Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 25 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 24 servings
- Ingredients
- 5
About this dish
Raw garlic and neutral oil, with no egg or dairy, whip into a thick white spread served in small spoonfuls alongside grilled chicken or potatoes.
Read more
Everything rides on how slowly the oil is added: poured in a stream too early, it leaves garlic bits floating in thin oil. Oil showing separately around the garlic means the emulsion has not formed, and that is the moment to stop pouring rather than speed up. Lemon juice and ice water are worked in last, a little at a time, to set the sharpness and thickness. Canola or another neutral oil stays out of the garlic's way where olive oil would compete. Making a smaller batch in a large food processor tends to leave the garlic sitting under the blade.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Split the garlic lengthwise and remove any green sprouts.
Pulse with the kosher salt in a food processor, stopping the motor to scrape down the sides until the garlic is finely processed.
- 2
With the machine running, add canola oil one drop at a time.
Let each drop blend in before adding the next, stopping to scrape as needed, until the garlic begins to look creamy.
- 3
Continue a few drops at a time until a thick white spread forms.
Then slowly incorporate the remaining oil in a very thin stream; allow about 15-20 minutes for adding the oil.
- 4
Gradually process in the lemon juice and ice water.
Transfer to a clean container and serve, or cover and refrigerate.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- Toum Recipe
Maureen Abood · Checked: 2026-09-07
- Traditional Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)
Serious Eats / Sohla El-Waylly · Checked: 2026-09-07
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