Poached salt cod
The centrepiece, desalted then gently poached.
Provençal tradition · Pointe Rouge, 13008
Marseille aïoli sides: what goes into a grand aïoli?
Poached cod, steamed vegetables, hard-boiled egg, whelks: the grand aïoli is a whole meal, not just a sauce.
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Key points
In Marseille, “aïoli” means both the garlic and olive oil sauce and the grand aïoli, a full shared meal. Its garnish combines poached salt cod, steamed vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and often whelks, all cooked simply and lightly salted. Everything is laid out on a large central platter, sauce in the middle.
In Marseille, aïoli is both a garlic and olive oil sauce and a full meal, the grand aïoli.
Traditionally served on Fridays or Sundays, it is shared at the centre of the table.
For the sauce itself, see our Marseille aïoli recipe.
Origins
The grand aïoli: a dish, not just a sauce
Born from simple Provençal home cooking: salt cod, garden vegetables, eggs.
Long linked to Fridays, then to Sunday family tables and summer village feasts.
One large platter, everyone helps themselves: sharing is the soul of the dish.
It echoes our homemade cooking.
On the platter
The traditional sides of the grand aïoli
Five families of sides make up the grand aïoli.
Steamed vegetables
Potatoes, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, beetroot, artichoke.
Hard-boiled egg
At least one per guest, sometimes soft-boiled.
Whelks and winkles
Cooked in a herb court-bouillon.
Seafood variations
Fresh white fish, cuttlefish or small octopus.
The right touch
Cooking the garnish without upstaging the sauce
The sauce is powerful; the garnish must stay gentle.
Desalt the cod in cold water, then poach it at a bare simmer.
Cook each vegetable separately, lightly salted.
- Poach at a simmer, never a rolling boil
- Cook each vegetable separately
- Salt very lightly
Through the year
Which vegetables for which season?
Potatoes, carrots and eggs are the base; the rest follows the market.
Spring
Artichokes, broad beans, new carrots.
Summer
Green beans, courgettes, new potatoes.
Autumn
Cauliflower, beetroot, celery.
Winter
Carrots, leeks, firm potatoes.
The same logic applies to fish: see which fish to eat in Marseille.
At the table
How to plate and serve a grand aïoli
Use the largest platter, the sauce bowl or mortar in the middle.
Arrange sides by family, playing with colours; cod in large flakes.
Let everyone help themselves, with good bread for the sauce.
Group meals
How much to plan for a group?
Indicative amounts per guest, to adjust to appetites.
Plan plenty of sauce and several platters for long tables.
- Salt cod
- 150 to 200 g per person
- Potatoes
- 2 to 3 per person
- Eggs
- 1 to 2 per person
Indicative amounts for a main course.
The pairing
What to drink with a grand aïoli?
A crisp white or a pale dry rosé from Provence, served chilled, balances the garlic.
Clarification
Aïoli and rouille: don't mix up the sauces
Aïoli is white, garlic and olive oil; rouille is orange, with chilli and saffron, for fish soup.
Read our article on the difference between aïoli and rouille.
At Pointe Rouge
Where to enjoy homemade aïoli in Marseille
At l'Estéou, 1 Avenue de la Pointe Rouge (13008), the aïoli is whisked by hand and served with poached fish and seasonal vegetables.
On the terrace, facing the sea, you take your time.
Discover our homemade aïoli in Marseille, then book your table.
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Frequently asked questions
Which cod for an aïoli?
A thick piece of salt cod, desalted then gently poached.
Can you make aïoli without cod?
Yes, with fresh white fish or vegetables and eggs only.
Which vegetables go in an aïoli?
Potatoes, carrots, green beans, plus seasonal vegetables.
Aïoli sauce vs grand aïoli?
The sauce is the emulsion; the grand aïoli is the full shared meal.
What to drink with aïoli?
A chilled white or rosé from Provence.
Hot or cold?
Ideally lukewarm; at room temperature in summer.
Further reading
Keep exploring
More on aïoli and the fish that goes with it.
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