Toum, the iconic Lebanese garlic sauce, is bold, fluffy, and packed with garlicky flavor. Made with just four simple ingredients—garlic, oil, lemon juice, and salt—this traditional sauce is naturally vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free. It’s the ultimate condiment for grilled meats, wraps, vegetables, and more.
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Sauce
- ✅ Only 4 Ingredients
- ✅ Vegan & Dairy-Free
- ✅ Bold, Authentic Flavor
- ✅ Perfect for Dips, Marinades & Spreads
- ✅ Stays Fresh for Weeks
Whether you’re serving it with grilled chicken, shawarma, or falafel, toum adds an irresistible punch to any dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 cup garlic cloves (about 3 heads) – Use fresh, young garlic. Remove the green germ for best flavor.
- 1/3 cup cold water – Helps blend the garlic smoothly.
- 1/4 cup lemon juice – Freshly squeezed adds brightness and prevents bitterness.
- 1½ tsp kosher salt – Enhances flavor.
- 3 cups neutral oil – Use vegetable, canola, sunflower, or avocado oil.
💡 Avoid jarred or pre-minced garlic, which won’t emulsify properly and lacks the fresh flavor needed for toum.
How to Make Toum
- Prep Garlic: Peel and halve garlic cloves to remove the green sprout (germ).
- Blend Garlic: Add garlic and cold water to a food processor. Blend for about 2 minutes until finely minced. Scrape down the sides.
- Add Lemon & Salt: Add half of the lemon juice and all the salt. Blend again.
- Emulsify Slowly: With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 1 cup of oil over 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Finish Emulsion: Add the remaining lemon juice, then continue slowly drizzling in the remaining 2 cups of oil (over 6 minutes). Blend until the sauce becomes thick and fluffy, like mayo.
🧄 Tip: Patience is key! Drizzling the oil slowly ensures a stable emulsion and prevents the sauce from breaking.
Pro Tips for Perfect Toum
- Use young garlic to avoid bitterness. Always remove the germ.
- Add liquids gradually. Alternate oil and lemon juice to maintain emulsion.
- Use cold water to help stabilize the mixture.
- Let it rest. Refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) before serving to mellow the sharp garlic flavor.
How to Use Toum
- As a condiment: Add to wraps, sandwiches, burgers, or pita with shawarma, kofta, falafel, or grilled meats.
- As a dip: Pair with grilled chicken, shrimp skewers, steak, or roasted vegetables.
- As a marinade base: Stir into marinades for za’atar chicken, roasted salmon, or Mediterranean garlic chicken.
Garlic Health Benefits
- May reduce blood pressure and cholesterol
- Natural antibiotic and immune booster
- Contains anti-inflammatory properties
- Supports heart health
Storage Tips
- Store toum in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- For longer shelf life, freeze small portions in an ice cube tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?
A: A high-powered blender can work, but it’s more likely to cause the emulsion to break. A food processor is preferred.
Q: My sauce broke! What do I do?
A: If toum separates, try starting with a fresh clove of garlic and a tablespoon of water in a clean food processor, then slowly drizzle in the broken mixture as you would oil.
Q: Why does my toum taste bitter?
A: You likely didn’t remove the garlic germ. Always use fresh, young garlic and remove the green sprout.
Q: What oil should I use?
A: Use a neutral oil like canola, vegetable, sunflower, or avocado. Avoid olive oil—it can make the sauce bitter and heavy.
Try These Other Middle Eastern Favorites
- Zhoug Sauce – Spicy green herb sauce
- Tahini Sauce – Creamy sesame-based dressing
- Tzatziki – Greek cucumber yogurt dip
- Skordalia – Greek garlic potato spread
- Harissa – Spicy North African chili paste
Recipe Card
Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 36 (about 2.5 cups)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup garlic cloves (about 3 heads), peeled and de-germed
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 cups neutraToum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)l oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower)
Instructions:
- Blend garlic and cold water until minced. Scrape down the sides.
- Add half the lemon juice and all salt. Blend again.
- Slowly drizzle in 1 cup of oil over 3 minutes while blending.
- Add the remaining lemon juice and continue to drizzle in the rest of the oil (6 minutes).
- Scrape sides as needed. The finished sauce should be fluffy and white.
Storage: Keep in the fridge for up to 1 month or freeze for longer.