I followed your recipe exactly as written. You can definitely add pizza to suggested uses for this sauce. Amazing! Thank you so much!!
Kaitlin says
YES! This is amazing and so creative, Jennifer! What a great idea using it for a pizza sauce. (And I love your toppings combination!) I appreciate you sharing this incredibly helpful feedback. Thank you!