Before I started this blog, heck before I started cooking, Toum has been a vital part of my life. Toum (toum translates to garlic in Arabic) is the mayo to your burger, the ranch dressing to your chicken, truly and ultimately the best condiment you will ever use or taste. Toum is a traditional Lebanese Garlic Sauce.
Toum is no stranger to Arab cuisine, it’s been around for centuries from the time of using a mortar and pestle to make the creamy garlic sauce. Grandmothers all over Lebanon and surrounding countries have made Toum for chicken on Sundays since the dawn of time. It’s quintessential and one of the best kept secrets to create the most flavorful food.
What do you Eat with Toum
Traditionally Toum is used as a garlic dipping sauce, mostly with chicken. As I began cooking more and more for my family, I realized heck…I’m going to throw Toum into pretty much everything I make.
I began using it in place of chopped garlic for a few reasons. Since Toum is an emulsified garlic sauce the balance of garlic and oil is sometimes less pungent in cooking. It also acts as your oil when marinading foods, so truly it kills two birds with one stone. I love the creamy texture that it creates when making a salad dressing, all from adding a bit of Toum.
Garlic in it’s purest form creates a magical sauce
Where to Buy Toum
Sure, the market has become saturated with Toum. First one that comes to mind is Trader Joe’s Garlic Sauce. With the same ingredients as traditional Toum (garlic, oil, salt, citric acid to stabilize) it’s mass produced Toum. Now some folks have told me that it has a different taste than the Toum they have made. Once products go to market, they are altered and even dulled down for the American pallet, which many food producers don’t feel can handle the intense garlic taste. Is it ok to use? Sure thing! But if you want true, traditional, in-your-face Toum, try this recipe, I promise it won’t disappoint and will cost you a fraction of the prepared stuff.
You can also find toum in any Middle Eastern grocery store.
Lebanese Toum sauce for all your garlic cravings.
Ingredients
While toum packs a punch and flavor, the ingredients are simple.
Garlic – The most important ingredient is garlic – toum literally translates to garlic in Arabic. You want the freshest garlic possible. Farmer’s Markets, local grocery stores are best. I have had many folks purchase garlic from large big box discount stores (ie: Costco) and had no success on multiple occasions. So be sure you choose the freshest garlic – and no green sprouts.
Oil – To create an emulsification, you need oil. Since garlic is our main ingredient we want to use a neutral oil. Some options include:
Canola oil
Vegetable oil
Avocado oil
Sunflower oil
Olive oil isn’t the best choice but if you do decide to use it, be sure it’s light so it has slightly less flavor.
Salt + Lemon – The two last ingredients are salt and lemon, they are the finishers and helps to stabilize the toum.
How to Make Toum
Okay, I know you can’t wait to start peeling garlic so here are the steps to making the perfect Toum. But be warned, it’s a tricky condiment that will *sometimes* separate. Anything emulsified can be a bit delicate. Don’t fret, even if it separates, it is still usable. Check out my full FAQ section below to troubleshoot and other burning questions.
Peel the garlic:
The hardest part of this process is peeling the garlic.
Be sure your garlic is FRESH, no green stems inside or sprouting from your cloves.
Once peeled, trim the tops of each piece to remove the brown stem
Measure:
1 cup of peeled garlic and 4 cups of oil makes about 2-2.5lbs of toum
You can always half the recipe
Measure out between 135-140 grams of garlic – about 2 full heads should give you this amount. I measure my garlic in adry measuring cup.
Add your water to fill the cup – just shy of 1/2 cup (3.8 oz)
The water helps to mellow the garlic flavor and stabilize.
Fill your measuring cup with garlic and then with water.
Mix:
Add your garlic & water mixture to your food processor (this is the one I use) and process until a smooth paste forms, about 1 minute.
Slowlybegin to stream your 4 cups of oil into the processor. Each cup should take about 2 minutes to stream – 8 minutes total.
Final steps:
At the end of your 8 minutes of streaming, your toum should be thick.
Add in your salt and the juice of one lemon.
