Name: 3-Minute Harissa Aioli (Creamy Harissa Mayo Dip)
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1 Tablespoon harissa paste; 1 garlic clove (grated or finely minced); 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

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Creamy harissa aioli/mayonnaise, perfect for dips for your next party, or to spread on your sandwiches. With 3 ingredients and done in 3 minutes!

Dipping a baked potato fry into creamy harissa aioli dip on a white speckled bowl.

Ingredients

Mayonnaise: The creamy base for this gluten-free dip! I’m using my oil-free vegan mayo, but feel free to use any other mayonnaise.
Harissa Paste: A spicy, smoky North African chili paste that adds bold flavor.
- This packs a lot of flavor, which is also why I love using it for harissa eggplants!
Garlic: Grated fresh garlic for that characteristic aioli taste.
- Try not to substitute this with garlic powder as it’s just really hard to get the flavor complexity of fresh garlic!
Lemon Juice (optional): Adds a fresh, tangy balance to the spice if you’d like a bit of freshness in your spicy harissa mayo!

Harissa paste, vegan mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon on a white marble with labels.

Step-by-step Instructions

Mix the mayonnaise, harissa paste, and garlic in a small bowl until smooth.
Taste and decide if you want a little extra tang, then add lemon juice if you like.
Enjoy your harissa aioli as a dip, spread, or drizzle!

All ingredients of harissa mayo dip before mixing them all, placed in a white ramekin.

Mixing spicy harissa mayo with a marbled look on a white background.

Top Tips

Adjust the harissa quantity: Harissa paste can vary in heat (with Western brands being milder and African brands being spicier), so start with less if you’re not sure, then add more to taste.
- Pro tip: if it gets too spicy, add a bit of (greek) yogurt or even mashed cream cheese/feta cheese (of course, vegan ones if you prefer) to tone it down and get something closer to a harissa yogurt dip.
- And if you’d like to sneak in more veggies, simple blend together roasted red bell peppers in a small blender or food processor to make something closer to a dip! Add a bit of extra virgin olive oil to make blending easier.
Grate the garlic finely: This ensures it blends smoothly into the aioli and doesn’t leave any harsh bites!

A bunch of baked fries with creamy harissa aioli dip with the right side of the bowl cut off.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your spicy harissa aioli sauce with the classic French fries, like with my adobo fries (with both air fryer and oven instructions), or with sweet potato fries. Or try dipping it with my garlic pita chips!

They’re also great as dips for raw veggies, spread for sandwiches, burgers, and any bread (e.g. in my hummus bagel, avocado bagel, or coronation chickpea sandwich), or finger sandwiches for an afternoon snack.

This spicy garlic aioli is also great as bowl/salad dressing, like in my vegetarian poke rice bowl!

And the last one isn’t as common, but you can use this spicy mayo as sushi sauce, similar to my dynamite sushi sauce. So pair it with a shiitake roll, kimchi vegetables sushi, or asparagus roll!

Close-up of a spoonful of harissa aioli mayo dip with more aioli in the background.

Storage and Meal Prep Instructions

Storage: Keep your harissa aioli/mayo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Meal Prep: This harissa dip is great for making ahead; just store it in the fridge and use it as needed throughout the week. Refer to the Serving Suggestions section above for inspiration on how to use it!

Freezing: Mayonnaise generally doesn’t freeze well (it will change its texture, as explained in this Real Simple article) so please refrain from freezing!

FAQ

Harissa aioli is made from mayonnaise mixed with harissa paste. It often includes garlic and lemon juice for added flavor.

One of the main differences between mayo and aioli is that aioli is garlicky while mayo tends to be more neutral. So usually harissa mayo does not contain added garlic while harissa aioli does.

Harissa sauce is typically made from chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices like cumin and coriander.

Harissa can be hotter than sriracha, depending on the variety and the brand selling it.

Harissa is similar to other spicy chili pastes, but of course, it has its own unique blend of spices. The texture is somewhere in the middle between gritty curry paste to the more runny sambal oelek/sriracha.

A drip of creamy harissa aioli dip, dripping from a small spoon into the mayo bowl.

Want More Spicy Homemade Sauces?

Try one of my dipping sauce recipes below!

🇮🇩 Sambal Mayo for an Indonesian twist (which is also where I came from btw!)
🇰🇷 Gochujang Mayo or Kimchi Mayo for a Korean twist
🇮🇳 Tandoori Mayo for an Indian twist
🇮🇹 Calabrian Chili Mayo for an Italian twist
🇫🇷 Dijon Aioli for a slightly spicy, mustardy twist
🌍 Black Pepper Aioli for a universal spicy kick!