Name: 3-Minute Smoked Paprika Aioli (Mayo Dipping Sauce)
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika powder (see notes below for substitutions); lemon juice (from half a lemon (about 2-3 teaspoons))

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Just 3 minutes and 3 ingredients to make this Smoked Paprika Aioli. This paprika mayo dip sauce is so creamy and delicious, you won’t believe it’s vegan!

A sweet potato fry being dipped into a bowl of smoked paprika aioli sauce.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

🌶️ Bold Flavor Boost: Elevate your dishes with a smoky punch from this sauce!
🎉 Effortless: Gourmet vibes without the hassle!
🌱 Versatile: From fries to sandwiches, this paprika sauce is the all-purpose sauce.

A white bowl of smoked paprika mayonnaise dip with a spoon sticking out.

Ingredients

Three ingredients to make our smoked paprika aioli dip:

Mayonnaise: You can use store-bought mayo, but did you know that you can make your own cashew mayo in 3 minutes?
Smoked Paprika Powder: The star ingredient, this smoky powerhouse adds depth and a hint of barbecue flavor to elevate your aioli.
- If this is not accessible to you, you can sub with regular paprika powder (sweet paprika powder), noting that you will not get a smoky flavor that way.
- Another tips you can try is to add a bit of liquid smoke for that smoky goodness.
- Or try my umami roasted red pepper sauce or sun-dried tomato sauce if you can’t find smoked paprika easily!
Lemon Juice: Brightens up the aioli, adding a zesty kick!

Mayonnaise, smoked paprika powder, and lemon juice on a white marbled background with labels.

How to Make This Smoked Paprika Dip

Just one step: Whisk or mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, and you’re good to go!

Red smoked paprika powder in a bowl of vegan mayo and lemon juice.

Marbled look of mayonnaise mixed with smoked paprika powder in a white bowl.

Serving Suggestions

Dip this paprika sauce using some (sweet potato) fries like with my crispy adobo fries, or any vegetables (both raw and roasted).

They’re also great as a sandwich spread. So think of using it in this coronation chickpeas sandwich.

Storage and Meal Prep Instructions

Storage and Meal Prep: Keep any smoked paprika mayo leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

Freeze: Do NOT freeze this recipe as it will change the texture.

FAQ

It is a spice derived from dried and ground red peppers that have been smoked over an oak fire. It originated in Spain. This particular paprika imparts a distinct smoky flavor that is not present in regular paprika powder.

These days, you can buy them at spice shops, Spanish grocery stores, or Amazon. Unfortunately, your regular supermarkets might not carry them, or they tend to be very expensive there.

For more information about smoked paprika, see this article from Simply Recipes.

As you can imagine from the ingredients, paprika aioli is a zesty condiment packed with umami paprika flavor and a bit of sweetness. If you’re using smoked paprika powder instead of regular sweet paprika powder, you will also get a hint of smokiness.

All of that makes this smoked paprika mayonnaise perfect for dipping, spreading on sandwiches, or enhancing various dishes!

Although I do like garlic, I didn’t add it to this recipe since the taste easily overpowers the paprika taste. So nope, I would not recommend doing so.

However, I do have two garlic bread recipes where you could add as many garlic as you want! Check out my Healthy Whole Wheat Garlic Bread (with Olive Oil), or this Garlic Bread using Regular Sliced Bread.

Traditionally, aioli is made just by pounding garlic and olive oil, whereas mayo typically uses eggs and oil, but without garlic. Although mayonnaise contains eggs whereas aioli does not, this eggy flavor is usually mild. But more often than not, you would notice the difference in the garlic.

So in short, you could say that aioli is the same as garlic mayonnaise, although technically the traditional aioli does not contain eggs. And if you’re vegan, fret not because you can still enjoy a creamy delicious plant-based mayo using my Vegan Oil-free Homemade Mayonnaise, just like what I did here in this smoked paprika dip!

Smoked paprika aioli / smoked paprika mayo dip is a creamy and flavorful sauce that combines mayonnaise, smoked paprika powder, and lemon juice.

Looking for more dips & sauces?

If you want more smoky recipes, try my BBQ aioli, harissa aioli, or ancho mayo which are all done in 3 minutes! Or check out my raspberry chipotle sauce, or this raspberry chipotle cream cheese dip for your next party appetizers.

If you’re a fan of spicy food, try one of my spicy sauces: from Indian tandoori mayonnaise, Indonesian sambal dip, or Korean gochujang aioli.