Stop processor and store in a sealed container.
Process until the garlic sauce comes together to create a thick, mayonnaise consistency.
Different Uses for Toum
Keep refrigerated, some separation is natural, just mix together before use. Good for at least 1 month.
Would love for you to share your favorite way to enjoy toum!
How to Best Store Toum
Toum is made from fresh garlic but also emulsified with oil, slightly preserving it. To err on the side of safety, it should be consumed within a month and stored in a sealed container in the fridge. You may also portion out into smaller containers and freeze up to 6 months.
Toum is too strong
Toum is not for the faint of heart, it is pure fresh garlic. A few considerations when preparing your toum and ways to make it less potent or check for indicators that it will cause it to be too strong.
Garlic – The garlic you use makes a difference. Try to get the freshest garlic you can, it will make all the difference. The older the garlic becomes, the stronger in flavor it becomes.
Variety – There are many different types of garlic. So depending on your region and what your grocery store carries you have varying levels of strength. I love to use garlic with hints of red and purple, they seem to be more mild than traditional white heads.
Measuring –Using precise measurements is essential to get the right consistency and flavor but also know that garlic can vary from batch to batch
Yogurt – Enjoying the garlic as a dip is common but if it’s too strong, I suggest mixing with a bit of yogurt or labneh when you’re ready to enjoy. Use as is for cooking and marinating.
Broken or Separated Toum
One of the biggest disappointments is when your toum breaks or separates, which means the oil separates from the oil to essentially create a garlic oil instead of an emulsified fluffy paste. Here are a few ideas to fixing or what to do with it if it happens to you – and it will, even as an expert!
Egg White – Many methods of making toum include using an egg white in the emulsification process to help keep in tact. We have an egg allergy in our home so that is not an option for me and eggless is actually the traditional way to make. However, if your toum breaks, you can take 1 egg white and add it to a small amount of your broken toum, add into food processor, then continue to stream the rest of your broken toum. This should help to bring it back together. However, note your toum should only be used for 2 weeks if egg was added.
Citric Acid – Citric Acid is a stabilzier that is often added to processed foods. Adding a teaspoon of citric acid can also help to stabilize your toum if you see it has seperated after processing.
Use it – Broken toum isn’t a bad thing, it can still be use to cook and marinade with. After processing if you allow it to sit, you’ll see the oil and garlic paste to separate – you can go the extra step and drain your oil (voila, garlic oil) and the paste which you can use for cooking.
Oil Stream – One of the biggest factors to broken toum is streaming oil too quickly – be sure to go SLOW, it should take about 8 minutes to stream 4 cups of oil.
Other Tips
Can I use another oil instead of canola/vegetable? The biggest thing is to make sure you are using a neutral oil. The garlic is what you want to shine, not the taste of oil. Other neutral oils to consider are: avocado and sunflower. A very light olive oil may not be terrible but it will definitely change the taste.
I only use Coconut Oil, will that work? I have had one person use liquid coconut oil to stream into her Toum and she did have success. However, since coconut oil solidifies in the fridge, the Toum also hardened. Not a huge deal, just needs to warm up to soften back to the correct texture.
How much should I be using when cooking? Really this is a personal question. When I’m using it as a marinade I’ll tend to use a bit more, for example grilling 2 pounds of chicken breast, I’ll probably use close to a 1/4 cup. If I’m making a salad dressing, just a teaspoon or so. Roasted potatoes, full sheet pan full, probably a few tablespoons. Once you start using it you’ll know your preference and what works best for you. But also remember you’re using this as BOTH flavoring and your oil to saute or coat your food.
Do I need any other seasonings? Again, I think that is a personal preference. If I’m cooking with Toum, I’ll use it as my garlic for my dish but sure, I’ll add other spices based on what I’m making. If I’m using it for garlic bread, I’ll smear on my bread and just top with cheese. Personal preference.
