Toum is a creamy, bold, and totally addictive Lebanese garlic sauce with just 4 ingredients: garlic, oil, lemon juice, and salt. Once you make this simple recipe, you’ll be hooked!
I first learned about this Lebanese garlic sauce from my mother-in-law, Dina, who owned a Mediterranean restaurant in grand Rapids, Michigan. Toum was one of the most requested items at the restaurant, where they served it with all their grilled meat and veggies. Every morning, Dina would whip up a large batch of her special toum recipe, and it was inevitably sold out by the end of the night! That’s how good it is!
Growing up in Egypt made me a firm believer that it’s the dips and sauces that take a meal to next-level delicious. You may already be familiar with tahini, tzatziki, and hummus. But toum may be the most under-rated! Once you master this easy 4-ingredient garlic sauce recipe, you’ll be using it in all sorts of ways. Some of my go-tos:
- To dip pita chips and fresh vegetables.
- With grilled meat and fish.
- As a sauce for sandwiches, wraps like gyros, and burgers.
If you love big flavor and you’re not afraid of a little garlic–or a lot of garlic, rather–this recipe is for you!
What is in Toum?
Some toum recipes call for mayonnaise, but this traditional recipe is completely vegan. To me, it tastes far better while remaining nice and creamy. You only need 4 ingredients:
- A whole head of garlic: Toum means “garlic” Arabic, after all!
- Kosher salt
- Neutral oil: As much as I love my extra virgin olive oils, grapeseed or sunflower oil is best for toum. The lighter flavor lets the garlic do all the talking.
- Lemon juice: Or substitute lime.
How to Make Toum
Making toum (or touma) is all about the very slow and steady emulsification process that whips the garlic and oil together. Traditionally, a mortar and pestle are used to make this garlic sauce recipe, but I have found a small food processor to work just as well.
- Process 1 whole head of garlic. Smash the garlic with the side of your knife, then remove the peels. Optionally, remove the green germ from the center as you go (it can be bitter). Place the peeled garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the small bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until the garlic looks minced, stopping to scrape down the sides. Add the juice of 1 lemon and pulse a few times to combine, again scraping down the sides.
- Slowly incorporate 1 3/4 cups neutral oil. With the food processor on low speed, drizzle in the oil in ever so slowly through the opening at the top. After you’ve used about 1/4 cup or so, add in about 1 tablespoon of the ice water. Stop to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl.
- Finish, adjust the seasoning, and serve. Keep the processor running and continue to slowly drizzle in the oil, adding a tablespoon of ice water after every 1/4 cup of oil. Continue on with this process until you have used up the oil entirely. The garlic sauce has thickened and increased in volume (it should look smooth and fluffy). This should take somewhere around 10 minutes or so. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and or lemon juice if necessary. Enjoy!
Toum Tips
I have a few tips for this toum recipe before you get started, which will ensure a light and airy sauce that’s beautifully emulsified:
- Use the best fresh garlic. This toum recipe is all about garlic! Avoid using peeled garlic from a package, which won’t pack quite the same punch.
- Slice the garlic in half and remove any green sprouts. This is optional, but it prevents the bitter flavor it can impart.
- Don’t skip the lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice adds brightness, and it should be added at the beginning to help the emulsification. (Some recipes add the lemon juice toward the end, which causes the sauce to break.)
- Do not rush the emulsification process. Adding the oil ever so slowly is what makes this sauce! Alternating the oil with a small amount of water prevents the emulsion from breaking.
- Use a small food processor. For the amount of garlic used in this recipe, a smaller processor works well because the blade can easily mince the garlic without it flying all over the bowl. (I use the small bowl attachment on this one). If you double or triple the recipe, you can easily use a large food processor.
Too(m) Strong? Three Ways to Mellow
For some who need their toum to be less powerful, three things you can do:
- Leave it in the fridge a few days. Time in the fridge will take a bit of the edge off.
- Place the peeled garlic in ice water for 30 minutes or so before making the garlic sauce. But be sure to dry the garlic very well before you start.
