This delicious dipping sauce is made with a few simple ingredients. Make it totally from scratch or use a common store condiment to give yourself a head start.
Instructions for both versions included.
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you'll love it
- Easy - it's just a fancy mayo.
- Adds spicy flavor to deli sandwiches, burgers, chicken nuggets, and more.
- Delicious on shrimp tacos, fish tacos, and other Mexican dishes - there are so many different ways to use this spicy sauce
I love mayonnaise - especially homemade mayonnaise!! It's so easy to make, too. AND, while it's delicious as is, adding a few extra ingredients bumps it up to traditional aioli sauce and adds some prestige along with the extra flavor.
This simple sauce is going to win its own permanent spot in the refrigerator. It's SO good you'll want to have it around all the time!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- eggs
- oil
- canned chipotle in adobo sauce
- lime
- honey
- garlic cloves
- salt
- cumin
🥫 Storage
Homemade aioli will last about 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator so don't make more than a cup at a time.
It does not freeze well.
📖 Variations
You can make any of the following substitutions and still have a perfect sauce!
- Use fresh lemon juice instead of lime juice.
- Use a tablespoon of sriracha instead of chipotle to make a homemade sriracha aioli sauce.
- Use a tablespoon of spicy chili sauce for a spicy Asian aioli flavor.
- Use more garlic cloves for a spicy garlic sandwich spread.
- You can substitute garlic powder to taste for the fresh garlic - it's not as good but it works.
- Make chipotle aioli vegan by using a commercially prepared vegan mayo to start.
- Add hot sauce to make it spicier to taste.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Blend all of the ingredients until smooth and well mixed before adding the oil or the eggs won't emulsify and you'll get runny chipotle aioli!
- If you prefer a stronger flavor you can use olive oil in place of the light vegetable oil.
- You can use a little chipotle powder to taste if you can't find the chipotle in adobo sauce.
- Strapped for time? Use 1 cup of your favorite store bought mayonnaise and blend it with the chipotle cumin, and lime juice.
- Chipotle aioli is best if chilled for at least 30 minutes before using.
- Add more mashed chipotle for a sauce with a stronger spicy kick.
Once you've made this spicy aioli sauce recipe you'll want to let it stand in the refrigerator a few hours or overnight. The flavors blend and mellow out and are way better than at the beginning.
👩🍳 FAQs
Mayonnaise (commercial or homemade), chipotle, lime juice, and a touch of garlic or cumin.
Yes, they are one in the same.
Yes it is, just leave out the honey and use a keto approved sweetener instead. It's a great condiment for grilled chicken.
Don't worry about using the raw egg yolks. The acid in the lemon juice kills salmonella in the remote chance the bacteria is present. If this a concern for you just start with commercially prepared mayonnaise.
📚 Related recipes
- Copycat Red Robin campfire sauce is an easy dipping sauce the kids will love.
- If you've never made homemade teriyaki sauce you need to try this! So easy!
- Chimichurri sauce is a summer time must for grilled meat.
🍽️ Serve with...
Basically you can use this spicy aoli recipe anywhere you'd use regular mayonnaise.
- Burgers (of course) are WAY better with this spicy chipotle aioli!
- It's especially good on roast beef sandwiches.
- Fried chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, chicken tenders - yes!
- Use as a fry sauce and dip your french fries or tater tots into it - it's the best dipping sauce ever.
- It makes an easy and unusual chip dip, vegetable dip, dip for shrimp cocktail...
- Add to potato salad or macaroni salad.
- Use instead of mayonnaise in deviled eggs.
🥄 Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- A mini food processor like this one works best for this.
- An immersion blender is an invaluable tool -- especially one that has a whisk attachment. This is how I make mayonnaise and aioli sometimes and it makes it SO easy!
- Containers
📞 The last word
Chipotle Aioli is a spicy version of the classic French garlic aioli recipe. It's basically a homemade mayonnaise with a lot of extra flavor. Easy to make, you'll find SO many ways to use this homemade sandwich spread!
I love French food but I have to admit that my Texas tastebuds long for the smoky bite of chipotle far more than they crave the sophisticated lemony-garlicness of true aioli.
This chipotle aioli recipe brings it all together with sparklers and a John Phillip Souza march.
Next time give this classic southern Jezebel Sauce a try! It's another quick recipe that will add tons of flavor to your meals.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Chipotle Aioli
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
From scratch
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin
- 3 tablespoons mashed chipotle in adobo
- ¾ cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
Using commercial mayonnaise
- 1 cup commercially prepared mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 3 tablespoons mashed chipotle in adobo, more to taste
Instructions
From scratch
- Pulse the egg yolks, lime juice, and honey in a small food processor until well blended.
- Add garlic, salt, cumin, and chipotle -- pulse to combine.
- With the processor on low slowly pour in the oil, almost drop by drop.
- Process until thick - about 1 minute.
- Store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.
Using commercial mayonnaise
- Place the mayonnaise in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before use.
Notes
- If you prefer a stronger flavor you can use olive oil in place of the light vegetable oil.
- You can use a little chipotle powder to taste if you can't find the chipotle in adobo sauce.
- Chipotle aioli is best if chilled for at least 30 minutes before using.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published June 24, 2017. Last updated June 28, 2022 for readability and structure.
NO EGG IN AIOLI. Mayo IS NOT AN AIOLI says
I'm going to keep this a shirt as possible. An Aioli has NO EGG if you add egg it becomes a Mayo THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. To say so is an insult to the time and effort it takes to make a true Aioli. Aioli uses grated garlic paste as the Emulsifier and Olive oil or maybe avocado oil. Never a cheap oil like veg or corn. "Vegan mayo" is an Aioli. Eggs are the emulsifier in Mayo. To add egg to an Aioli literally changes the definition of the sauce . A Mole sauce isn't a mole sauce without coca. It becomes something else! With your experience and credentials you need to inform your readers properly. Especially since you have a Q&A in this cluster of a recipe.. powered garlic that's a disgrace. Do it correctly or don't bother at all!!!
Marye says
Actually Dan, I know that. But my readers mostly like to do things quickly and easily because they have real lives with real stresses. So often times I cut them some slack and cut corners. I'm not really sure who pooped in your cornflakes this morning but there are LOTS of great blogs out there - find one. Thanks for keeping it "shirt".