4 cups of oil is a lot, is this healthy? Is anything really healthy for you in large quantities? No, everything in moderation! This recipe with 4 cups of oil yields about 2-2.5 pounds of Toum. That’s a quite a lot! Think 2 containers of mayonnaise you’d buy at the store. You’re not eating it like yogurt, you’re using in smaller quantities for larger meals. Again, everything in moderation, but do what is best for your family.
Raw garlic, great healthbenefits Toum is raw garlic emulsified, so yes, there are a TON of amazing health benefits associated with it. I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist but in the words of my wise Lebanese family, garlic heals most everything. Consider this an elixir to help with anything from the common cold to digestive issues.
Pre-peeled Garlic I’ve had many folks ask about pre-peeled garlic. I personally do not recommend it. Generally when garlic is peeled and packaged it comes to the store not as fresh and often preservatives are added to keep fresh. Since you are using RAW garlic, you want the utmost freshness.
Food Processor vs Blender I personally only have experience using a food processor with Toum, but I have had many other folks share that their Vitamix blender worked well.
With a little bit of garlic, oil, salt and lemon, you will have a most amazing sauce! As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media #cosetteskitchen which lets me know what is working for you! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter! xoxo, Cosette
1 cup of peeled garlic – 135-140 grams (measure using dry measuring cup) about 2 full heads
3.8oz water (about 1/2 cup): Add water to your garlic filled measuring cup – should fill to the top
4 cups of neutral oil (canola, vegetable or avocado are preferred)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Begin by peeling your garlic, to get a full cup you’ll need to peel about 2 large heads of garlic. Be sure there are no green stems. Sprouting is an indicator of old garlic.
Trim the tops of each piece where they were attached to the head
Add your garlic pieces to a dry 1 cup measuring cup
Add water to your garlic cloves.
Pour garlic + water into bowl of food processor (see FAQs about using other machines). Process on high for 1 minute until a paste forms.
Then begin slowly streaming your oil with machine running. You want to stream as slowly as possible, this is what creates the emulsification. It should take about 2 minutes per cup of oil, 8 minutes total to stream 4 cups.
At the very end of your processing, add your salt and lemon juice to stabilize. If you find your Toum has already thickened, just mix in without the machine on to ensure you don’t process too long.
That’s it! Place in a sealed container and refrigerate. Good for up to a month or freeze for up to 6 months.
Notes
Pro Tips:
A good food processor is the best tool for toum. Check out this Cuisinart machine that I adore.
Toum can be stored for at least a month in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer, some natural separation will occur.
Different varieties will yield different strengths of flavor.
If toum separates, try the egg white tip or simply use for cooking.
Keywords: toum, garlic toum, toum recipe, toum sauce, garlic sauce, how to make garlic sauce, lebanese garlic sauce, garlic lemon sauce
I love garlic so I knew this was something I had to try. It took a few times to get it right but every batch was still able to be used. I love how easily it can be used on everything too.
Made this for the first time today! It’s just the best!! Will probably use it on everything now!! I tried a little as a dip over a slice of pizza & was amazing!! Thank you cosseted! ⭐️
I am in LOVE with toum! Recently I made mashed sweet potatoes to top a shepherd’s pie. I mixed some toum with sweet potatoes and violá- no dairy and no saturated fats! Thanks for sharing the recipe and the tips and videos
Made 1/2 recipe. Will use a little less water next time. Spread the toum on pizza dough then topped with grilled chicken, marinated artichoke hearts, sliced onion, shitake mushrooms and TJ’s quattro formaggio (sp). So yummy. Thanks so much for the toum recipe!
This stuff is amazing!!!! I can’t say that enough and I’m probably driving my husband crazy with my bragging on how awesome Toum is! I’ve been using it for almost everything that calls for garlic, I’ve even used it as a spread on hamburger buns…it’s amazing! Thank you, Cosette, for this wonderful staple, which now is a must have in my home! ☺️❤️
This is such a perfect recipe. I appreciate the step-by-step so much and since trying this the first time about a year ago with perfect results it has become a staple in my kitchen. It elevates almost any savory dish/sauce and makes the simplest marinade for meats! Thank you, Cosette!
