This Lebanese Garlic Sauce, known as Toum, is a garlic lover’s dream. It’s intensely garlicky, ultra creamy, and whipped to perfection in just a few minutes! Use it as a dip, spread, or sauce for everything from roasted veggies, Mediterranean bowls, and grilled tofu.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Garlic: Raw garlic cloves are the star here and provide the bold flavor that toum is known for.
- Oil: Forms the base of the emulsion and gives toum its rich, spreadable consistency. Use a neutral tasting oil for best results.
- Lemon juice: Balances the intensity of the garlic flavor with its bright acidity. Fresh lemon juice is much better than pre-bottled lemon juice here!
- Water: Ice water helps blend the garlic completely smooth and contributes to the fluffy consistency.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the sauce. We recommend starting with 1 teaspoon and increasing to taste.
How to Make Lebanese Garlic Sauce
- Remove the garlic germ. Peel the garlic cloves, then halve them lengthwise to remove the garlic germ (the green little sprout!). The germ can have a slightly bitter or harsh flavor, and removing it keeps the toum mellow.
- Finely mince the garlic. Add the garlic and salt (start with 1 teaspoon) to a food processor and process for one minute, or until the garlic becomes finely minced. Stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl as needed.
- Slowly pour in the oil. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in two tablespoons of oil. Again, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat once more until the garlic begins to look creamy and emulsified.
- Add remaining oil, lemon juice, and water. Continue adding the oil 2 tablespoons at a time, followed by the lemon juice and water. Alternate between the three until everything has been added and the garlic sauce is well incorporated.
- Enjoy! Serve this Lebanese Garlic Sauce immediately or refrigerate until chilled before enjoying.
Find the full printable recipe here: Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum)
