Toum Garlic Sauce Recipe: Lebanese Creamy Garlic Emulsion

Introducing Toum, the classic Lebanese garlic sauce that brightens grilled meats, shawarma, rotisserie chicken, and many Middle Eastern dishes. Made from just four ingredients — garlic, neutral oil, lemon juice, and salt — Toum creates a creamy, spreadable emulsion with a light, airy texture.

This simple recipe is flavorful, vegan, gluten-free, and straightforward to prepare at home.

Ingredients

1. Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor and texture — about 1 cup peeled.
2. Oil: Choose a neutral oil such as avocado oil. Avoid olive oil to keep the sauce’s color and taste neutral. You’ll need roughly 3–4 cups.
3. Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice acts as a binder and helps emulsify the sauce. Start with 1/2 cup and adjust to taste.
4. Salt: Kosher salt seasons the sauce and helps when processing the garlic.

How to Make Toum

Peel about one cup of garlic cloves. While a mortar and pestle is traditional, a food processor delivers a quick, light result. Place the garlic and kosher salt in the processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping the bowl as needed so everything is evenly processed.

With the processor running, add oil very slowly to emulsify. Start by adding one tablespoon of oil at a time, letting each addition incorporate fully before adding more. Periodically scrape down the sides to ensure an even texture.

Alternate adding small amounts of oil with lemon juice as you blend, increasing the flow once the emulsion begins to thicken. Continue until the mixture is airy and resembles a thick, creamy spread. The full emulsification step typically takes about 10–15 minutes.

Transfer the Toum to a glass container, cover with a paper towel (or a loose lid) and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to mellow and develop. The final result is a light, fluffy garlic sauce perfect for many uses.

Tips for Success

1. Remove the green sprout from garlic cloves if you want a milder flavor.
2. Soak peeled garlic briefly in ice water to reduce sharpness.
3. Alternate oil and lemon juice while blending for a lighter, stable emulsion.
4. Use a food processor rather than a high-speed blender, which may not emulsify as reliably.

Serving Suggestions

Toum is incredibly versatile. Serve it with grilled meats, fish, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, or as a dip for pita and crackers. It also pairs beautifully with hummus, pickled vegetables, labneh, or fresh pita for a mezze spread.

Enjoy this sauce as a condiment or spread — its bright garlic flavor and creamy texture make it a standout addition to many meals.