I love Cosette’s toum recipe! It is so easy to make, and very versatile. It is perfect to smother on a chicken before roasting. My favourite use is as a sauce to pizza or garlic bread. It’s heaven!
This is a MUST have in your refrigerator at all times! Such an incredible condiment, marinade, and recipe shortcut (when I don’t’ feel like chopping garlic). Now that I’ve made this, I can’t live without it! Thanks for the recipe, Cosette!
So sorry it was strong and bitter. That is definitely due to the garlic itself, it could be the type, could be that it was a little older (gets stronger as it ages) and also garlic this time of year tends to be much stronger. As we move into the summer months, the garlic will be fresher on a whole and less pungent. Next time, I would add slightly less garlic to your “one cup”, especially if you know it’s a stronger/older garlic. That will help. In the meantime, you can absolutely still use as a marinade and to cook with. If you want to enjoy plain, I suggest adding a little greek yogurt or labneh to it to help mellow down the flavor. Hope this helps!!
Seriously this is the best toum recipe. I usually make with raw eggs but the consistency here is something I find at restaurants. I use this garlic when I’m making Foul too.
Thanks for sharing! Often times it’s due to lack of fresh garlic or streaming oil too fast. I would give it another try but the garlic you have now will still work for cooking/marinades, etc. Enjoy!!
Can you tell me how long a batch will last in the fridge? 2. 5 lbs seems like a lot to make when I’m cooking for two, and it sounds so good I’d hate it to go to waste!
A batch is best if used within a month. I always make a full batch and use it for cooking, marinades, dipping! You can always share with a neighbor too. 🙂
Yes yes yes!!! Perfect recipe and perfect results! Tastes as good as restaurant or store bought! Okay, I lie! This tastes MUCH better than any other! It’s a keeper! Thank you!
WOW. This toum is exactly what I was looking for. Growing up in a Syrian home had me spoiled. I moved away a couple of years ago and I’m so happy I found Cosette’s recipes. They are just like home, This toum is so delicious and SO easy. I think I spent more time trying to scrape out every last bit of it from my food processor than I did making it. Thank you, Cosette.
This was my first time making this sauce and it was absolutely incredible!!! It’s going to be a staple in my house and I can’t wait to put it on all the things. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Toum has the consistency of mayonnaise but the flavor of nothing you ever tasted!
The only sauce you’ll ever need!
Before I started this blog, heck before I started cooking, Toum has been a vital part of my life. Toum (toum translates to garlic in Arabic) is the mayo to your burger, the ranch dressing to your chicken, truly and ultimately the best condiment you will ever use or taste.
Toum is no stranger to Middle Eastern cuisine, it’s been around for centuries from the time of using a mortar and pestle to make the creamy sauce. Grandmothers all over Lebanon and surrounding countries have made Toum for chicken on Sundays since the dawn of time. It’s quintessential and one of the best kept secrets to create the most flavorful food.
I remember sitting in our church hall before a large event peeling garlic with allllllll the ladies! You see, that is how we all started our cooking journey is by peeling garlic. I peeled so much garlic my fingers were sore and obviously smelled of garlic by the end. But it was the start of something incredible and delicious that we Lebanese can’t live without.
Tradition
Traditionally Toum is used as a dipping sauce, mostly with chicken (Boom, Boom, Chicken + Toum) a little chant we used to sing growing up. As I began cooking more and more for my family, I realized heck…I’m going to throw Toum into pretty much everything I make.
I began using it in place of chopped garlic for a few reasons. Since Toum is an emulsified garlic sauce the balance of garlic and oil is sometimes less pungent in cooking. It also acts as your oil when marinading foods, so truly it kills two birds with one stone. I love the creamy texture that it creates when making a salad dressing, all from adding a bit of Toum.
