Bacon Aioli
by Luscious and creamy homemade Bacon Aioli ready in minutes! This super addictive and mouthwatering garlicky spread uses only a few simple ingredients. With a kick of smokey flavor and crispy morsels of bacon in every bite, you will be begging for more!
And you must try the bacon aioli sauce with my Frozen Salmon in Air Fryer recipe with 0 prep time! What a match made in heaven!
Want more quick meal ideas? Check out my Cosori air fryer recipes.
Why we love this sauce so much
If I didn’t have your attention on bacon, let me tell you why this bacon aioli recipe will be your new favorite condiment.
- Ready in minutes: Super quick and easy recipe needing only a handful of pantry staples.
- Exploding with smokey flavor: Smokey delicious bacon, crisped to perfection in every bite.
- Paleo, Keto, and Whole 30 friendly: Makes a perfect dip or sauce. Sugar-free and low carb!
What is bacon aioli made of
Aioli, bacon flavored in particular, is a fantastic way to transform ingredients you already have on hand into a delectable sauce. Add it to Kale Asian Slaw for a unique flavor, or spread it on a whole 30 breakfast sandwich for a super tasty way to start the day.
- For the sauce: Turkey bacon (or pork bacon), mayonnaise, coarse sea salt, ground pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and lemon juice.
Ingredient substitutions
- Fresh garlic: For a robust, more intense flavor, use fresh minced garlic cloves instead of powdered garlic.
- Types of bacon: You can use pork bacon, maple flavored bacon (maple bacon aioli! Yum!), or try a hardwood smoked variety.
- No smoked paprika: No worries. You can use regular paprika alone or with a tiny drop of liquid smoke.
- Add extra good fat: You can also incorporate the bacon grease into the aioli for extra flavor!
Pro tip:
- Use quality mayo: Use your favorite store-bought mayo or splurge a little; try Tessemae’s or Primal Kitchen. It will be worth it.
- Fresh lemon juice: For a fantastic flavor that pops, use fresh lemon juice.
Equipment needed
With a few standard kitchen tools, you’ll be whipping up some killer bacon aoli in no time!
(This recipe doesn’t require a food processor, but if you want homemade mayonnaise made from scratch with egg yolks and olive oil, you will want to check out my friend’s whole30 mayo).
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Small mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula/ Spoon
- Small food processor (Blender/Immersion blender), optional
- Measuring spoons
- Glass storage containers/Mason jars
How to make the sauce
This recipe comes together so fast! Follow my step-by-step instructions and turn a handful of ingredients into the savory smokey bacon aioli taste your taste buds have been begging for!
- Crisp bacon: Pan sear bacon strips on the stovetop until crispy. Dice into small pieces.
- Combine mayo with seasonings: Add the mayo, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the sauce: Add the bacon (reserve 2 tsp) and gently fold it into the sauce.
- Garnish: Sprinkle the finished aioli with the reserved crispy bacon pieces.
Variations
Bacon aoili is perfect all on its own, but that’s no reason not to try to jazz it up now and then. Check out some fun ideas below.
- Mustard: For added flavor and spice, try adding a little bit of English or tart dijon mustard.
- Fresh herbs: chop some fresh chive, spring onion, or other seasonal herbs for a fresh twist.
- Kick up the heat: Add some cayenne or red pepper flakes for extra flavor and spice.
- Pancetta: To make your flavorful spread a little extra, swap out the bacon for some crispy pancetta.
- Relish: The addition of pickle relish adds excellent texture and flavor, or add my Paleo Kimchi for a spicy Asian twist. Delicious!
Storage
- Store your leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Be sure to whisk your aioli before serving.
Ways to use the sauce
The possibilities are endless; a sauce this rich and creamy and bacon-y deserves to be on all the food! Try out a few of my favorite ways listed below.
- Whole 30 roasted potatoes or air fryer zucchini fries smothered with rich bacon aioli give a whole new meaning to comfort food.
- Grab a big bowl of this silky and smokey delicious sauce; it’s perfect for dipping Taiwanese chicken nuggets or Paleo kale chips.
- A great way to enjoy creamy aioli is slathered all over homemade brioche buns. Soft rolls and this velvety spread pair perfectly with your favorite burger and makes an excellent dipping sauce for french fries.
- To keep it low carb, try the delicious sauce with my nori sushi wraps and paleo salmon cakes.
Common FAQs
Bacon aioli is a delicious condiment with layers of mellow garlic, smokey bacon flavor, and a hint of lemon.
I don’t recommend that you freeze aioli sauce.
Yes! I prefer to let homemade aioli rest for a few hours before serving, allowing the sauce to develop great flavor and a super creamy texture.
Though primarily thought of as synonymous, mayo is the emulsion of egg yolks and oil, whereas authentic aioli recipes must consist of olive oil and garlic (source).
More delicious sauces!
Are you looking for more amazing sauces and dressings? I have you covered. Homemade sauces can make everything from your favorite sandwich to the fanciest dinner next level; here are a few you should try.
Umami Tips
- Use turkey bacon: For a lighter mild flavor.
- Crisp up the bacon: Mouthwatering crispy bacon bits add fantastic texture.
- Allow to chill: Chill the sauce for a few hours to develop a fantastic flavor and creamy texture.
- Versatile: Use as a sauce, dressing, or spread. Fantastic on everything!
Bacon aioli recipe
Ingredients
- 3 slices turkey bacon, or pork bacon
- 1 cup mayo
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika powder
- ¼+1/2 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, about half of one whole lemon juice
Instructions
- Crisp up the bacon on a stovetop. Dice to tiny bite sizes. Set aside 2 tsp of bacon for garnish use.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine mayo with salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and lemon juice. Stir-well.
- Add in the bacon and stir again to combine well so that every spoonful of aioli has little chunks of bacon bits.
- Garnish with the reserved 2 tsp bacon on top.
Notes
- Use quality Mayo: Use your favorite store-bought mayo or splurge a little; try Tessemae’s or Primal Kitchen. It will be worth it.
- Fresh lemon Juice: For a fantastic flavor that pops, use fresh lemon juice.
- Allow to chill: Chill the sauce for a few hours to develop a fantastic flavor and creamy texture.
- For storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to whisk your aioli before serving.
- Pair the sauce with burgers, fries, sandwich spread, or my how-to cook Frozen salmon in an air fryer. They are a match made in heaven!
Nutrition
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This is a wonderful dip with great flavor! Appreciate how simple it is to put together. We use it for potato fries, zucchini fries, sandwich spread, burger buns and more!
Interesting recipe, can’t wait to make this! Anything from Chihyu is always so tasty. Wondering…why coarse salt? Texture maybe..? I have it and will use it, just curious. Thanks 🙂
Thanks, Holly. It’s less likely to season your food too salty when you use coarse salt. Fine salt is easily over seasoned and the salty level makes a difference when you use fine vs. coarse. I always use coarse. 🙂
We made this bacon aioli the other day and we used turkey bacon instead. The whole recipe comes together quickly and is creamy and delicious with bits of crunchy bacon in the sauce. We pair the sauce with some sweet potato fries. The kids and my husband loved it! Will add this sauce to our weekend movie night rotation!
Thank you so much!
A bacon lover’s dream sauce! So good on all meat and fish!
I love aioli and everything is better with bacon – will be serving this delicious sauce with all of the things! Thanks for the umami tips to make it even better!
Lovely!
This aioli sauce with bacon bits is fantastic! Garlicky delicious with bits of salty crispy bacon. We made it last night with a sandwich club. So delicious. Very good spread. It’s a keeper for so many things!