Garlicky Whip Sauce
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A creamy, garlicky sauce with a twist on the classic aioli. Uses egg whites and lemon juice but swaps canola oil for sunflower oil and adds a hint of smoked paprika for depth. Vibrant, thickens to light mayo texture. Keeps about a week in fridge. Versatile on veggies, sandwiches, grilled meats. Technique builds emulsification slowly with a hand blender. Key sensory cues: garlic aroma softens, sauce thickens like mayonnaise within minutes, slight shimmer indicates stable emulsion.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
8 min
Total:
20 min
Servings:
500 ml about 2 cups
#garlic
#emulsion
#sauce
#egg whites
#sunflower oil
#smoked paprika
#French-inspired
Mid-blend garlic hits the nose — sharp, alive. Egg whites thicken but don’t cloud flavor. Lime juice zings, balancing pungency. Oil thicken sauce like magic. Patience key here, rushing ends in disaster. Not mayo, more garlicky, brighter. I swap oils often—sunflower softer than canola. Smoked paprika an afterthought turns fragrance round, complex. Emulsion shimmer like liquid silk. Keeps well sealed; use fast or face dull flavors. I test tails on sandwiches, it wakes salads, makes roasted potatoes dance. Every batch feels a bit different, adjusted by garlic freshness or acid. Don’t expect same every time, cooking heart, not formula.
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves quartered about 20 g
- 2 large egg whites
- 25 ml 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 ml 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 350 ml sunflower oil
- 45 ml water
- 2 ml smoked paprika optional twisted flavor
About the ingredients
Garlic intensity varies. Use fresh cloves, older ones get bitter. Egg whites build the emulsification base, but delicate — avoid yolk contamination or sauce splits. Canola oil replaced by sunflower oil here; lighter flavor, better mouthfeel for me. Lime juice adds zing, sub lemon if you prefer but subtle difference. Smoked paprika optional, adds complexity that’s surprisingly pleasant. Salt balances garlic pungency, cut back if sensitive. Water thins out overly thick sauce helping stable emulsion. Using a tall container fits blender shape and keeps air from incorporating, avoiding foamy texture. If no hand blender, whisk vigorously but takes longer and requires patience. Freshness matters for storage; keep covered and cold. Best to use within a week to avoid off flavors or texture change.
Method
- Grab a tall, narrow container for blending. Throw in garlic, egg whites, lime juice, salt, and smoked paprika if using.
- Immerse hand blender and blitz till garlic pulverizes into pulp. Garlic aroma should go from sharp to mellow, a sign it's ready.
- With blender running at medium speed, drizzle in half the oil very slowly in a steady thin stream. Sauce thickens quickly — like mayo forming before your eyes.
- Keep blender going non-stop, alternate pouring a splash of water then a bit more oil, coaxing the saucy emulsion thicker with each addition.
- Watch texture change: glossy, thick but pourable, clings to spoon with a gentle wobble.
- Taste test here; adjust salt or paprika now if needed. If sauce is too thin, blend in a spoonful more oil, slow and steady.
- Transfer to airtight container. Refrigerate up to one week, will thicken more as it chills.
- If sauce breaks (looks curdled), start with a fresh egg white in new container and slowly whisk broken sauce in.
- Serve chilled or room temp with roasted veggies, grilled fish, or toasted sandwiches.
Cooking tips
Crushing garlic with hand blender releases fresh oils, softening sharp edge; that’s why pulse solo first. Slow oil drizzle is queen move—rush and sauce splits, slow then thickens. Alternate oil and water additions keep sauce stable and proper thickness. Watch for glossy finish and clingy but not runny texture. Taste early and adjust salt or acidity before it’s set. If sauce starts breaking, emergency fix: save a fresh egg white in new jar and pour ruined mixture slowly while blending. Storage tight is crucial: exposure to air causes discoloration or oxidation, losing freshness. Use immediately or fridge, bring back to room temp before serving for best texture. Sauce can separate slightly when cold; whisk quickly to bring back.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Garlic crushed raw first always; pulsing releases oils, diffuses sharp punch. Aroma shifts from harsh to mellow, big sign to start oil drizzle. Sharpness dulls fast, sauce gets creamy texture. Avoid garlic chunks or sauce splits.
- 💡 Oil drizzle queen move here, slow slow slow. Medium blender speed helps control, thin steady stream only. Rushing means breaking; sauce looks curdled, grainy mess. If splitting start fresh egg white; slowly whisk broken mix in. Patience wins emulsions.
- 💡 Alternate adding water then oil keeps emulsion stable. Water thins just enough, coaxing thicker texture without runny mess. Watch sauce turn glossy, clingy, spoon wobble indicates good thickness. If too thin, add small oil spoon, blend gently, not overdo.
- 💡 Use tall, narrow container fits hand blender shape; traps less air, avoids foam. Foam means unstable sauce, breaks fast. Whisk possible but blend preferred. Egg white delicate base, no yolk contamination, avoids early split or off taste.
- 💡 Taste early, salt and smoked paprika adjust at mid-emulsion stage. Smoked paprika subtle twist, smoky warmth but not overpowering if careful. Lime juice zings brighter than lemon here. Sauce chills thicker, whisk before serving to regain shine, texture.
Common questions
Why drizzle oil slow?
Oil fast, sauce breaks, curdled look. Slow means shine, thickness, emulsion stable. Use medium blender speed. If broken, add fresh egg white, mix slow fix.
Can I skip smoked paprika?
Yes, optional flavor layer. No big deal but adds smoky hint. Lime juice can sub lemon but lime brighter, sharper zing. Salt adjusts balance, cut back if sensitive.
Sauce too thin or breaks?
Add small oil spoon if thin, blend gently. If broken, start fresh egg white in clean jar, whisk broken sauce in slowly. Speed, temp, egg quality affect.
How to store sauce?
Airtight container best. Keep chilled max one week. Chilled sauce thickens more, may separate a bit; whisk to bring back shine. Avoid air exposure, dark fridge spot preferred.
