Difference Between Mayonnaise and Aioli

Whether you are eating roasted potatoes, chips, steamed fish, or vegetables, mayonnaise and aioli make for great sauces that enhance the taste of the dishes. Both condiments are very tasty and, in fact, make one eat more than his desire. Mayonnaise and Aioli also look like each other besides tasting same. This creates confusion in the minds of people and there are some who find it difficult to tell one condiment from another. This article attempts to find out if there are any real differences between these two sauces.

Mayonnaise

Also called just mayo at times, mayonnaise is a thick sauce that is eaten along with many different dishes. This is a condiment that is Spanish in origin and contains many ingredients. The color of this sauce is mostly white or cream. It is made by mixing oil with the yolk of egg with the help of a blender or by hand. It requires vigorous mixing so as to make an emulsion of oil and water. One has to keep watching while mixing oil and egg yolks so as not to turn it into a curd like consistency. There are people who make mayonnaise with egg whites without the yolk, and there are also people who make use of whole eggs to make their version of mayonnaise. Lemon juice and vinegar are added during the mixing process, to aid in the emulsification of the sauce.

Aioli

Aioli is a great sauce that is used as a condiment with all sorts of food items. This is an emulsion that is made by mixing olive oil with garlic and salt. If it is difficult to mix oil with garlic paste, chefs often add stale bread pieces or boiled potatoes to get thee right consistency of the sauce. When people make use of egg yolk to make aioli, it becomes something like a cross between mayonnaise and aioli.

What is the difference between Mayonnaise and Aioli?

• Both mayonnaise and aioli are similar looking sauces that are used with many types of dishes.

• Mayonnaise mostly makes use of canola oil or vegetable oil, whereas aioli makes use of olive oil.

• Mayonnaise is a little lighter than aioli and is available in many flavors.

• Aioli has a lot of garlic while mayonnaise is made without garlic.

• Mayonnaise requires egg yolk to make an emulsion, whereas aioli uses garlic paste to make an emulsion.