Garlic in it’s purest form creates a magical sauce
Trader Joe’s and Others
Sure, the market has become saturated with Toum. First one that comes to mind is Trader Joe’s Garlic Sauce. With the same ingredients as traditional Toum (garlic, oil, salt, citric acid to stabilize) it’s mass produced Toum. Now some folks have told me that it has a different taste than the Toum they have made. Well, of course it does! Does your mama’s homemade spaghetti sauce taste the same as the one in the jar? Probably not. Once products go to market, they are altered and even dulled down for the American pallet, which many food producers don’t feel can handle the intense garlic taste. Is it ok to use? Sure thing! But if you want true, traditional, in-your-face Toum, try this recipe, I promise it won’t disappoint and will cost you a fraction of the prepared stuff.
Lebanese Toum sauce for all your garlic cravings.
How to Make Toum
Okay, I know you can’t wait to start peeling garlic so here are the steps to making the perfect Toum. But be warned, it’s a tricky condiment that will *sometimes* separate. Anything emulsified can be a bit delicate. Don’t fret, even if it separates, it is still usable. Check out my full FAQ section below to troubleshoot and other burning questions.
Peel the garlic:
The hardest part of making Toum is peeling all the garlic!! Be sure your garlic is FRESH! There should be no green stems inside or coming out, if there is, your garlic is probably not fresh and your Toum may not come together. Trim the tops of each piece to remove the bit of brown stem that was attached.
Measure:
You’ll need 1 cup of peeled garlic to make 4 cups of Toum (about 2 lbs). It seems like a lot but believe me, if you’re going to use it for cooking and as a condiment, you’ll be happy you made the full batch. You can always half the recipe too. I measure my garlic in adry measuring cup. Once you have your 1 cup peeled and trimmed, add enough water to fill the cup with the garlic in there. The water helps to cut the extremely sharp garlic flavor. Certain times of year, garlic can be much stronger in flavor resulting in a stronger Toum. You can always add a bit more water before processing if you know your garlic is extremely strong.
Mix:
Add your garlic & water mixture to your food processor (this is the one I use) and process until a smooth paste forms, about 1-2 minutes. Slowlybegin to stream your 4 cups of oil into the processor. I don’t recommend using olive oil as it has a very strong flavor, you want something that is neutral. Avocado oil works fantastic, check out FAQs for other questions.
Final steps:
Just as you finish your oil, your Toum mixture should be thickening up. At the very end, add a teaspoon of kosher salt and finally a squeeze of lemon. That’s it! Remove and enjoy. Remember, if your Toum did not thicken up like mayonnaise, it is still delicious and useful! Try again next time and hopefully you’ll get the knack.
I have Toum, what can I do with it?
Keep refrigerated, some separation is natural, just mix together before use. Good for at least 1 month.
*marinade ~ add some toum, olive oil, S&P *salad dressing ~ toum + lemon juice + olive oil + S&P *garlic bread ~ smear on bread + cheese and bake *spread ~ spread on sandwiches, wraps, etc *dip ~ use as a dip with chicken/beef *base ~ use as a garlic base for any meal you’d use chopped garlic *possibilities are endless…share your favorite way to use Toum in the comments!
FAQ:
I’ve had many people ask questions regarding Toum from how to use it (see above), how much to use and alternative oils to use. I’ve listed some here and I’ll continue to add as I receive more. Please leave your comments below for others to read with adjustments and modifications. That is the best way for information to be shared.
Can I use another oil instead of canola/vegetable? The biggest thing is to make sure you are using a neutral oil. The garlic is what you want to shine, not the taste of oil. Other neutral oils to consider are: avocado and sunflower. A very light olive oil may not be terrible but it will definitely change the taste.
I only use Coconut Oil, will that work? I have had one person use liquid coconut oil to stream into her Toum and she did have success. However, since coconut oil solidifies in the fridge, the Toum also hardened. Not a huge deal, just needs to warm up to soften back to the correct texture.
How much should I be using when cooking? Really this is a personal question. When I’m using it as a marinade I’ll tend to use a bit more, for example grilling 2 pounds of chicken breast, I’ll probably use close to a 1/4 cup. If I’m making a salad dressing, just a teaspoon or so. Roasted potatoes, full sheet pan full, probably a few tablespoons. Once you start using it you’ll know your preference and what works best for you. But also remember you’re using this as BOTH flavoring and your oil to saute or coat your food.
