The History of Aioli

Aioli’s origins are surprisingly ancient and murky, but we do know that the sauce has its roots in the Mediterranean region. Some historians trace the condiment’s origins to either Provence, France or Catalonia, Spain, but others believe the sauce’s roots are even more ancient. It’s thought that aioli may have gotten its start in ancient Rome, where it was perhaps used to cover up the poor flavors of food past its peak. Additionally, the word “aioli” is thought to have been derived from the Latin word, aleatum. However, Pliny the Elder, the famous ancient Roman historian, wrote about aioli as a food he had encountered not in Rome, but in Catalonia, Spain. He described the condiment as “garlic beaten up in oil and vinegar.” (The eggs/mayonnaise were added to the recipe later in history, around the time that esteemed French chef Georges Auguste Escoffier wrote Le Guide Culinaire, or A Guide to Modern Cooking.) French cuisine helped popularize the modern mayonnaise version of aioli and thus some historians point to France as the sauce’s place of origin. However, some still consider the sauce's birthplace to be Spain, where it is known as allioli. Notably, Lebanon also has a version called toum and Egypt has a version known as tooma. While we may never know for sure exactly where aioli got its start, we do know that it’s a very popular condiment around the world today and is beloved for its ability to elevate the taste of whatever food it is paired with.