Mayonnaise is a tasty sauce that is used in many recipes as a spread, binder, and more, and many manufacturers have added many ingredients into mayonnaise to make the mayonnaise more flavorful.
If you have hard mayonnaise that tastes like garlic, you may be wondering if your jar of mayonnaise has garlic. I did the research, and here is what I discovered!
Does Mayonnaise Have Garlic?
Generally, most mayonnaise recipes or store-bought brands do not contain garlic because garlic is not an essential ingredient to make mayonnaise, especially since mayonnaise has a neutral flavor. However, some mayonnaise recipes may contain garlic, or you may be thinking of aioli, a condiment with garlic that is similar to mayonnaise.
Do you want to learn more facts about garlic and mayonnaise? Check out the rest of the article to find out!
What Ingredients Are Used To Make Mayonnaise?
Typically, most mayonnaise recipes call for eggs, oil, and a form of acid, which is normally lemon juice or vinegar, and mayonnaise is made by emulsifying these ingredients.
Some mayonnaise recipes may opt to add other herbs and spices, such as ground mustard seeds and paprika, while others may add other ingredients, including garlic.
However, these extra ingredients like garlic or spices are not necessary to make mayonnaise, meaning garlic is not present in all mayonnaise.
What Is Aioli?
Aioli is the emulsification of olive oil, salt, and mashed garlic, creating a white and thick sauce that looks similar to mayonnaise.
Since mayonnaise and aioli look similar to each other, people often refer to aioli as garlic mayonnaise.
Moreover, many recipes use mayonnaise as a base to make “easy” aioli, which is created by mixing pureed garlic with mayonnaise.
What Is The Difference Between Aioli And Mayonnaise?
While aioli and mayonnaise are both emulsified sauces, the main difference between the two sauces is their ingredients.
Mayonnaise is made by emulsifying egg yolks with any neutral oil and an acid whereas aioli is created by emulsifying olive oil with mashed garlic.
Other than ingredients, mayonnaise and aioli taste different because mayonnaise generally has a neutral and somewhat tangy taste whereas aioli tastes a lot like garlic.
How Do You Make Aioli?
First, use a mortar and pestle to mash garlic slices with salt to a fine paste, which can take around 4-5 minutes to complete then mix some lemon juice into it.
Next, add a teaspoon of olive oil to the mashed garlic mixture and use the pestle to mash until the mixture is incorporated, repeating the process until you have used all the oil required in the recipe.
Typically, the aioli should have a thick and creamy consistency similar to mayonnaise when the aioli is ready.
Is Aioli Just Garlic Mayonnaise?
Technically, aioli can be considered as “garlic” mayonnaise since aioli is an emulsified sauce made of olive oil and garlic.
However, aioli is not truly mayonnaise since traditional aioli recipes do not contain egg yolks, which are an important ingredient when making mayonnaise.
Despite traditional aioli not being real mayonnaise, many people make their own versions of aioli by mixing garlic with mayonnaise, which is when makeshift aioli can be called garlic mayonnaise.
If I Add Garlic To Mayonnaise, Is It Aioli?
Technically, adding garlic to mayonnaise does not make the mayonnaise aioli because the mayonnaise is not made of mashed garlic and olive oil, it is simply mayonnaise with garlic.
However, you can use mayonnaise and garlic to make aioli if you do not want to make aioli from scratch, but the result may not be as authentic as real aioli.
Moreover, many people like to add mashed garlic to already-made mayonnaise and call it aioli, but this “aioli” will not be authentic aioli.
Is Garlic Aioli Better Than Mayonnaise?
Technically, garlic aioli is not better than mayonnaise and vice versa, and which one is better will depend on the person.
However, garlic aioli can be better than mayonnaise if you want a flavorful sauce since garlic aioli tastes obviously like garlic whereas mayonnaise is very mild with a slightly tangy flavor.
If you need a milder flavor and something to bind ingredients together like in a salad, mayonnaise would be a good option.
Can I Use Mayonnaise Instead Of Aioli?
Generally, using plain mayonnaise instead of aioli will not work flavorwise because mayonnaise is extremely mild in flavor compared to aioli, which is bursting with garlicky notes.
If desired, you can mash or finely mince garlic into a paste and mix the garlic into the mayonnaise to achieve some of the aioli’s flavor, but it will not be a perfect substitute for aioli.
However, you can use mayonnaise in place of aioli for a sandwich if all you need is an ingredient for moisture, but you will lack a lot of flavor by doing so.
Can I Use Aioli Instead Of Mayonnaise?
You can use aioli instead of mayonnaise, but aioli will only work as a mayonnaise substitute in certain recipes.
For instance, spreading aioli instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich, especially if it is a meat sandwich since aioli can offer the same moisture as mayonnaise but with a boost of flavor from the garlic.
However, opting for aioli may not be ideal if you want a mild-tasting dressing for salads, but you may use aioli for mayonnaise bases if you do not mind the taste of garlic.
For example, using aioli as a base for a coleslaw dressing can potentially make your coleslaw taste better since the aioli will offer a lot of garlicky flavors.
Check out our related articles to discover if mayonnaise has gluten, if mayonnaise has carbs, and if mayonnaise freezes.
Conclusion
Mayonnaise does not typically have garlic because the main ingredients in mayonnaise are eggs, oil, and a type of acid like lemon juice and vinegar.
Some people may confuse aioli, a sauce made of olive oil and garlic, with mayonnaise and call aioli garlic mayonnaise, but aioli is a different type of sauce.