Do I need any other seasonings? Again, I think that is a personal preference. If I’m cooking with Toum, I’ll use it as my garlic for my dish but sure, I’ll add other spices based on what I’m making. If I’m using it for garlic bread, I’ll smear on my bread and just top with cheese. Personal preference.
4 cups of oil is a lot, is this healthy? Is anything really healthy for you in large quantities? No, everything in moderation! This recipe with 4 cups of oil yields about 2-2.5 pounds of Toum. That’s a quite a lot! Think 2 containers of mayonnaise you’d buy at the store. You’re not eating it like yogurt, you’re using in smaller quantities for larger meals. Again, everything in moderation, but do what is best for your family.
Raw garlic, great healthbenefits Toum is raw garlic emulsified, so yes, there are a TON of amazing health benefits associated with it. I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist but in the words of my wise Lebanese family, garlic heals most everything. Consider this an elixir to help with anything from the common cold to digestive issues.
Pre-peeled Garlic I’ve had many folks ask about pre-peeled garlic. I personally do not recommend it. Generally when garlic is peeled and packaged it comes to the store not as fresh and often preservatives are added to keep fresh. Since you are using RAW garlic, you want the utmost freshness.
Food Processor vs Blender I personally only have experience using a food processor with Toum, but I have had many other folks share that their Vitamix blender worked well.
With a little bit of garlic, oil, salt and lemon, you will have a most amazing sauce! I would love to see your creations! Tag me on Instagram @CosettesKitchen or post on my Facebook Page. xoxo, Cosette
1 cup of peeled garlic (measure using dry measuring cup) about 2 full heads
water to fill measuring cup with garlic in place
4 cups of neutral oil (canola, vegetable or avocado are preferred)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Begin by peeling your garlic, to get a full cup you’ll need to peel about 2 large heads of garlic. Be sure there are no green stems. Sprouting is an indicator of old garlic.
Trim the tops of each piece where they were attached to the head
Add your garlic pieces to a dry 1 cup measuring cup
Fill the measuring cup with water to displace the garlic. The amount of water varies to your garlic size, so just fill to the top of your measuring cup with garlic in there for an accurate amount.
Pour garlic + water into bowl of food processor (see FAQs about using other machines)
Process for 1-2 minutes until garlic is smooth.
Then begin slowly streaming your oil with machine running. You want to stream as slowly as possible, this is what creates the emulsification.
At the very end, add your salt and lemon juice to stabilize. If you find your Toum has already thickened, just mix in without the machine on to ensure you don’t process too long.
That’s it! Place in a sealed container and refrigerate. Good for up to a month.
Cosette I messed up big time and did not pour in the oil slowly but instead put everything in at the same time and started blending. It came out very runny and not like mayonnaise texture. I have since told myself to read the instructions before making things lol. Anywho is that the trick to making this? I want to try again soon and would like to make it right his time. Thank you dear.
Oh nooooo! I will say, not uncommon, sometimes it takes a little knack to get it thick. But, don’t toss it! That liquid is like liquid gold!!!!! Use it to marinade, salad base, soup bases, cooking, etc. Still has all the same uses and benefits except not a pretty for a dipping sauce. Drizzle slowly and steady, be sure your garlic is very fresh too. I hope this helps and you enjoy the sauce!♥️
to get a thick consistency, you have to keep the blender going and stream in the oil slowly. That is how I make my mayo and it turns out every single time.
Dangit! Mine turned out too runny also! I slowed poured in the vegetable oil, so I’m not sure what I did wrong. The only thing I can think of is maybe I used too much water? I do have a question: what speed should we put on our food processor? My options are Low or High. Maybe I processed it too long? It still smells wonderful and I plan on using it for different recipes!
Oh no!!! Sometimes it will separate, could be the oil stream, if garlic wasn’t fresh or some other reasons. But yes, it should still be used!!! My food processor only has one speed (Cuisinart) but it is a higher speed so that would be my best guess. Hope it works better for you next time.
