Name: Creamy Yuzu Aioli (Yuzu Mayo Sauce, Optional Kosho)
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise ((115 grams) I used my oil-free vegan mayo, but feel free to sub with your favorite mayo); 2 teaspoons yuzu juice; 1 teaspoon yuzu kosho (OPTIONAL)

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Just 2 ingredients and 3 minutes for this CREAMY Yuzu Kosho Aioli. Even without the kosho, this yuzu mayo cream sauce will elevate all your dishes!

Now let’s dive right away into the vibrant flavors of this vegan, zesty, and effortless deliciousness!

Thick yuzu mayo cream sauce dripping from a spoon into a white bowl.

Why You Will Love This Yuzu Mayo

🍋 This zesty aioli has that refreshing yuzu kick for an elevated dining experience!
🕒 Whisk it up in just 3 minutes!
🥗 This aioli is your all-purpose flavor booster, perfect for salads to sandwiches.
🌱 This yuzu mayo is completely vegan and even oil-free, but maintains that rich, creamy texture!
🌶️ The yuzu kosho is optional, so you can make a creamy yuzu aioli with just 2 ingredients!
- If you’ve never heard of yuzu kosho and don’t intend to buy a whole jar just for this yuzu kosho mayo, you can definitely make a refreshing yuzu aioli without the yuzu koshō!

What is Yuzu (Kosho) Aioli?

Yuzu aioli combines the creamy goodness of mayo with the fresh flavors of yuzu juice. Yuzu itself is a type of East Asian citrus fruit with a distinct flavor that is often described as a combination of lemon, grapefruit, and mandarin orange.

Now yuzu kosho aioli is the same as yuzu aioli, but it includes yuzu koshō—a Japanese fermented chili paste with yuzu zest and yuzu juice.

What Does Yuzu Mayo Taste Like?

As you can imagine, combining creamy mayo with tangy yuzu juice and the optional yuzu kosho creates a zesty, citrusy aioli with a hint of spice. Like that tangy aioli, but with extra depth of flavor from the yuzu, making it perfect for elevating a variety of dishes!

Ingredients

Mayonnaise: Our lovely, creamy base. Whether it’s using my homemade oil-free vegan mayo or it’s your favorite store-bought version, any mayonnaise works well for this yuzu cream sauce!
Yuzu Juice: The unique citrus flavor adds a characteristic zesty and tangy twist that elevates the aioli’s freshness.
Yuzu Kosho (Optional): This fermented Japanese yuzu & chili pepper paste adds a layer of depth to your creamy Yuzu Aioli, making it slightly spicy but also umami. However, knowing that it’s a bit hard to find and it’s usually quite expensive, feel free to omit this since it is already super tasty just with the yuzu juice!😋
- Note that you can use either green yuzu koshō (made from green chili peppers) or red yuzu koshō (made from red chili peppers), it doesn’t really matter.

Vegan mayonnaise, a small bottle of yuzu juice, and yuzu kosho with labels on a white marbled background.

What is Yuzu Paste Made Of and What Flavor Is It?

There are two types of yuzu paste (or yuzu kosho paste). The first and the more common one is green yuzu kosho which is made from fermented green chili pepper with salt, yuzu zest and juice. The second one is red yuzu kosho, which you guessed it, is made from fermented red chili pepper instead!

They both have a citrusy flavor with a spicy kick, adding a bright and zesty dimension to dishes. If you’d like to read more about it, check out this article from Bon Appétit.

Where Can I Buy Yuzu Juice and Yuzu Paste?

Most Asian or Japanese grocery stores or supermarkets sell them! They could be quite hard to find especially if they only have Japanese characters and not the regular alphabets we’re used to.

I’ve included a picture of what mine looks like below so if you also reside in Europe, there’s a high chance you can find these brands. If you’re from the US or somewhere else, they might look a bit different.

Yuzu kosho and a bottle of yuzu juice in their original packaging with labels on a white marble.

One tip though is to check online for how this product looks like in your local Asian grocery store. Otherwise, you can always ask an employee working there.