- Add boiled potato (mashed) or a couple tablespoons of Greek yogurt. Either of these items will thicken the toum sauce and take a bit of the garlic edge off. You would add a little bit at a time during the process.
What to Serve with Toum
This Lebanese garlic sauce is a versatile condiment you will use over and over. Pretty much anything you think might need a kick of garlic, you can use toum! It’s a great swap for mayo and aioli. Some ideas:
- Meat: Chicken kabobs, shawarma, grilled lamb, Shish Tawook.
- Vegetarian: Falafel and the traditional Greek roasted vegetables, Briam, are both delicious.
- Fish: The garlicky punch is absolutely delicious with fresh and smoky grilled seafood.
Love Garlic? Try These Recipes Next!
I always say I would wear garlic as a perfume, so you’re in good company! I know you’ll love these recipes as much as I do:
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 3/4 cups grape seed oil or sunflower oil a neutral tasting oil
- 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Process the garlic. Smash the garlic with the side of your knife, then remove the peels. Optionally, remove the green germ from the center as you go (it can be bitter). Place the peeled garlic and kosher salt in the small bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until the garlic looks minced, stopping to scrape down the sides. Add the lemon juice and pulse a few times to combine, again scraping down the sides.
- Slowly incorporate the oil. With the food processor on low speed, drizzle in the oil in ever so slowly through the opening at the top. After you've used about 1/4 cup or so, add in about 1 tablespoon of the ice water. Stop to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl.
- Finish, adjust the seasoning, and serve. Keep the processor running and continue to slowly drizzle in the oil, adding a tablespoon of the ice water after every 1/4 cup of oil. Continue on with this process until you have used up the oil entirely. The garlic sauce has thickened and increased in volume (it should look smooth and fluffy). This should take somewhere around 10 minutes or so. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and or lemon juice if necessary. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
- For best results, do not rush the emulsification process. Remember to add the oil very slowly as the processor is running, alternating with a little tiny bit of ice water. If your processor does not have a top opening to drizzle the olive oil, still add the oil very slowly, about a tablespoon or so at a time, and run the processor to whip the garlic well. And again, don’t forget to add a bit of the ice water as well. Keep whipping the garlic until you have used up all the oil. Alternating the oil with a small amount of water prevents the emulsion from breaking.
- It helps to use a smaller food processor. I used an older version of this one.
- Storage: toum can best be stored in a tight-lid mason jar or container in the fridge for 4 weeks or so. You can also freeze some for later use (do not thaw out, use from frozen). I do prefer the fridge method.
- This recipe is adapted from Maureen Abood’s cookbook Rosewater and Orange Blossoms.
Nutrition
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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
You make cooking so adaptable & simple. I try a new recipe from your site at least 2X per month and have fallen in love with the new flavors & spices that you showcase! Thank you for sharing your love of foods & cultures!
You are so sweet, Kayla! Thank you!
Made this to go with the chicken shawarma and falafels I was making for dinner. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to trying it on other things.
I had a question about the way it says “do not thaw, use from frozen” in the part about how to save in the fridge or freezer. Does this just mean not to heat it up to thaw??
Thanks!
I had this recently at a Mediterranean restaurant a friend took me to for lunch and fell in love! Immediately looked to see if you had a recipe & of course you did! LOL! So I made it today to have with the Kofta (also your recipe) and this Toum tastes just like what I had at the restaurant!! Thanks for a great recipe!! I made in a blender since I don’t have a small processor & it worked great btw!!
So wonderful to hear! Thanks, Andrea!
If we have trouble with it not emulsifying or if it’s separating, all ingredients must be cold. Don’t allow the food processor to spin for long enough to warm due to friction and this is what the ice water is designed to assist with. It’s an emulsion and will work well but the technique takes some time to grasp. It’s ok and we don’t all nail it right away. Just keep every component cold and be patient and don’t get frustrated. Enjoy the process of learning new techniques and new recipes and never expect to be perfect every time we try something we’re unfamiliar with. Cooking should be fun! Let it happen and embrace any mistakes for the opportunity to grow.
Such great tips here! Thanks, Marc!