We make toum a different way using labne. I also have friends whose families use boiled potato for a base. Any way it’s made, toum is delicious. Looking forward to trying your method as sometimes, yes, the toum is too sharp. ❤️
Hi Valentina,
I have had some folks use a Vitamix blender with success, I personally haven’t tried it. Worth a shot! Worst case, you have some amazing garlic sauce, just maybe not as thick as toum.
Cosette
This is not only something I love, but the hubby enjoys also! WHAT! As a dip, on bread, cooked on veggies, cooked with chicken….I’m trying it all. I also want to put it on pizza like Cosette does! Holy yum.
I was surprised at how simple this Toum recipe was to make! I always order it at Lebanese restaurants and Love it! This recipe is even BETTER than the stuff you get at restaurants. It’s creamier and has an unbeatable flavor! Love it and so happy I’ve learned to make my own Toum! Thanks for sharing!!
The reason I ask my husband to get me a processor for my birthday just to do the Toum! The best garlic spread I ever had. Sunday mornings after church, I have my sister come to my house for lunch. We do what comes to my mind for lunch we had pasta a la” ajo” = Toum, she tried it for the first time and she felt in love with Toum. Oh we also used it for the garlic bread. Thank you; for the recipe Cosette.
Absolutely delicious! And authentic; I’m half Lebanese half Venezuelan so I grew up eating the most delicious homemade lebanese dishes and although I knew how to make the garlic paste using a mortar and pestle with garlic, salt, olive oil and lemon juice (the basic sauce we use to marinade meats and also to make the ubiquitous salad dressing for any Lebanese style salad) I wasn’t sure how to make the paste to yield bigger amounts with the exact consistency of the ones served in Lebanese restaurants, but this is it, this is the real deal! Thank you so much Cossette, you made my day, I can eat this toum by the spoon😋
Oh yay!!!! I am soooooo happy to hear this, literally makes my day! It’s such a versatile condiment and so many wonderful uses. So glad you are enjoying and thank you for sharing.
I have never frozen toum, it has a good fridge life of a month so I never had to. You can always try halving the recipe if the full recipe is too much. But if you do freeze it, let me know how it comes out!
Dear Cossette,
this is gonna sound funny, but first of all thank you for the great recipe! My wife and i had some argument on mixing the toum with salt first or later (i told her later.. but well.. :D)
the thing now is our toum tasted a bit too salty, i’m not saying because we mix the salt at first but how actually do we go about it being a bit too salty, if there is a way thou…
Thanks again!
Hi friend,
Hmmmm, it shouldn’t be too salty one way or another, the timing shouldn’t matter except with the binding of the garlic sauce. Not sure if there is really a way to decrease the salt at this point, unless you make another batch and mix together. Hope it still works for you!!
First time hearing of this sauce. I just made it and am marinating chicken to grill tonight. It tastes so yummy by itself, I’m sure it will be fabulous. Thank you.
I love garlic so I knew this was something I had to try. It took a few times to get it right but every batch was still able to be used. I love how easily it can be used on everything too.
★★★★★
It’s the BEST!!!!!!! Happy you are enjoying on all the things. 🙂
xoxo,
Cosette
Awwww, love this Ari! Thank you so much for including my recipe on your post.
xoxo,
Cosette
Made this for the first time today! It’s just the best!! Will probably use it on everything now!! I tried a little as a dip over a slice of pizza & was amazing!! Thank you cosseted! ⭐️
★★★★★
Yes! Yes! Yes! The best with everything! Thanks for sharing!♥️♥️
Xoxo,
Cosette
I am in LOVE with toum! Recently I made mashed sweet potatoes to top a shepherd’s pie. I mixed some toum with sweet potatoes and violá- no dairy and no saturated fats! Thanks for sharing the recipe and the tips and videos
★★★★★
That sounds incredible! So glad you are enjoying Toum!!♥️♥️♥️
Xoxo
Cosette
Made 1/2 recipe. Will use a little less water next time. Spread the toum on pizza dough then topped with grilled chicken, marinated artichoke hearts, sliced onion, shitake mushrooms and TJ’s quattro formaggio (sp). So yummy. Thanks so much for the toum recipe!
