Key findings
- 1Traditional aioli is a 3-4 ingredient garlic and olive oil emulsion, among the simplest sauces
- 2Most commercial "aioli" is flavored mayonnaise made with soybean oil, preservatives, and garlic flavoring
- 3Making real aioli at home requires only garlic, olive oil, and patience, with no special equipment beyond a mortar or whisk
Why is Aioli Level 3 on average?
Traditional aioli from southern France and Catalonia is one of the simplest emulsion sauces: raw garlic is pounded in a mortar, then olive oil is slowly drizzled in while stirring constantly, creating a thick, pungent emulsion stabilized by the garlic's natural mucilage. Some versions add egg yolk for easier emulsification. The entire recipe requires 3-4 ingredients and a mortar and pestle. Commercial aioli, the form most Americans encounter, is essentially flavored mayonnaise. It replaces olive oil with soybean or canola oil, adds EDTA (calcium disodium) as a preservative, includes modified food starch for texture, and uses "natural garlic flavor" instead of raw garlic. Some restaurant "aioli" is simply mayonnaise with garlic powder stirred in. The word "aioli" on a commercial label rarely indicates the traditional product. In our analysis, aioli products average a Processing Score of 6.3, which is Level 3.
How 78 aioli products break down
Share of products at each processing level, in our analysis.
Aioli brand comparison
From least to most processed in our database.
How to read a aioli label
- 1
Traditional aioli needs only garlic, olive oil, and optionally egg yolk and lemon; 3-4 ingredients
- 2
Commercial "aioli" is usually flavored mayonnaise; check if soybean or canola oil is the primary fat
- 3
EDTA (calcium disodium EDTA) is a preservative found in most commercial versions
- 4
"Natural garlic flavor" is not the same as actual garlic, and it is a refined extract
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Frequently asked questions
Is aioli the same as garlic mayonnaise?
Traditional aioli is not mayo; it is garlic emulsified with olive oil, sometimes without egg. However, nearly all commercial "aioli" is flavored mayonnaise (soybean oil, eggs, vinegar, garlic flavoring). The name has been repurposed for marketing.
Is store-bought aioli ultra-processed?
In our analysis, aioli products average a Processing Score of 6.3, which is Level 3. Most store-bought aioli contains soybean or canola oil, eggs, vinegar, garlic flavoring, EDTA preservative, and modified food starch, significantly more processed than the traditional 3-ingredient version.
How do you make real aioli?
Pound garlic with salt in a mortar until smooth, then slowly drizzle in olive oil while stirring constantly until thick and emulsified. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. The entire process takes 10 minutes and uses 3-4 ingredients.