Toum – Recipe for Middle Eastern Garlic Sauce. Use on Shawarma, Falafel, Grilled Foods. Vegan, Garlicky, Creamy and Flavorful
I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for a while now, but it took some time to develop it and get it just right. Either the texture wasn’t quite right or the flavor wasn’t exactly where I wanted it to be. I can proudly say that finally, I’ve cracked the code. This toum recipe is da bomb. It’s smooth, creamy, garlicky and deliciously potent.
The key was using a big food processor (8 cups or more), making a large batch (big enough for it to easily emulsify in the food processor), using sunflower or canola oil (these mild oils work best for flavor and texture), and chilling the oil. Sound strange? The chilled oil is magic, it helps to keep the sauce from separating. Come on, don’t you trust me yet?
If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying toum, it’s a creamy garlic dipping sauce that is often served in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants. It’s similar to aioli or mayonnaise, but made without eggs.
It’s utterly fabulous on falafel, shawarma, grilled chicken, fish, and vegetables— really, anything that calls for a creamy garlic accompaniment. Be warned, this sauce isn’t for the faint of heart. Toum packs a powerful punch.
Raw garlic contains some pretty incredible health benefits, and has been used as both food and medicine for thousands of years. Ancient Olympic athletes used to eat raw garlic to boost their strength and stamina. It’s a great source of antioxidants; it also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Some studies have shown that eating garlic may help lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol. So toum is not only tasty, but it’s also good for you. Although I can’t promise it will have a very positive effect on your breath. Don’t go kissing anybody after a serving of this stuff!
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Garlic Sauce (Toum)
Ingredients
- 4 cups sunflower oil, avocado oil or canola oil, chilled (You may need less oil - detailed instructions below. For Passover safflower oil may be used)
- 1/2 cup garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 cup lemon juice divided
- 1/2 cup ice cold water divided
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Please Note: this recipe must be made exactly as written, and it relies on a balance of ingredients with very specific amounts and temperatures. Please do not alter the number of servings, or your sauce may not emulsify properly. Before you begin, place your oil in the freezer or refrigerator so that it is chilled, but still liquid. While the oil chills, remove the ends from your garlic cloves, split them in half and remove any green layers from inside. In a food processor, combine garlic cloves, salt, 1/4 cup of the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the ice cold water.
- Process until smooth, then stop and scrape the sides of the food processor with a spatula.
- Turn the food processor back on and drizzle the chilled oil through the top as SLOWLY as possible, one cup at a time. If you don't have a steady hand I suggest putting the oil in a squeeze bottle and drizzling it in that way. After each cup of oil, add 1 tbsp each of the lemon juice and cold water.
- Scrape down the sides of the food processor as necessary. Be sure that your processor does not get too hot, as this can cause your sauce to separate.
- Only add oil until you've reached the texture you desire - you may only need 3 1/2 cups to achieve the proper texture. The final result should resemble a soft mayonnaise. This recipe makes about 5 cups of sauce, a serving is calculated as roughly 2 tablespoons. Store toum in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe makes a pretty big batch, but it should keep for up to 4 weeks and it can be used on so many things. You'll be happy you have extra. Enjoy!
NOTES
Nutrition
Can you use a vita mix for this, because my food processor isn’t large enough to contain such a large amount\?
Serena yes, Vitamix will work great.
My husband doesn’t like mayo. But we both love garlic and I cant wait to make this I was reading and visions of all the things I was going to use it on danced thru my head.
Thank You for trying, Tori.
I hope your Pesach was lovely…still eating matzah brei and loving every minute of it.
Can you help Me cut this in a fourth of the receipe?
Hi Carol, I don’t recommend cutting this recipe as it doesn’t emulsify as well when using smaller amounts of ingredients. The good news is, it does last quite a long time (similar to mayonnaise) so if you make a larger batch you’ll have plenty of time to use it up. 🙂
Thank you so much Tori! I have tried other methods and combinations before with no real luck. I was just at a Lebanese restaurant last week and asked for my garlic sauce on the side instead of in my sandwich. The owner obliged, but charged me $1.95 for 2 tablespoons in a little souffle cup. I came home and found your recipe and tried it right away. It was perfect and I had plenty to share with friends and family.
Glad you liked it Pam! It took a lot of experimentation to get it right, but I’m glad we nailed it finally 🙂
Tori, it’s a 32 ounce food processor and i filled it a few ounces less than that. during the year i have a large food processor so it’s only relevant for passover. you may be right though that i poured too quickly.
Thanks Sherri I really appreciate you providing details. I will test it next chance I get with a smaller processor just to be sure.
it must have been the small size of the processor, although it certainly fit in there –it definitely did not get hot as i followed the directions about chilling everything. i could use as a salad dressing, but it’s weird because it does not seem oily enough–ironically–using a liter of oil should have certainly been oily enough for dressing, right?
i could also use it on some salmon i’m defrosting before i cook it i suppose… thanks so much for all your help…and chag sameach!
