Pesto Aioli Recipe (Basil Aioli)
Fresh basil pesto mixed with homemade mayonnaise for a creamy, herby spread or dip you'll love!
Servings: 8
Calories: 305kcal
Ingredients
For the Pesto
- ¼ cup of pine nuts
- 1 cup of packed basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ ounces olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove optional
For the Aioli
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup neutral oil such as vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. Watch carefully, as pine nuts turn quickly from toasted to burned. Let cool.
- Combine cooled toasted pine nuts, basil, lemon juice, salt, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and garlic clove (if desired) in a small food processor.
- Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides a couple of times. You may need to tip the processor over a bit to blend it better if the blade does not quite reach the bottom. When finished, you’ll have about ½ cup of pesto.
- To make the aioli, whisk together egg yolk, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and salt in a small-medium bowl. I like to use a glass bowl so I can really see what is happening.
- Very slowly, begin to drip the oil into the bowl with the egg mixture, whisking constantly and vigorously. You are making an emulsion, and emulsions are very tricky. At the beginning, you must literally add the oil drop by drop, making sure it is incorporated before adding more. The mixture will thicken little by little at first, and then faster and faster.
- Once you have added about ¼ cup of the oil, you can speed up the rate at which you are adding the oil. Continue to whisk constantly, taking a break if your arm tires. Place the bowl on a damp kitchen towel if it is moving around while you whisk.
- After about ½ cup of oil has been added, you can speed up a little more until all the oil is incorporated.
- If the aioli is too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time to loosen it up to what you desire.
- Whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of pesto and let sit for at least 10 minutes, to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- Pesto Aioli will keep up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftover pesto will also keep for a few days in the fridge, but cover it with plastic wrap to help stop the top layer of pesto from browning.
- This recipe includes a raw egg yolk, so look for pasteurized eggs if this concerns you.
- For a vegan version of this recipe, use a vegan mayonnaise in replacement of the homemade aioli.
- To fix a broken mayonnaise, crack an egg yolk into a bowl, then whisk in the broken mayonnaise very slowly. It should come back together for you!
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 187mg
