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Lebanese Garlic Sauce Toum Recipe | Creamy Middle Eastern Dip Sauce

Toum is a fluffy, egg-free Lebanese garlic sauce made by slowly emulsifying garlic, neutral oil, lemon juice, and salt. It’s intensely garlicky, tangy, and perfect for meats, veggies, sandwiches, and dips.
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Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 1 cup peeled fresh garlic cloves (about 3–4 heads)
  • 3 cups neutral oil (grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, or canola)
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
  • 2–4 tablespoons ice water, optional
  • Pinch of citric acid, optional
  • Pinch of white pepper, optional

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Peel the garlic, remove any green germ from the center of each clove, and pat the cloves dry.
  • Add the garlic and salt to a food processor and pulse until finely minced, then process 15–20 seconds to form a smooth paste, scraping down the sides.
  • With the machine running, drizzle in 1–2 tablespoons of oil in a very thin stream and let it fully incorporate.
  • Begin alternating small amounts of oil with about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, allowing the mixture to thicken gradually and scraping the bowl as needed.
  • Continue a slow, steady drizzle of oil, pausing about every 1/4 cup to add 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice, until a fluffy white emulsion forms.
  • If the mixture becomes too thick or tight, add 1 teaspoon ice water to relax it, then resume blending with a very thin stream of oil.
  • When all the oil is incorporated, adjust with remaining lemon juice and salt to taste until the sauce is glossy, thick, and spreadable.
  • If desired, blend in a pinch of citric acid or white pepper to adjust tang and warmth.

Notes

Use room-temperature ingredients and a very thin oil stream to prevent splitting. Stick to neutral oil; olive oil can turn bitter when blended. Scrape the bowl often for an even emulsion. To fix a broken toum, start a new batch with 2 tablespoons garlic paste and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, then slowly stream in the broken mixture. Store in the refrigerator for 3–4 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.