300+ Recipe Digital Cookbook
"I spent 10 years creating and testing recipes for this cookbook, it's my proudest creation!"
300+ Recipe Digital Cookbook
"I spent 10 years creating and testing 1000's of recipes for this cookbook, it's my proudest creation!"
- Mariel, Author & Founder
Introducing Toum (Garlic Sauce), a Lebanese condiment that typically accompanies dishes like grilled skewers, shawarma, rotisserie chicken, and various other Middle Eastern delicacies. With just four simple ingredients – garlic, oil, lemon, and salt – this sauce has a creamy and thick texture that’s perfect for spreading.
The recipe is flavor-packed, vegan, gluten-free and very easy-to-make.
What Goes Into Toum:
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are crucial here, as these result in the best consistency and flavor. Aim for one cup of peeled garlic cloves.
- Oil: Opt for a neutral oil, like avocado oil. Avoid olive oil as it may alter the sauce’s color and flavor. You’ll need around 3-4 cups of oil.
- Lemon Juice: Acting as a binder, lemon juice helps combine and emulsify the ingredients. Start with ½ a cup and adjust to taste.
- Salt: Salt not only adds flavor, but also helps with grating the garlic and enhancing its natural moistness.
The Process of Making Toum:
Begin by peeling one cup of garlic cloves. While traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, using a food processor yields quicker and lighter results. Process the peeled garlic with kosher salt until finely minced, adding oil gradually in small batches.
Emulsifying the mixture involves slowly adding the oil while blending continuously. Begin with one tablespoon of oil, allowing it to blend thoroughly before adding more. Scraping down the sides ensures all ingredients are well incorporated.
Continue alternating between adding oil and lemon juice until the mixture becomes airy and fluffy, resembling a creamy texture.
To allow the flavors to set, cover the sauce with a paper towel and refrigerate overnight. The result? A light, airy, and irresistible Lebanese garlic sauce, perfect for various culinary applications.
Tips for Success:
- Remove the green sprout from inside the garlic for a milder flavor.
- Soak the garlic in ice water briefly to reduce its potency.
- Alternate lemon juice with oil for a light consistency.
- Avoid using a blender, as it may not effectively emulsify the ingredients. Use a food processor instead.
How to Eat Toum:
As for serving suggestions, the versatility of Toum knows no bounds. Enjoy it with grilled meats, fish, sandwiches, salads, or as a dip with pita bread and crackers. Let your culinary creativity soar.
We recently served it with my Traditional Hummus, Quick Pickled Vegetables, Labneh with Golden Berry Chutney and Homemade Pita Bread; it was completely delectable and I 100% recommend you try this combo.
Hope you love this recipe as much as we do at home.
Toum (Garlic Sauce)
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
Toum is a delicious Lebanese garlic sauce that’s more like a spread because of its thickness. It’s a slow and steady emulsion process of garlic and oil. A recipe of simple and few ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 3 cups avocado oil
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Add garlic cloves and salt to a food processor and process for a minute until finely minced. Scrape down the sides of the food processor to ensure no bits remain unprocessed.
- While the food processor is running, carefully pour one tbsp of avocado oil. Then stop and scrape down the food processor. Continue by adding 1 tbsp of avocado oil at a time, until the garlic looks nice and creamy.
- Once creamy, increase the speed of adding in the oil and alternate with the lemon juice until both are incorporated; this process takes about ~10-15 mins.
- Transfer the garlic sauce to a glass container, cover with a large paper towel and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Notes
The recipe lasts fresh in a tight lid container for about 2 months.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