If you really can’t find them, then go with regular lemon but make this Citrusy Lemon and Herb Aioli instead! It will be different, but it will still be refreshing!

Can I use yuzu marmalade (yuja-cheong) for that yuzu flavor?

No, I do not recommend it. Yuja-cheong (picture below) has a very different flavor profile than yuzu juice and yuzu kosho since yuja-cheong is very sweet. Sure it does contain yuzu fruit, but it is essentially a marmalade so it’s mostly sweet.

Korean traditional yuzu tea in a jar on a white marble.

However, if you’re just looking for ways to finish up that jar of yuzu marmalade, then go ahead and use 1 teaspoon to make this yuzu mayonnaise. It will still elevate your mayo, though just don’t expect it to be perfect! 😉

Step-by-step Instructions

If you’re not using yuzu kosho, then this recipe cannot get any simpler. Simply whisk or stir the yuzu juice into the mayonnaise into a medium bowl, until you get a consistent texture.

Now if you’re using yuzu kosho, the yuzu kosho could get a bit lumpy. So combine the yuzu kosho with the yuzu juice first until you get a somewhat runny mixture. Then gradually add the mayonnaise to ensure that even mixing. And you’re done!

Vegan mayo with yuzu juice and yuzu kosho on a white bowl.

Serving Suggestions

Oh this citrusy yuzu cream sauce is soo versatile that it goes with so many dishes!

Of course, it’s perfect to be used as a classic dipping sauce for your sweet potato fries, french fries, et cetera. It’s also great as sauces and dressings for your salad bowls or macro bowls (such as in this Rainbow Poke Bowl recipe) and in your sandwiches and wraps. Imagine having some Caramelized Onions and Mushroom wraps/buns with this yuzu mayo sauce?! 🤯 Yums! 😋

Another great pairing is to use this yuzu mayonnaise as the sauce for this 15-minute Beetroot Tartare recipe. The tanginess of the yuzu citrus balances out the natural sweetness of the beets really well!

Storage and Meal Prep Instructions

Storage: Keep your yuzu cream sauce refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to a week. Give it a quick stir before serving to ensure all flavors are well-blended.

Meal prep: Perfect for prepping ahead, this yuzu kosho aioli stays fresh in the fridge for up to a week. Store it in a nice jar or even a sauce bottle if you have one so you can use it easily. After all, what’s meal prep without flavorful sauces, right? 😉

A spoon lifted with yuzu kosho aioli sauce dripping down into a white bowl with vertical stripes.

FAQ

Well, no if you are expecting a yuzu taste. Yuzu is different than lemon in terms of its flavor profile because yuzu is not just lemon; they’re different!

However, if you’re in a pinch and just want something tangy, then sure, you can do that. Just don’t expect to taste any yuzu flavor please! 😉 Or another option is to make another recipe with the lemon juice instead, such as my Black Pepper and Lemon Aioli, or my Calabrian Pepper Aioli!

I usually like to add garlic but this yuzu kosho mayo is an exception. I think garlic could overpower the taste in this recipe so I don’t use it.

However, I know that aioli traditionally uses garlic. I just don’t find that they’re a great match in this yuzu mayo but hey, you do you 😉

Speaking of garlic though, check out my Healthy Garlic Bread using Olive Oil, or this Garlic Bread with Regular Sliced Bread recipe. On these two, you can go all out with the garlic! 🧄

If you use the yuzu kosho paste, then yes it will be slightly spicy.

It’s just a little bit spicy though, so you don’t have to worry about it being too hot. Plus, you can always add less kosho paste, and only add more after you give it a taste test!

Looking for More Recipes Like This?

Craving for some hot sauces? Check out my Kimchi Aioli, Gochujang Aioli, Sambal Aioli, or Tandoori Mayo recipes for some spicy adventure!🌶️ My Dijon Aioli is also great to add some gourmet tanginess without extreme spiciness!

For more Japanese food, check out my sushi series below:

And if you’d like some more fancy flavors, check out my Smoked Paprika Aioli and my Simple Pineapple Carpaccio Dessert that’s served with a blend of gingery and minty yogurt!