TurkeyToum is one of those sauces that went viral for good reason — it is pure garlic transformed into something impossibly creamy without a drop of dairy. The secret is patience with the oil. It must go in as a hair-thin stream while the processor runs. If you rush it, the emulsion breaks and you get garlic-flavored oil soup instead of a fluffy white sauce.
If your toum breaks and looks oily and separated, do not throw it away. Add a single ice cube to the food processor and keep blending — the cold water helps the emulsion re-form. Some cooks add a small boiled potato for extra insurance, but the ice cube trick works 9 times out of 10.
Toum
By Sergei Martynov
Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce whipped into a fluffy white emulsion with just garlic, lemon juice, oil, and salt. It pairs with grilled chicken, shawarma, falafel, or roasted vegetables and keeps in the fridge for weeks.
Key Ingredients
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 100 g
See recipes with garlicgarlic
i - 60 ml
See recipes with lemon juicelemon juice
i - 360 ml
See recipes with vegetable oilvegetable oil
i - 1 tsp
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
Peel the garlic cloves and trim off any green sprouts from the center — they taste bitter. Drop all the garlic into a food processor with the salt and blend for about 1 minute until the garlic becomes a smooth paste, scraping down the sides once.
- 2
With the motor running, add about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and process for 15 seconds until incorporated.
- 3
Now begin adding the vegetable oil in a very thin, steady stream — no wider than a toothpick. This is the most important step. The emulsion forms only if the oil goes in slowly. Pour about 60 ml of oil over 1–2 minutes while the processor runs continuously.
- 4
Stop the motor and add another tablespoon of lemon juice. Process for 10 seconds, then resume drizzling oil in a thin stream. Alternate between small additions of lemon juice and slow streams of oil until both are used up.
- 5
The toum is ready when it is bright white, fluffy, and holds stiff peaks like whipped cream. Taste and adjust salt. Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving — it thickens and mellows as it chills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my toum break and turn into oily liquid instead of fluffy white sauce?
Toum breaks when oil is added too quickly. The emulsion depends on garlic's natural lecithin binding with oil in tiny droplets — if you pour too fast, the droplets merge and the sauce separates. Always add oil in a stream no wider than a toothpick. Other common causes: warm garlic (use room temperature or slightly cool), too little garlic relative to oil, or a blender instead of a food processor. If it breaks, add one ice cube and keep processing — the cold shock helps the emulsion re-form in about 30 seconds.
How long does homemade toum last in the fridge and can you freeze it?
Toum keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for 3–4 weeks in an airtight glass jar. The raw garlic acts as a natural preservative. It thickens and mellows over the first 24 hours. Freezing is possible but not ideal — the emulsion can break when thawed. If you do freeze it, portion into ice cube trays, freeze solid, then transfer to a bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and whisk vigorously. The texture may be slightly less fluffy but the flavor stays excellent.
Can I make toum without a food processor — does a blender or hand mixer work?
A food processor is the best tool because its wide bowl gives the emulsion room to form. A high-speed blender can work if you use the tamper to keep pushing garlic down, but it overheats faster and may break the emulsion. A hand mixer does not generate enough shear force for a stable emulsion. An immersion blender in a tall narrow jar works surprisingly well — keep it at the bottom and drizzle oil in slowly. The key with any tool is the slow oil addition, not the specific device.
Is toum the same as garlic aioli — what is the difference between toum and aioli?
Traditional toum and traditional aioli are cousins, not twins. Toum is Lebanese, made with garlic, lemon juice, and oil — no eggs. Aioli originates from Provence and traditionally uses garlic, olive oil, and egg yolk as the emulsifier. Modern restaurant aioli is usually just garlic mayonnaise. Toum is fully vegan and dairy-free. The texture of properly made toum is lighter and fluffier than aioli, almost like whipped cream, because the garlic itself acts as the emulsifier.
How do I reduce the raw garlic burn in toum so it is creamy but not too sharp?
Fresh toum has a sharp garlic bite that mellows significantly after 12–24 hours in the fridge. For a milder sauce right away, blanch the peeled garlic cloves in boiling water for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water before processing. This tames the harsh allicin without cooking the garlic. Another trick is to remove the green germ from the center of each clove — it carries most of the bitterness. Adding an extra squeeze of lemon juice at the end also balances the heat.
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Comments (1)
Let this toum rest for at least 30 minutes after making it. The garlic and lemon juice need time to meld. Fresh-from-the-blender always tastes sharper and less cohesive than the rested version.