Garlic Toum Sauce (Creamy Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

This Garlic Toum Sauce is a bold, creamy Lebanese garlic sauce made with fresh garlic, lemon juice, oil, and salt blended into a fluffy, emulsified spread. Known for its intense garlic flavor and light, airy texture, toum is a staple condiment across Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s famously served with grilled chicken, shawarma, kebabs, and warm pita bread.

This sauce is also part of our Mediterranean Diet Recipes: Healthy, Flavorful Meals for Everyday Cooking, where you’ll find fresh salads, grilled proteins, plant-based dishes, and balanced Mediterranean recipes perfect for everyday meals.

Serve garlic toum with Chicken Tawook (Shish Tawook), Authentic Greek Chicken Gyros, or Mediterranean Rice Pilaf for a bold Mediterranean-style meal. It also pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables, grilled meats, or spreads like Homemade Hummus for a flavorful Mediterranean Mezze Platter

Why You’ll Love This

• Intensely flavorful garlic sauce with a creamy, fluffy texture

• Authentic Middle Eastern condiment made with simple ingredients

• Perfect for grilled chicken, shawarma, kebabs, or roasted vegetables

• Naturally dairy-free and vegan

Recipe Card

Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 12–16 tablespoons

Nutrition Information

(Per Tablespoon – Approximate)

• Calories: 90 kcal

• Protein: 0 g

• Carbohydrates: 1 g

• Fat: 10 g

• Saturated Fat: 1 g

• Fiber: 0 g

• Sugar: 0 g• Sodium: 70 mg

Ingredients

• 1 cup garlic cloves (about 2 heads), peeled

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1½ cups neutral oil (sunflower, grapeseed, or light olive oil)

• 2–4 tbsp ice water (optional, helps stabilize texture)

Instructions

1. Blend the Garlic

Add garlic cloves and salt to a food processor. Blend until finely minced, scraping down the sides as needed.

2. Add Lemon Juice

Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and blend again until smooth and paste-like.

3. Emulsify the Oil

With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil in a thin stream. Alternate with small additions of lemon juice to help maintain the emulsion.

4. Adjust Texture

If the sauce becomes too thick, add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time while blending to create a lighter, fluffier texture.

5. Blend Until Creamy

Continue blending until the mixture becomes thick, white, and creamy.

Tips for Perfect Toum

• Use fresh garlic for the best flavor and emulsification

• Add oil very slowly to prevent the sauce from breaking

• If the sauce separates, blend with 1 egg white or boiled potato to rescue it

• Ice water helps create the classic fluffy texture

How to Use Toum

Toum is incredibly versatile and can be used in many Mediterranean dishes:

• Spread inside shawarma or gyro wraps

• Serve with Chicken Tawook or grilled chicken

• Use as a dip for warm pita bread

• Drizzle over roasted vegetables or rice bowls

• Add to sandwiches or Mediterranean wraps

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 weeks

• Flavor becomes slightly milder over time

• Stir before serving if it thickens in the fridge

FAQ

What is toum?

Toum is a traditional Lebanese garlic sauce made by emulsifying garlic, oil, lemon juice, and salt into a creamy spread.

Is toum the same as garlic aioli?

No. Toum contains no eggs and relies purely on garlic to create the emulsion.

Can I make it without a food processor?

Yes, but it requires vigorous whisking or a mortar and pestle.

Why did my toum break?

This usually happens when oil is added too quickly. Slow streaming helps maintain the emulsion.

Final Thoughts

This Garlic Toum Sauce is one of the most flavorful condiments in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. With its bold garlic flavor and creamy texture, it instantly elevates grilled meats, wraps, and vegetables. Once you make it at home, it quickly becomes a staple sauce to keep in your fridge for adding bright, garlicky flavor to everyday meals.