Hi, Thanks a lot.
but is it really can be conserved for 4 weeks?
gracious
Hello! In our experience, yes. As long as it’s store in a tight-lid container in the fridge.
Hello!
I’ve made your recipe before and it was perfectly delicious! This time I made garlic oil milk !!! : )
I think I saved it and thought might be useful to share bc it crushes me when I waste ingredients.
I was rushing obviously and it didn’t emulsify and split.
I poured it thru my sieve and seperated solids out. Reblended them with a bit more garlic and added egg white. Thickened quite quickly then slowly poured back in the cloudy oil and it worked! Phew!!
Anyway, my fault but so proud I saved it.
Slowly !!!
Thanks so for the recipe xxx
Garlic mix could not emulsify. Need more specific instruction on timing as discovered that over blended it. Also note hand blending is better than food processor and if it fails to emulsify (breaks) add a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt with some of the broken toum and hand blend then add the rest in part and just blitz a couple of times to combine.
I am a great fan of garlic sauce Thank you so much now I will try it at home
Hi, This is a great recipe but I’d like to know if you can use roasted garlic to make it?
Hi, Cathy! I know that there are recipes out there using roasted garlic for making toum, so it’s likely possible. It’s just not something we’ve tested with this particular recipe. If you decide to give it a go, though, please stop back and let us know how it turned out!
I just ate at a Mediterranean restaurant here in GR & now I’m wondering if it’s your MIL’s?! I just googled what the white garlic spread was & it sent me to you, what a coincidence! I can’t wait to try this recipe because what we brought home just ran out! Thank you
Hope you enjoy this recipe, Anne!
5/5
Hello quick question!
How many calories per serving? The recipe states 18 tablespoons, but then 189 kcal. Is this per tablespoon?
Thank you!
Hi, Tasha! Yes, that is per tablespoon. It is the amount of grapeseed oil needed that contributes this amount.
Yum! I am a HUGE garlic fan! This sauce is better than the restaurant versions I occasionally eat at here in Houston at local joints. Maybe it’s because I make it at home and it is fresh. I used avocado oil no the recipe worked perfectly again. Not sure if I have commented on this recipe yet…but it deserves repeating!
Simply delicious! Serving it with a simple Baharat-spiced pork belly and some leftover, reheated tidbits of meat from Friday dinner.
You rock! Great taste. Again, thanks to Chef Suzi and TMDTeam for all the amazing recipies.
Respect!
Jeff in Houston
Uuugghh.. my autocorrect keeps saying “Suzi”. My apologies chef Suzy!
Respect!
Jeff in Houston
Thanks so much for the amazing review, Jeff! We appreciate it!
One of the worst recipes I’ve ever tried and a waste of time and oil. It came out not only emulsified but curdled with the oil separating on top. Just a liqiuid greasy mess. You said in another reply to a similar comment you didn’t test this recipe, so why would you post it? If you don’t test recipes, people should be staying away from your website and recipes that may not turn out, like this fail.
Hey Rita, I have been making this and never had a problem. Maybe your technique needs a boost…IDK. But what I do is use a small 2.5 cup food processor bowl, use medium-high to high speed, and drizzle the oil real slow…like the recipe says. And ice water…use sparingly, teaspoon at a time. Takes about 8 minutes to make this way.
The recipe is solid and similar to other emulsifications in technique…just different ingredients. Give this another go and maybe my tips can make it better. You don’t have to, but disparaging a chef that is putting out awesome content isn’t productive to your life and food prep. Take my advice or not…but you are being unfair commenting about a recipe that MOST people succeed at making.
Respectfully,
Jeff in Houston
Loving your blog! I am from Grand Rapids, so I’m happy to hear of your connection here. Which restaurant was your MIL’s? Can we chat?
I made this for the first time and it turned out great. I have made it 4 times since and I cannot get the sauce to emulsify. I think I am doing the same things and using the same ingredients. Any ideas what I could be doing wrong?
Hi, Robyn. It could be that your are adding the oil just a bit too quickly at a time… that is usually a big reason why the toum doesn’t emulsify properly. Sometimes, though, toum can just be finicky.
Terrible recipe. Didn’t work!!