Alioli Verde Sauce Recipe – Alioli

About This Recipe

Come summertime in the Valencian region, kitchens are abuzz with the smell of fresh allioli being made. Allioli is usually the perfect side dish to serve alongside some fresh bread and is commonly served with many of the rice dishes from the Valencian region.  

You’ll also find most restaurants dotted along the Mediterranean coast of Spain flexing their allioli muscles at every opportunity, serving it as a tasty tapas alongside some freshly made pisto, or simply with some freshly baked bread.  

No matter how or where you try it, Allioli verde is definitely a great sauce to notch onto your Spanish culinary belt, as it’s super easy and can be made in 5 minutes!

What’s the difference between allioli and alioli?

Depending on where you hang your hat in Spain (or Europe for that matter) will depend on how “allioli” is prepared in your kitchen. 

Allioli, alioli (or aioli) recipes are found throughout cities and pueblos (country villages) that line the Mediterranean Sea. Many recipes are handed down through generations and have been fiercely protected, but ultimately, there are several ways to make (and spell) the humble allioli. 

Origin of Allioli

First, let’s visit Tarragona, just south of Barcelona on the eastern coast of Spain. It’s here where allioli (pronounced ah-ee-ohlee) can be traced back to the 1st century AD where it was recorded as a sauce made with pounded garlic, olive oil, and a sprinkling of sea salt. 

Next, a trip to Provence, France, where a slight variation of the recipe is mentioned (and spelling of aioli) as a velvety garlic mayonnaise that is emulsified with raw egg yolk.

Egg in Allioli?

Perhaps one of the most famous allioli quotes comes from the somewhat authoritative book Catalan Cuisine, where Colman Andrews quotes an old Catalan saying, “allioli made with egg is just fancy mayonnaise”. 

 Of course, there are plenty of recipes (including this one) that use fresh eggs. Love them or hate them, dub them “fancy mayonnaise” or not, the truth is adding a little egg to your allioli recipe is the quickest and easiest way to get your allioli creamy and oh so delicious! 

The egg yolk helps emulsify the sauce and make it more stable and balanced in flavor. 

Of all the Spanish kitchens I’ve been invited into, every single one has shown me the “traditional” method involving making allioli with egg. If you’re planning to go all authentic and use a traditional allioli pestle and mortar, adding a little egg will save a bundle of time (and pain)… you’re welcome in advance! 

Use fresh eggs

That said, uncooked fresh eggs should be treated with a side of caution and not served to babies, pregnant women, the elderly, or the immune or health compromised. 

Let’s dive right in and make the best allioli verde recipe you’ll ever need!

Allioli verde with rice and seafood dishes

Allioli Verde is such a quick and simple recipe to make, it’s easy to add to any dish as a tasty sauce. Allioli Verde is also great when served alongside some freshly baked bread. 

Dishes to compliment with some allioli Verde include;

• Shrimp and mussels pasta
• Seafood Paella
• Fideuà de Marisco
• Gambas al ajillo

Method (step-by-step)

• Process the garlic, salt, egg, parsley, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a food processor or small hand blender until combined. 
• With the machine running, gradually add the remaining olive oil, drop by drop at first and then in a slow, steady stream, until emulsified. 
• Stir in the lemon juice. 
• Serve at room temperature; do not leave unrefrigerated longer than 1 hour.