This easy Horseradish Aioli combines mayonnaise, roasted garlic, and horseradish into a delicious sauce you’ll want to use on seafood, steak, and vegetables too!
If you haven’t tried Horseradish Aioli with a full head of roasted garlic before, prepare to be wowed. In the over 10 years I worked as a personal chef, roasted garlic was my secret weapon. My beef tenderloin with creamy horseradish aioli was a staple on my romantic dinner menus and party menus.
But that recipe involved reducing heavy cream for almost 30 minutes before stirring in the roasted garlic and horseradish. And when you’re rushing to make other components of your meal, that’s just too long to have to keep your eye on the stove! This Horseradish Aioli uses a short-cut method instead, but I can assure you the results are still absolutely delicious.
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Why Make Horseradish Mayo
- Great flavor combination: horseradish and roasted garlic just work!
- So versatile: Trust me, make this and you’ll want to use it everywhere: as a dip for vegetables, as a sandwich spread, as a sauce for seafood and steak, and more.
- Make-ahead: This horseradish aioli sauce will keep several days in the refrigerator, so you can make it in advance, and have it ready to go when you want to serve.
Want to go over the top with this recipe and make the mayonnaise from scratch? Check out my Black Garlic Aioli or my Truffle Aioli posts. (This girl loves her aioli!)
Horseradish Mayo Recipe Ingredients
- Garlic: Look for heads with smooth, tightly packed cloves. The bigger the cloves, the better, as they will be easier to squeeze out after roasting.
- Mayonnaise: Choose your favorite brand of mayonnaise here. I really prefer the full-fat version, but you can use whatever you normally have in the house. You can also substitute greek yogurt for half of the mayonnaise if you prefer.
- Horseradish: The term “prepared horseradish” generally means that the horseradish root has been grated and mixed with vinegar. You’ll usually find it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
- Dijon Mustard: I love the additional layer of flavor this adds to this horseradish garlic sauce, but you can leave it out if you don’t have any on-hand.
How to Make Horseradish Aioli
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut off the top quarter of a head of garlic, reserving the cut off cloves for another use.
3. Place garlic head on a sheet of aluminum foil.
4. Drizzle head with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Wrap up tightly in foil.
5. Roast for 45-60 minutes. (Check whether garlic is fully roasted by unwrapping foil and piercing with skewer—it should go in with no resistance.) Let cool slightly.
6. For more tips and tricks on roasting garlic, see my post on How to Roast Garlic.
7. Squeeze out garlic cloves into medium bowl and add horseradish.
8. Use a fork to mash together.
9. Stir in ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
10. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with the remaining ½ tablespoon parsley.
11. Let creamy horseradish sauce chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Horseradish Mayonnaise Tips
Wondering about all of the uses for this garlic horseradish aioli? There are a ton! Here are just a few ideas:
- use as dipping sauce for crab cakes or boiled shrimp
- spread on a sandwich or a wrap instead of regular mayonnaise
- dollop on filet mignon, Prime Rib, or roast beef
- serve as a dip with Baked Potato Wedges or sweet potato fries
- spread it on salmon fillets, top with bread crumbs, and bake, as in this Panko-Crusted Salmon recipe
- put it on a burger or a BLT
- try it as a dip for Roasted Artichokes
Keep in mind that heads of garlic vary in size by quite a bit, and so will take different amounts of time to roast. Also, if you have a very large head of garlic, you might want to use just half of it in this horseradish sauce recipe, and save the other cloves to spread directly on a roll or a baguette. Taste as you go, and you decide!
How to Store Horseradish Mayo Sauce
This aioli will keep for 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I wouldn’t recommend freezing aioli, as the mayonnaise will break when it is defrosted.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two types of aioli. The first is a traditional Mediterranean emulsion of garlic and olive oil. The second is an aioli like this recipe, referring to a mayonnaise base flavored with spices, herbs, or other ingredients. You often find the terms horseradish aioli and horseradish mayo used interchangeably, for example.
Personally, I’d describe this horseradish mayo as more zesty rather than spicy, but if you up the amount of prepared horseradish you stir in, you can get to spicy pretty quickly. The horseradish definitely gives it a kick!
Sure! Just use vegan mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise.
Other Aioli Recipes
I can’t get enough of aioli recipes—they truly make everything better. For another super easy mayo-based option, try this Lemon Aioli with Dill. Or check out these delicious flavor options with a homemade mayo base:
If you try this easy Horseradish Aioli recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below—I read them all, and your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I'd love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
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Garlic Horseradish Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish squeezed dry
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped parsley divided
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut off the top quarter of a head of garlic, reserving the cut off cloves for later use.
- Place garlic head on a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle head with olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Wrap up tightly in foil.
- Roast for 45-60 minutes. (Check whether garlic is fully roasted by unwrapping foil and piercing with skewer—it should go in with no resistance.) Let cool slightly.
- Squeeze out garlic cloves into medium bowl and add horseradish.
- Use a fork to mash together.
- Stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with the remaining ½ tablespoon parsley.
- Let chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
This aioli will keep for 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I wouldn’t recommend freezing aioli, as the mayonnaise will break when it is defrosted. Recipe Tip:
Keep in mind that heads of garlic vary in size by quite a bit, and so will take different amounts of time to roast. Also, if you have a very large head of garlic, you might want to use just half of it in this horseradish sauce recipe, and save the other cloves to spread directly on a roll or a baguette. Taste as you go, and you decide!
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this Roasted Garlic Horseradish Aioli recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I'd love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Mimi Rippee says
I love this! My husband wants a prime rib on Christmas. I’d typically mix sour cream and horseradish together for myself, but this sounds way way better!!! Thank you and Merry Christmas!
http://www.chefmimiblog.com
Molly Pisula says
Just a little upgrade for not much more work!
Todd says
This I think is the recipe I was looking for! Needed a horseradish aioli for Elk Burgers...Cant wait to try this one out! Thanks ahead of time.
Molly Pisula says
Oh good, happy to be of assistance! I just made this to go with some steak on my daughter's birthday, and remembered why I love this recipe. 🙂