The HowTo NetworkFood

Toum Garlic Sauce

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
Upside-down garlic sauce bottle on a black and white geometric patterned fabric.

Toum is a stable emulsion of garlic, oil, lemon juice, and salt. Success hinges on a slow, steady stream of oil; if you pour too fast, the mixture will break. When done correctly, it turns into a dense, cloud-like paste that holds its shape on a spoon.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Total time
20 min
Hands-on
20 min
Serves
1.5 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup garlic cloves, peeled and ends trimmed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 cups neutral oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Step by step

  1. Process the garlic and salt

    Pulse the peeled cloves and salt in the food processor until they are minced into a fine, uniform paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl twice to ensure no large chunks remain.

  2. Add the first oil

    With the processor running, slowly drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the oil. Do this drop by drop. Wait for the mixture to thicken into a thick, opaque cream.

  3. Alternating lemon and oil

    Add a tablespoon of lemon juice to lighten the mix, then continue adding the oil in a thin, steady stream. Alternate the remaining lemon juice with the oil whenever the mixture gets too thick for the blades to catch.

  4. Final check

    Stop the processor when the oil is gone and the texture is stiff. Taste for salt. The sauce should be pungent and airy.

Questions people ask

Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?

A blender is often too narrow at the base to catch the initial small amount of garlic effectively, and it tends to heat the oil too quickly, which ruins the texture.

Why is my sauce yellow?

You likely added the oil too quickly, or your oil choice is too heavy. Use a truly neutral oil like grapeseed to ensure the sauce stays white.

Tips

  • If the sauce breaks and turns oily, stop. Take a new clean bowl, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, and slowly stream the broken sauce into it while processing.
  • Use fresh, firm garlic. Old garlic with green sprouts in the center will make the sauce taste bitter.
  • Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks; it will firm up further once chilled.

Variations

  • Minted Toum: Add a handful of fresh mint leaves during the garlic processing step for a bright finish.