Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum)

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a milestone moment. I claimed this site would feature Lebanese recipes when I first started it. Well, it's finally happening. This post is officially the first of its kind. I can explain why it's taken so long. You see, my mom is the one with most of these recipes. Shooting around my schedule and hers has been difficult, to say the least, but we finally did it. We're going to show you how to make Lebanese garlic sauce aka toum.

REASONS YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE:

• tasty sauce that goes great on chicken, beef, fries, bread and more
• easy to make and tastes better homemade
• comes together quickly

INGREDIENTS FOR LEBANESE GARLIC SAUCE (TOUM):

• Garlic cloves– The stars of our sauce
• Salt  – Brings out the rest of the flavors and breaks down the garlic
• Neutral oil – Helps with emulsion. I use vegetable or canola.
• Citric acid – Adds lemon flavor
• Egg white - Helps with volume

HOW TO MAKE MY MOM'S LEBANESE GARLIC SAUCE (TOUM):

• With your machine off, add in your garlic cloves, add the salt, and add in the lemon crystals, citric acid, or lemon juice at this point. You can add lemon in any of the three forms you'd like, but just understand that the crystals or citric acid will have a more concentrated lemon flavor than juice, so adjust accordingly.
• With your machine off, add in your garlic cloves, add the salt, and add in the lemon crystals, citric acid, or lemon juice at this point. You can add lemon in any of the three forms you'd like, but just understand that the crystals or citric acid will have a more concentrated lemon flavor than juice, so adjust accordingly.

• Pour in some canola oil. Use a neutral oil! Olive oil or any flavored oil won't work here. I highly suggest canola oil, because it doesn't have a bitter aftertaste. My mom puts a tablespoon or two, to begin with. Put the lid on and get it going on food processor mode for about 10-20 seconds. Add one egg white at a time with the machine going. Let the egg white incorporate before adding the next one. Your ingredients must be at room temperature. Let the processor go after adding the third egg white for about 10-20 seconds and then begin adding the stream of oil. It must be a steady stream, but pretty thin. It's important to note that as you add the oil, you should begin seeing the form change from a liquid to a thick paste. Because of that, once we get started, we don't want to turn the machine off until we're done. When you reach the point where it's almost fully done, stream in some cold water, about a tablespoon.  Continue adding the oil in a steady stream until it's completely emulsified and has a mayonnaise consistency. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon accordingly.

• Cover and refrigerate. It will last in the fridge for a week, but I suggest using it within a few days.

SOME MORE GREAT LEBANESE RECIPES:

Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

Lebanese Cold Cucumber Soup

Mom's Mujadara

Mom's Lebanese Lemon and Garlic Chicken

SHOP MY BAKING ESSENTIALS:

Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Sauces and Dips

Cuisine Lebanese

Ingredients

  

First Step:

• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon lemon crystals
• 1 tablespoon Canola oil

Second step:

• 3 egg whites room temperature
• ¾ cup Canola oil or as much needed until sauce thickens
• 2-3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

 

• In a medium sized processor, add in the four garlic cloves, cut in half.
• Sprinkle in the salt.
• Add in lemon crystals, citric acid or lemon juice. (whatever you're using)
• Pour a little bit of oil around the inside of the processor in a circular motion, it's about a tablespoon.
• Put the lid back on and process the mixture for about 20 seconds.
• While the mixer is running, add the room temp egg whites, one at a time, giving each one time to incorporate.
• Using about half of the oil, add in the oil in a steady, but thin stream. Look for the sauce to emulsify and thicken to a mayonnaise-like consistency. A little less or more oil may be needed.
• Once it comes together and looks more like the mayonnaise-like consistency, add in the cold water in a steady, thin stream.
• Continue adding in the rest of the oil in a thin, steady stream to regain the thick consistency.
• Give it a taste and adjust the salt or lemon.
• Refrigerate for about an hour before use. Keeps in fridge for a week, but I suggest using it within the first few days.

Video

Notes

You can add more garlic cloves for a more intense garlic flavor. You can use regular lemon juice, citric acid, or lemon crystals. The machine should run through the entire process after adding in the first step ingredients.