Are you in the mood for extra heat today? Having Calabrian aioli will make it less struggling for an all-rounder sauce. I’m a sucker for spicy chilies which I can add to pretty much every recipe and it just won’t hinder the original flavor notes.

Calabrian chilies give me exactly that, I’m literally in love with it because it can be easily balanced out by adding a bit of honey and Dijon mustard which makes it less spicy with that heady notes that your guests invited over will keep wondering what even in the world they just tasted. 

I use these chilies in basil soup, spicy Fettuccine Alfredo, shakshuka, and so many other recipes. Want to make a different Marinara just add these chillies with tomatoes and hallelujah the flavor will be impeccable.  

Another thing that makes it my favorite is these calabrian chillies aren’t extra spicy like chipotle or jalapeños but, milder ones, and can be fixed into all recipes without being odd one out.

Adding honey gives a sweet aftertaste, mingling vinegar or lemon juice just makes it amazing and can be drizzled over grain bowls or salads, you can play with it the way you like and make it customized to your palate.

Hang on with me to know the full recipe of Calabrian aioli, its ingredients profile, why you will love this, serving Ideas, and storage tips. 

What Is Calabrian Aioli?

Is it like a vinaigrette? Or is it simply a sauce that can be made by adding some ingredients? Well, this also goes with the name, Calabrian Mayo so yes it requires garlic, mayo, Calabrian chili peppers, and other ingredients depending on your preference, and if you are buying online then consider the brand too. 

Some recipes require salt, pepper, parsley, or lemon, or sometimes Cayenne pepper and no surprise I added all of these. If you know me then you must be aware I love to experiment with recipes and that’s what I did with this aioli. Even the Indonesian sauce, sambal got inspiration from it and is available as Sambal aioli. 

How Calabrian Chillies Taste Like? 

The taste is obvious, super spicy! The heat in Calabrian chili peppers varies but mostly the level is determined in Scoville heat units (SHU), generally ranges from 25,000–40,000 SHU. 

Calabrian chili sauce and oil get the heat from the peppers so you can adjust the amount and heat level according to your preferences.  

Why I Love Calabrian Aioli? 

There are many reasons why I absolutely adore this recipe and love making it anytime possible. 

• You no longer need to stir for hours to make a sauce, it will be done in 3 minutes and you don’t even require cooking. 

• The aioli isn’t bland and mild anymore, it kicked the spicy flavor notes to an extra notch and got a hot twist.

• You can make a gourmet-styled aioli by adding Calabrian chillies which can be conveniently found and incorporated into it.

• Doesn’t matter if you are a vegan or non-vegan, you will just love this aioli with multiple food options namely sandwiches, wraps, tacos, or salads. 

Ingredients Notes In Calabrian Aioli 

The sauce is spicy with a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. However, these ingredients can be easily bought in your nearby mart however you will have to make a quick spree if these aren’t already in your pantry.

Calabrian Chili Peppers

When I used to visit the Italian exotic aisle in our marts, I just got fascinated with these chillies and finally gave a try to this aioli. These are spicy which might make you wonder how to adjust the heatness with the quantity you use. 

Use crushed chili peppers but if you like whole, just remove the stems and toss into blender for a fine powder. 

Mayonnaise 

Use a well reputed mayonnaise, I used my favorite creamy mayo from Hellmann’s, you can use any other though. 

You can even make it at home but isn’t quite necessary, just buy from the mart and you are good to go. 

Garlic

Fresh minced garlic has usually a potent flavor which isn’t easily managed so you can add just the garlic powder for a balanced flavor. 

Honey 

Choose the finest quality honey as it will counteract the heat of Calabrian peppers and give a sweet aftertaste to the Calabrian aioli. 

Lemon Juice 

I use fresh lemon juice squeezed out, it gives a fresh and good taste to the aioli.

Cayenne Pepper

Another ingredient is adding spiciness, but it allows you to manage spiciness without adding much of the flavor. 

Parsley

You can add flat parsley or curly parsley whatever you like, however, I added flat one because I always add that into my recipes. 

Dijon Mustard

Is it even an aioli if the taste isn’t somewhat complicated? I like adding a bit of Dijon mustard so that it gets the same vibe as vinaigrette.  It isn’t fancy but it gives complex taste notes elevating its flavor profile. 

Besides that add the usual suspects like salt and pepper as much you require. 

Serving Ideas With Calabrian Aioli

Buckle up yourself because once you have made Calabrian Aioli you are going to use it in pretty everything whether in tacos, sandwiches, or wraps. You can even use it as a dipping when you thinned out its consistency.  

As A Spread

You can  Slather this delicious spread all over sandwiches or bagels (try out my Greek Yogurt Bagels), burgers, wraps, or grilled cheese for nice bursts of flavor. 

As A Dipping

The most general way you can use Calabrian aioli is by incorporating it as a dipping with French fries, breaded tofu, crab cakes, or mild yogurt bread. As a dipping, you can serve it along with baked accordion potatoes. 

As A Drizzle

It can be drizzled all over the pizza or tacos, or you can use it as a topping over baked potatoes and roasted cauliflower steak or chicken corn steak. Not just corn, there are multiple veggies where you can drizzle it and have a blast of flavor. 

As Salad Dressing

It can be perfectly served with grinder salad or others by thinning it out a little by adding either lemon juice or water. It makes a nice creamy dressing for grain bowls as well. 

How To Store Calabrian Aioli? 

I prefer that I use almost every inch of the dipping I make, but still, if I get some leftover it’s easy to store it so it lasts a week. 

• Store leftover Calabrian aioli in an airtight container for a week in the refrigerator. Water and oil might separate, therefore you must shake it well before serving.

• Can I make it ahead of time? Yes, it’s even better than you make it earlier as it will give more resting time and the flavor will ultimately enhance. Preparing it at the beginning of the week allows you to use it throughout the week either in sandwiches, salads, or as a dipping.

• Can I freeze Calabrian Aioli? No please don’t even think about it, it will completely alter the texture at thawing and ruin the sauce. 

• Keeping it at room temperature will deteriorate the sauce, one because of moisture absorption and the other due to high temperature. 

FAQs on Calabrian Aioli 

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