Umami sun-dried tomato aioli (tomato mayo sauce), guaranteed to elevate your meals! Use them as a dip, dressing, sauce drizzle, or even sandwich spread!

A spoonful of sun dried tomato aioli being held close to the camera.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Mayonnaise: Our creamy base! I used my 3-minute oil-free mayo but feel free to use store-bought vegan mayo.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Adds a tangy, umami punch.
- Be sure to use jarred sun-dried tomatoes (the ones stored in oil). Dried sun-dried tomatoes do NOT work since they are dry and hard to bite without being rehydrated first.
Garlic: The ingredient that gives that characteristic aioli taste.
Lemon juice: Brightens up the flavors!
- You can sub with lime juice or any other vinegar. If you sub with vinegar, reduce the volume in half since bottled vinegar tends to be stronger than lemon juice.
Black pepper: Optional but adds a bit of heat!

Mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, garlic, and black pepper with labels.

Step-by-step Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a tall cup. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth (about 30 seconds).

Mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, grated garlic, and lemon juice in a jar, taken from above.

A jar of sun-dried tomato mayo sauce being blended using an immersion blender.

Enjoy your sun-dried tomato aioli as a dip, spread, or dressing!

Top Tips

No immersion blender? Double the recipe and use a small blender or food processor instead.
- I have not tried this but in a pinch, I think you can just finely mince your sun-dried tomatoes, press them down with the back of a spoon to release their juice, then mix with the rest of the ingredients.
If your blender isn’t powerful enough, roughly chop your sun-dried tomatoes first to avoid chunks.

Close-up of sun-dried tomato mayo dressing sauce, taken from above.

Serving Suggestions

Dipping: Serve with roasted vegetables, adobo French fries, or even sweet potato fries.

Drizzling: Drizzle over poke bowls, Buddha bowls, pizza, olive oil garlic bread, or even vegan sushi!

Spreading: Slather to make sun dried tomato sandwiches, burgers, bagels, or wraps for a flavorful twist.

Dressing: Thin it out with a bit of water and get yourself some sun dried tomato dressing, perfect to jazz up salads! You can also add some extra virgin olive oil and apple cide/red wine vinegar to make this a vinaigrette.

Someone dipping a baked potato wedge into sun-dried tomato aioli dip.

Storage and Meal Prep Instructions

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Refer to the Serving Suggestions section above for creative ways on how to use this!

And please do NOT freeze this sun dried tomato mayonnaise since mayonnaise doesn’t freeze well in general.

FAQ

They pair beautifully with basil, garlic, olives, artichokes, and roasted peppers. All the umami flavors are packed and concentrated as you dry these tomatoes, which is why they are so delicious!

It’s often called “fry sauce”, “pink sauce”, “salsa rosada”, or “Marie Rose sauce”, though other variations exist. Note that the tomato sauce here usually refers to ketchup.

They add a rich, tangy, slightly sweet, and intensely savory (umami) flavor. Absolutely delicious!!

Yes, the jarred ones (the ones soaked in oil to preserve them) are ready to eat. However, some stores sell dried sun-dried tomatoes. Those need to be rehydrated or cooked in water first.

This is why using jarred sun-dried tomatoes is a must in this tomato mayo sauce! And if you’re interested to learn more, check out this Forks Over Knives article!

A bowl of sun-dired tomato mayo sauce with nice swirls, with its left side cut off.

Want More Delicious Recipes?

For another Italian aioli, try my spicy Calabrian chili aioli, balsamic vinegar mayo sauce, or this basil pesto dipping sauce. Or try my smoked paprika mayo for a Spanish twist! If you prefer something more universal, try my roasted red pepper aioli or cayenne pepper aioli.

And if you’re a fan of tomatoes, you would like my vegan tomato carpaccio, tomato & hummus finger sandwiches, tandoori sauce pasta, or my gochujang ramen!