Jalapeno mayo is a delicious condiment with the fresh flavour of jalapeno, cilantro and lime. This spicy mayonnaise works great as a dip, sauce or spread. It can be used to flavour sandwiches or burgers, as a dip for your favourite appetizers, or as a sauce for grilled chicken. The fresh jalapenos add spice balanced by the fresh herbs and lime.
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What is Jalapeno Mayonnaise?
Jalapeno mayo is a creamy, spicy condiment that works well as either a dip or spread.
Sometimes called jalapeno aioli, it is made with mayonnaise that has been blended with fresh jalapenos, cilantro, garlic and lime. It only takes about 5 minutes to prepare and has an amazing, fresh flavour.
Jalapenos range in flavour from mild to hot and will also vary in flavour depending on the season, where they are grown, how fresh they are, size and variety. So use your discretion when adding the jalapenos and give them a taste before adding them to the mayonnaise so you can gauge how many you want to add.
For an extra spicy kick, leave the seeds in the peppers rather than remove them.
This mayonnaise is a delicious condiment for grilled foods such as chicken burgers and chicken tenders, but it also works well as a dip for your favourite appetizers.
We love it with sweet potato fries, french fries, breaded shrimp, and chicken or steak bites. It is also fantastic on burgers and sandwiches and it is the perfect drizzle for these Red Fish Tacos.
Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This easy recipe comes together with just five ingredients.
Mayonnaise – Choose your favourite brand of store-bought mayonnaise. You can use full-fat, low-fat or even fat-free mayonnaise. If you have a favourite recipe for homemade mayonnaise, you could use that as well.
Jalapeno peppers – You will want to use fresh jalapeno peppers for this recipe. Jalapenos will vary in flavour and spice depending on the season, where they are grown, how fresh they are and size. You will need between two and three jalapenos for the best flavour, but you can use more or less if you choose.
Garlic – This recipe uses a small, fresh garlic clove which adds to the flavour but doesn’t overpower the flavour of the jalapeno and cilantro. If you don’t have fresh garlic, use half a teaspoon of granulated garlic instead.
Cilantro – Cilantro adds a fresh, herb flavour to the mayonnaise and goes well with the spicy jalapeno and lime. If you don’t like cilantro, you can omit this ingredient.
Lime juice – This adds a bit of acidity and brings all the flavours together. I highly recommend fresh lime juice, but you can use bottled if that is all you have.
Pro-Tip: Choose a small garlic clove for this recipe. You want the garlic to add to the flavour, but not overshadow the flavour of the jalapeno.
Step by Step Instructions
Start by slicing the jalapenos in half, then remove the seeds and dice them into small pieces. Then dice the garlic.
Add the mayonnaise, diced peppers, cilantro, garlic and lime juice to a small bowl.
Mix the ingredients using an immersion blender, and pulse the blender a few times to mix the ingredients until smooth.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or blender for this step.
Taste the mayonnaise; if it isn’t spicy enough, add more jalapeno if you like.
Move the prepared mayo to a small jar for storage.
Pro-Tip: This mayo dip can be served immediately, but the flavours will blend more if it has time to rest for at least thirty minutes before serving. You will also notice the flavour becomes stronger after a day or more in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions
Jalapeno mayo is a delicious condiment that can be used in a variety of ways.
This creamy, spicy mayo is perfect as a dip for French fries, sweet potato fries, air-fried tater tots, chicken bites and roasted veggies.
It is also excellent with breaded or fried shrimp and other appetizers.
The flavour combination of the jalapeno, lime and cilantro goes especially well with chicken dishes, such as grilled chicken breasts, or even on chicken tacos.
Jalapeno mayonnaise is also a perfect condiment for chicken or beef burgers or sandwiches, and it can be used in the preparation of deviled eggs. You can also use it to add spice and flavour to almost any dish that calls for mayonnaise.
Storage
You can store homemade jalapeno mayonnaise in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It should keep well for about ten days.
Small mason jars work very well for this.
Storage time may be reduced if you use homemade mayonnaise rather than prepared, store-bought mayonnaise as the base for this recipe.
Top Tips & FAQS
- You can easily double or triple this recipe depending, on the quantity you need.
- Make this jalapeno mayo vegan by choosing a vegan mayonnaise.
- The prepared mayo can be served immediately, but letting it rest for thirty minutes before serving will allow the flavours to deepen.
Jalapeno mayo can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about ten days.
The spice level of jalapeno mayo will vary depending on how spicy the jalapenos are and how many you use. As jalapenos vary in spice level depending on the season, where they are grown, and how fresh they are, use your discretion with how many you add.
More Flavoured Mayo Recipes
Printable Recipe
Jalapeno Mayo
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers ¼ cup diced
- ¼ cup cilantro loosely packed
- 1 small clove of garlic
- 2 teaspoon lime juice fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Start by slicing the jalapenos in half, then remove the seeds. Dice the jalapenos into small pieces. Then dice the garlic.
- Add the mayonnaise, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice to a small bowl.
- Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times to blend the ingredients until smooth. Make sure the blender is fully submerged to avoid splatter.
- Taste the mayonnaise. Add a bit more lime if needed or more jalapeno if you want it spicier.
- Move the prepared mayonnaise to an airtight container or jar for storage in the refrigerator. It should keep for about 10 days.
- You can serve it immediately, but it will have better flavour if it can sit for at least 30 minutes.
Notes
- Jalapenos range in flavour and spice level depending on many factors. Taste the jalapenos before adding them to the mayo if you are concerned about it being too spicy.
- Use more jalapenos or less, depending on your spice tolerance.
- For spicier mayonnaise, you can leave the seeds in the jalapenos rather than remove them.
- If you do not like cilantro, you can omit this ingredient.
- If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or blender instead.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.