🧄 Aioli vs Alioli: What's in a Name?
At TAPEO, we're passionate about the stories behind the food we serve. And few ingredients carry as much history, debate, and downright deliciousness as the humble garlic sauce sitting proudly beside your tapas. So let's settle this once and for all — what exactly is the difference between aioli and alioli, and where did it all begin?
It Starts With a Name
If you've ever glanced at a menu and wondered whether aioli and alioli are the same thing, you're not alone. They look similar, they sound similar, and they both involve garlic. But dig a little deeper, and you'll find two distinct traditions, two different philosophies, and — for the purists among us — quite a passionate debate.
Let's start at the very beginning.
The Original: Alioli
The word alioli comes from the Catalan language and is beautifully literal in its simplicity — all meaning garlic, and oli meaning oil.
Garlic and oil. Nothing more, nothing less.
Alioli is deeply rooted in the food culture of Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands in Spain, as well as parts of the western Mediterranean coast. It is a condiment with ancient origins — some food historians believe that a version of this garlic and oil emulsion was enjoyed as far back as Roman times, when garlic was prized not only for its bold flavour but for its perceived medicinal properties.
For centuries, alioli was made the same way in kitchens across Spain: a mortar and pestle, raw garlic, good olive oil, a pinch of salt, and an enormous amount of patience. The garlic is pounded into a smooth paste, and then the olive oil is added drop by drop — painstakingly slowly — while the mixture is worked in circular motions until it emulsifies into a thick, creamy, intensely flavoured sauce.
No eggs. No shortcuts. Just garlic and oil.
The result is something truly remarkable — bold, punchy, and unapologetically garlicky. It is the kind of sauce that demands attention and rewards those who appreciate real, honest cooking.
Enter Aioli
Across the border in the Provence region of southern France, a very similar tradition was taking shape. The French called their version aioli (from the Occitan ailloli, again meaning garlic and oil), and for a long time it followed the same principle as its Spanish cousin.
However, over time — and particularly as French cuisine began to influence kitchens around the world — egg yolk crept into the recipe. The addition of egg yolk makes the emulsification process significantly easier and produces a sauce that is smoother, creamier, and considerably milder in flavour.
From there, the term "aioli" took on a life of its own. Today, you'll find it on menus everywhere — sometimes loaded with lemon, sometimes smoked, sometimes flavoured with herbs or chilli — and more often than not it is simply a dressed-up garlic mayonnaise. Delicious in its own right, but a long way from its origins.
To the traditionalists of Catalonia, this is nothing short of culinary heartbreak. 😄
A Condiment With Culture
What makes alioli so special isn't just the flavour — it's what it represents. In Catalan and Valencian culture, alioli is more than a dipping sauce. It is part of the identity of the table, served alongside grilled meats, fresh bread, roasted vegetables, rice dishes, and of course, the kind of long, leisurely meals that Spanish food culture does so beautifully.
There is something deeply satisfying about a sauce that has survived for centuries without needing to change. In a world of food trends and reinvention, alioli stands firm — garlic, oil, and the skill of the person making it.
Spain is also one of Europe's largest producers of garlic, and varieties like the famous purple garlic from Las Pedroñeras in Castilla-La Mancha — a town so devoted to the crop it has earned the nickname la capital del ajo (the garlic capital) — are celebrated for their rich, complex flavour. The quality of your garlic matters enormously, and in Spain, people take it seriously.
At TAPEO
Here at TAPEO, we believe in honouring the traditions that make Spanish food so extraordinary. When you find alioli on your plate alongside your tapas, it has been made with care, with quality olive oil, and with a generosity of garlic that we make absolutely no apology for.
It is the kind of thing that, once you've tasted the real version, you'll never look at a jar of garlic mayo the same way again.
Whether it's alongside our paella, tapas, a plate of grilled vegetables, or simply with some good bread to start, alioli is one of those small, perfect things that reminds you why simple ingredients, done properly, are always the most satisfying.
🧄 Try It At Home: Traditional Alioli Recipe
Think you're up for the challenge? Here's how to make a proper, traditional alioli at home. Fair warning — this takes patience, but the reward is absolutely worth it.
Homemade Alioli Recipe
Makes approximately 1 small bowl
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 cloves of garlic
1 whole egg (room temperature)
200ml vegetable oil (reduces the strength of the olive oil), and add 50ml to 100ml of extra virgin olive oil after
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Prepare your jar Place your garlic cloves into a narrow stick blender jar or tall beaker. A narrow container is key here — it ensures the blade makes proper contact with the ingredients and helps the emulsion form correctly.
2. Add everything into the jar Add the whole egg, lemon juice, vegetable oil and salt to the jar with the garlic. Do not add the Olive oil yet.
3. Blitz the ingredients Place your stick blender all the way to the bottom of the jar and switch it on. Hold it completely still at the bottom for 10-15 seconds without moving it. You will see the emulsion start to form and turn thick and creamy from the bottom up.
4. Slowly lift Once the base has emulsified and turned pale and creamy, very slowly begin to lift the blender upwards through the oil, drawing it into the emulsion gradually. This should take around 15–20 seconds.
5. Add the extra virgin olive oil Pour the olive oil on top of the mixture. Do not stir or mix — simply let it sit on the surface.
6. Again, Slowly lift Once again slowly begin to lift the blender upwards through the oil, drawing it into the emulsion gradually and mixing it into the cream.
7. Taste and adjust Once fully combined and thick, taste your alioli and adjust with a little more salt or lemon juice as needed.
8. Serve or store Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tips for Success
🧄 Don't move the blender too soon — patience in those first 10 seconds is everything
🌡️ Room temperature egg gives you the best emulsification
🫒 Extra virgin olive oil gives the most authentic flavour, but if you find it too intense you can use a 50/50 mix of extra virgin and a neutral oil
❌ If it splits, meaning its more liquidy and not a thick cream add a fresh egg to a clean jar and slowly blitz your split mixture back in as if it were the oil.
