Black Pepper Aioli (Peppercorn Mayonnaise Sauce)
This creamy and flavor packed black pepper aioli is the perfect condiment to team up with your fries, baked veggies and so much more.
It takes just a few minutes to put together, needs 5 simple pantry staples, and is a kickass condiment you can pair with just about anything- just like my spicy Sriracha aioli.
I’ve been swooning over the perfect balance of creamy texture and that pop of flavor when I last tried my sundried tomato aioli recipe.
So of course, I had to try out another version of the classic aioli, and this time, I thought of featuring black pepper as the hero ingredient, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it turned out.
Quick Look
- )🔪 Prep time: 5 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: No cooking needed.
- 👪 Servings: 4.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Mayonnaise, garlic, crushed black pepper, lemon juice, light olive oil.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Combine all ingredients in a food processor 🡢 blend until smooth 🡢 taste and adjust 🡢 serve.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Extremely easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Dip for fries and veggies, spread on sandwiches, or pair alongside my garlic avocado spread for a full dipping spread.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Five minutes, five ingredients, completely no-cook. Everything goes into a food processor together and blends to a smooth, uniform aioli in under a minute- that's how easy it is to make, just like my lemon sour cream sauce.
- I like to make it in a batch and store it for later. That way, I always have a nice condiment ready to pair along with my baked and fried foods.
Recipe Ingredients
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise forms the base for this shortcut aioli. I used the full fat version for the perfect creaminess.
- Garlic: Garlic just adds so much flavor to the aioli. You can add as much as you like. Sometimes, I end up using my air fried roasted garlic to lend a bit of smoky depth to the peppercorn aioli.
- Black pepper: Black pepper forms the essence of this aioli. It complements the garlic beautifully, and brings in a bit of heat too.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brings some nice tart and tangy flavors into the peppercorn mayonnaise sauce.
- Olive oil: And of course, olive oil just brings everything together. I like using my lemon infused olive oil for an extra citrusy zing.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- I used raw garlic for this recipe, but you can also make do with garlic powder instead.
- Add lemon zest alongside the juice for a more intensely citrusy version- zest delivers fragrant citrus oils that juice alone cannot. A pinch of my citrus salt as part of the seasoning works brilliantly here.
- To make a vegan version, swap the classic mayo with vegan mayo and follow the rest of the recipe as-is.
- Use white pepper instead of black pepper for a cleaner-looking, pure white aioli with a more aromatic, slightly floral heat. Use the same quantity. Sometimes, I also use a pinch of my homemade lemon pepper seasoning when I have it at hand.
How to Make Black Pepper Aioli
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Blend it well until you get a smooth and uniform mixture. The black pepper can stay a bit chunky, but that's actually great!
💭Top Tip
Another great idea is to add some finely chopped herbs into the mix. Just remember to mix it into the aioli after it is out of the blender, or the aioli will turn into a green colored mixture.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Add a pinch of sea salt or flavored salt to bring all the flavors together. For a spicier, more complex seasoning, my Sriracha salt and jalapeno flavored salt add a completely different heat dimension alongside the pepper.
- You can also add a dash of Kosher salt to bring out the flavors of all the ingredients in the aioli. If you’re watching your sodium intake, you may want to skip this one.
- Remember to choose light olive oil. You wouldn’t want the slight bitterness of the oil affecting the flavor of the other ingredients.
- To make a low calorie version of this aioli, use low fat mayonnaise.
How to Use the Black Pepper Aioli
You can use the peppercorn mayonnaise sauce in tons of ways. It can be a great dip to serve with crudites- your roasted or baked veggies, or even with French fries.
Mix it together with some vinegar and turn it into a nice vinaigrette or salad dressing to go with your green salads. The aioli tastes incredible when you serve it with grilled shrimp and other seafood too. I also love serving it with my devilled eggs and chicken wings.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Your leftover cracked pepper aioli can be refrigerated and stored for up to 2 weeks. Just make sure you use a clean, airtight container to preserve its freshness and use a fresh spoon every time you serve it. You can also just cover the bowl with some cling wrap before you keep it in the fridge.
Yes! You can. Simply mince the garlic as finely as possible (almost to a paste with a pinch of salt) and whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl by hand. It will be slightly less uniform in texture, but it works perfectly well for dipping and spreading.
Using low-fat mayonnaise too much lemon juice can mess with the mayo-to-liquid ratio and cause the aioli to become too thin. To thicken it, stir in an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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If you tried this black pepper aioli or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Black Pepper Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon crushed black pepper
- 2-3 garlic
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
- Blend it well until you get a smooth and uniform mixture.
- Serve it with your favorite sides.
