Toum
Ingredients
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- 1 cup garlic cloves – peeled
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice – fresh
- 3 tbsp ice water
Instructions
1. Chill the measured water until very cold. Measure all remaining ingredients and set up a food processor with the metal blade.
2. Add the garlic cloves and kosher salt to the processor. Process, scraping the bowl as needed, until the garlic is a completely smooth, sticky paste with no visible bits, 2–3 minutes.
3. With the motor running, drizzle in about 0.5 cup neutral oil in a very thin, steady stream until the paste turns creamy and begins to emulsify.
4. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and process for 10 seconds to stabilize.
5. Continue drizzling in the remaining oil in a thin stream, pausing every 30–45 seconds to add 1 tbsp ice water or 1 tbsp of the remaining juice, alternating, until all liquids are used, 8–12 minutes total. Scrape the bowl as needed to keep the emulsion even.
6. Process until the toum is thick, white, and fluffy and holds soft peaks; it should cling to a spoon without running. If it starts to look oily or loosen, stop the stream and pulse in a teaspoon of the reserved cold water, then resume drizzling.
7. Transfer to a clean jar, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set before serving.
Toum is a Lebanese garlic emulsion that’s snowy-white, fluffy, and intensely garlicky with a bright, clean finish. It spreads like mayonnaise yet contains no eggs, relying instead on garlic’s natural emulsifiers plus oil and lemon for structure. The flavor is bold but balanced, making it a natural partner for grilled meats, shawarma, roast chicken, fries, and warm flatbreads.
Rooted in Levantine home and restaurant cooking, the word toum simply means garlic in Arabic, underscoring the sauce’s core identity. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, it has long since found a home in the food processor era, keeping the same essential ingredients and technique. Its ubiquity at chicken shops and family tables speaks to its cultural importance as a staple condiment across Lebanon and the wider Levant.