Toum, also called Toumya, is a Lebanese garlic sauce made by emulsifying garlic with oil and lemon juice. Unlike mayonnaise, it gets its creamy texture from garlic alone, which is what gives it such a strong, pungent flavor. It’s dairy-free, egg-free, and ready in about 20 minutes of blending.
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This versatile condiment is a traditional accompaniment to a wide variety of Middle Eastern dishes, including Turkish Grilled Lamb Kofta, Chicken Kofta, Oven Baked Chicken Shawarma, and Lamb Shish Kebab.
Just like Shawarma Sauce, it also makes for a flavorful dip for roasted vegetables, and falafel, and works well as a spread on sandwiches and wraps.
Why This Recipe Works
- Just 4 pantry staples (garlic, oil, lemon juice, and salt) and no special equipment beyond a food processor.
- The whipped, cloud-like texture comes purely from technique, slowly emulsifying the oil the same way Lebanese cooks have for generations, with no eggs or thickeners needed.
- It keeps for weeks in the fridge and months in the freezer, so one batch stretches a long way.
- It’s endlessly versatile: a dip for falafel, a spread for wraps, a finishing sauce for grilled meats, or a marinade base.
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free, so it works for most guests without any substitutions.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Garlic - You need firm and fresh garlic bulbs for the best results. Make sure to remove any green bits in the center if there are any.
- Oil - Neutral tasting oils such as vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil or avocado oil are the best options.
- Lemon - It has to be freshly squeezed lemon juice, not the bottled ones.
How to Make Toum - Lebanese Garlic Sauce?
Although toum is a simple recipe made with just 4 ingredients, it requires some patience and attention to get it right.
Peel the garlic cloves by smashing them on a cutting board with the flat side of a large chef's knife. Remove any green sprouts from the inside, if present.
In a food processor bowl, combine the crushed garlic cloves with salt and lemon juice. Blend until you achieve a smooth paste, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes to lose the garlic's harsh taste.
With the food processor running on low speed, gradually add the oil, not more than a spoonful at a time. Wait until it is fully incorporated before adding more oil.
As you add the oil, you'll notice the mixture thickening and becoming creamy. At this stage, you can speed up the process by adding the oil in a slow and steady stream instead of adding it spoonful by spoonful.
This process might take up to 15 minutes, so be patient and avoid rushing. Your toum sauce is ready when it achieves an airy, fluffy, and creamy texture.
Transfer the finished toum to an airtight container or a glass jar, and refrigerate for a few hours before using.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Use fresh and firm garlic cloves for the best flavor. Avoid using garlic that has started to sprout or is soft.
- Use a neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable or sunflower oil. Avoid using strongly flavored oils like olive oil, as they can overpower the sauce.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice works best for toum. It adds brightness and helps balance the flavors.
- If your food processor starts to feel warm partway through, stop and let it cool for a few minutes before adding more oil. Heat is one of the most common reasons the emulsion breaks.
- Take your time when blending the ingredients. Slowly adding the oil while blending helps the sauce emulsify fully for a smooth, creamy texture.
- For an extra-thick toum, blend in a small cooled boiled potato or a spoonful of Greek yogurt at the end. It's not traditional, but it mellows the bite and makes the sauce easier to spread.
What if Your Toum Sauce Splits?
The best way to fix a split toum sauce is to use an egg white, which is a binding agent. Mix one egg white with a quarter cup of the split sauce and blend until fluffy. Then, slowly add the rest.
If you use this technique to rescue your sauce, bear in mind that the shelf life of your sauce is reduced to 2 weeks in a refrigerator.
If you'd rather keep the fix egg-free, you can rescue a split sauce with ice water instead: whisk a tablespoon of ice-cold water in a clean bowl, then slowly drizzle in the broken sauce while blending until it comes back together.
Serving Suggestions
There are many ways to enjoy this delightful and versatile sauce. You can serve it alongside grilled meats such as chicken, lamb, or beef.
Some recipes you might consider trying with toum sauce include Chicken Shish Kebab, Adana Kebab, Kuzu Tandır Kebab, Authentic Homemade Lebanese Falafel, and Cokertme Kebabi.
You can also spread it on sandwiches or wraps, use it as a topping for grilled or roasted vegetables, or as a dip for Extra Crispy Halloumi Fries.
Storage Instructions
You can store the toum sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. For longer storage, divide your sauce into smaller portions and keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Recipe FAQs
After blitzing the garlic with lemon juice and salt in your food processor, allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
Also, let the toum sauce rest for a few hours after preparation. The flavors will mellow and blend together over time, resulting in a smoother and less intense garlic taste.
If your toum sauce is too thick, you can gradually incorporate a small amount of water or lemon juice while blending until you achieve the desired consistency.
No, pre-minced garlic tends to taste duller and more bitter than fresh, and it won't emulsify as smoothly. Stick with freshly peeled cloves for the best results.
Yes, a high-powered blender or immersion blender works too. Add the oil in an even thinner, slower stream than you would with a food processor, since immersion blenders don't scrape down the sides as evenly and the mixture can break more easily.
Bitterness usually means the garlic still has its green sprout (the germ) left in, or that the garlic itself is old. Always remove the germ and use young, firm garlic cloves for the mildest, cleanest flavor.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Lebanese recipes why not try:
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Toum - Lebanese Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup garlic (peeled)
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup vegetable, rapeseed or sunflower oil
Instructions
- Peel the garlic cloves by smashing them on a cutting board with the flat side of a large chef's knife. Remove any green sprouts from the inside, if present.
- In a food processor bowl, combine the crushed garlic cloves with salt and lemon juice.
- Blend until you achieve a smooth paste, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes to lose the garlic's harsh taste.
- With the food processor running on low speed, gradually add the oil, not more than a spoonful at a time. Wait until it is fully incorporated before adding more oil.
- As you add the oil, you'll notice the mixture thickening and becoming creamy. At this stage, you can speed up the process by adding the oil in a slow and steady stream instead of adding it spoonful by spoonful. This process might take up to 15 minutes, so be patient and avoid rushing.
- Your toum sauce is ready when it achieves a airy, fluffy, and creamy texture.
- Transfer the finished toum to an airtight container or a glass jar, and refrigerate for a few hours before using.
Notes
- Use fresh and firm garlic cloves for the best flavor. Avoid using garlic that has started to sprout or is soft.
- Use a neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable or sunflower oil. Avoid using strongly flavored oils like olive oil, as they can overpower the sauce.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice works best for toum. It adds brightness and helps balance the flavors.
- After blitzing the garlic with lemon juice and salt in your food processor, allow it to rest for 10 minutes to mellow out the harsh taste of the garlic.
- If your food processor starts to feel warm partway through, stop and let it cool for a few minutes before adding more oil. Heat is one of the most common reasons the emulsion breaks.
- Take your time when blending the ingredients. Slowly adding the oil while blending helps the sauce emulsify fully for a smooth, creamy texture.
- For an extra-thick toum, blend in a small cooled boiled potato or a spoonful of Greek yogurt at the end. It's not traditional, but it mellows the bite and makes the sauce easier to spread.
Arthur says
It turned out so creamy and delicious. Tasted amazing with grilled chicken and wraps.