Sherri that is very odd. The only other thing I can think of is that it wasn’t drizzled slowly enough, but I’m sure you followed the instructions carefully. If you have a chance, can you please let me know how large is your processor? I will try to get this tested on a smaller unit to see if I can replicate the problem and find a solution. I think it will work great as a salmon marinade. Thanks for the feedback, I want these recipes to be workable for all. Happy Passover!
I made this recipe with my K-Tech/Blendtec blender and it turned out thick and creamy. I used half Extra Virgin olive oil and half Rice Bran oil, both unchilled; perfect, fluffy dipping consistency.
Great to hear that Alicia!
ok so i didn’t halve the recipe, but it is still way too liquidy–didn’t become like soft mayo. it tastes great, but it really isn’t dip-like, so any suggestions what to do with this garlic lemon liquid? what i might cook with it so it’s not wasted?
Sherri that’s odd… not sure if it has to do with having a smaller processor, did the liquid feel warm to the touch? Usually when it’s liquid like that it means that it did not emulsify properly, which means either the liquid was drizzled in too fast or the processor became too hot as it was processing, causing separation of the sauce. You can definitely use it, though. It would be great for marinating chicken or fish. Marinate chicken (on bone or breasts), adding herbs to the sauce if desired, then grill or broil. Marinate fish for the grill, or saute fish in a pan and pour the sauce over then let it cook, adding more lemon as needed. It would even work as a salad dressing, I think, with perhaps a little more lemon or salt added for flavor. Sorry it didn’t firm up for you, another reader just tweeted me this week saying it worked perfectly for him so I have to wonder if it’s the small food processor and heat that is the issue.
if i made half the recipe do i half all the ingredients? i dont have a large enough food processor for passover.
Hi Sherri, the trouble with halving the ingredients is that it may not emulsify properly. I’ve tried smaller quantities and was not as successful in getting the proper texture, however I do have a fairly large processor so maybe that is the issue. I’ve never tried it with a smaller processor so I’m unsure if halving the ingredients will work. If you try it will you let me know your results? It will be helpful to other readers, I’m sure.
This sauce sounds so good. I think I’ll serve with blanched asparagus for Easter brunch-yum!
Great idea Kate!
Love your website Tori. I recently started a search for my ancestry. I have discovered that Many of my ancestors – within the last 4-5 generations were Jewish. I was not raised in the faith so I have a LOT to learn. Thank you for your recipes and posts that teach me a thing or two!
So happy you’re enjoying the site Lea!
Thanks, Tori!
Can olive oil be substituted for sunflower or canola oil?
Gabrielle as I said in previous comments I do not recommend it in this recipe. I love olive oil, but here it imparts a strange flavor.
I am addicted to this sauce! Thank you for posting!
This recipe looks fabulous, Tori! I can’t wait to try it with asparagus, every other veggie I can think of, on salads, as a veggie dip and many other ideas that come to mind.
Do you think it might freeze well in 1 or 2 cup containers?
Elizabeth you know what? I’ve never frozen it before, but I have a big batch in the fridge right now. I will freeze some and let you know how it defrosts!
Elizabeth, just reporting back to let you know it does not freeze well at all, the sauce will separate when it defrosts. However, it lasts quite a long time in the refrigerator, similar to mayonnaise. Hope that helps!
Thanks Sheila. Will have to to try it!
Thanks Tori! Shabbat Shalom!
Your timing is excellent! I just took some home from the restaurant last night, it’s wonderful on Roasted Calluiflower
I am going to make this recipe, looks yummy…… but I will not use sunflower or canola oil in my book its the 2 worst oils one can buy and use. Going to try it with a sesame or other good oil, I will find something suitable at my health store.
Since I only eat and use coconut oil, am not sure how this will be using it for the garlick sauce.
Any suggestions?
Thanks and enjoy
Jamiela
Hi Jamiela– stick to a mild flavored oil. I don’t have a problem with using organic non-GMO canola oil or sunflower oil every once in a while; I don’t use them for most things, but in this sauce they are the best options. I have tried many oils while testing this recipe, but in terms of viscosity, texture and flavor these two have worked the best. I don’t recommend coconut oil, the flavor would be really weird here. Another reader suggested avocado oil, which I think might work really nicely here in terms of flavor. After I have a chance to test it I will report back.
I bet this would be good in kugel – just a little to ramp up garlic and savory flavors. I love lots of flavor and I really prefer savory dishes to sweet. I believe this sauce is going to enhance many of the foods I love.
Thanks for posting