★★★★★
I love it and all the perfect things to use it on. Thanks for sharing!
Xoxo,
Cosette
This sounds so good! Could I halve the recipe? Like use 1 lb of garlic and two cups of oil?? Can’t wait to try it.
Kim
Absolutely!!!! You can definitely half it! Enjoy!
Xoxo,
Cosette
This stuff is amazing!!!! I can’t say that enough and I’m probably driving my husband crazy with my bragging on how awesome Toum is! I’ve been using it for almost everything that calls for garlic, I’ve even used it as a spread on hamburger buns…it’s amazing! Thank you, Cosette, for this wonderful staple, which now is a must have in my home! ☺️❤️
★★★★★
😂😂Atta girl! You know EXACTLY how to use it..life changing! Thank you for sharing!
Xoxo,
Cosette
This is such a perfect recipe. I appreciate the step-by-step so much and since trying this the first time about a year ago with perfect results it has become a staple in my kitchen. It elevates almost any savory dish/sauce and makes the simplest marinade for meats! Thank you, Cosette!
★★★★★
Awwww, makes me so happy to hear!!! Such a wonderful staple. Thank you for sharing!
Xoxo,
Cosette
I love Cosette’s toum recipe! It is so easy to make, and very versatile. It is perfect to smother on a chicken before roasting. My favourite use is as a sauce to pizza or garlic bread. It’s heaven!
★★★★★
Awwww, thank you Erin!!! Such a favorite and especially with chicken! So glad you enjoy!
xoxo,
Cosette
This recipe is a game changer. I use this stuff on everything but mostly, potatoes!! So good. Love Cosette’s Kitchen recipes
★★★★★
It’s the BEST on potatoes! So glad you love it as much as we do!
Xoxo,
Cosette
This condiment is a family favorite and one I keep making because we use it on everything! So addicting!
★★★★★
I finally got around to making this. Smells great, but it is on the thin side. Maybe too much water? Anyway, still smells and tastes great!
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
★★★★★
Yay! So glad you got a chance to make it! Sometimes streaming the oil to fast will cause it to be a bit thinner, still completely useable. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Cosette
This is a MUST have in your refrigerator at all times! Such an incredible condiment, marinade, and recipe shortcut (when I don’t’ feel like chopping garlic). Now that I’ve made this, I can’t live without it! Thanks for the recipe, Cosette!
★★★★★
Thanks my sweet friend! Can’t wait to cook together!!
Xoxo,
Cosette
Mine came out very bitter, and had a strong after taste could it be because the garlic was not as fresh?
Hi Andrea,
So sorry it was strong and bitter. That is definitely due to the garlic itself, it could be the type, could be that it was a little older (gets stronger as it ages) and also garlic this time of year tends to be much stronger. As we move into the summer months, the garlic will be fresher on a whole and less pungent. Next time, I would add slightly less garlic to your “one cup”, especially if you know it’s a stronger/older garlic. That will help. In the meantime, you can absolutely still use as a marinade and to cook with. If you want to enjoy plain, I suggest adding a little greek yogurt or labneh to it to help mellow down the flavor. Hope this helps!!
xoxo,
Cosette
Seriously this is the best toum recipe. I usually make with raw eggs but the consistency here is something I find at restaurants. I use this garlic when I’m making Foul too.
★★★★★
Yay!!! So happy you love it, it really is a staple!
xoxo,
Cosette
Hello. I tried this recipe and it turned out great. But lately my toum turns liquid like water. Do you know why this happenes Thank you
Hi Suzan,
Thanks for sharing! Often times it’s due to lack of fresh garlic or streaming oil too fast. I would give it another try but the garlic you have now will still work for cooking/marinades, etc. Enjoy!!
xoxo,
Cosette
Can you tell me how long a batch will last in the fridge? 2. 5 lbs seems like a lot to make when I’m cooking for two, and it sounds so good I’d hate it to go to waste!
★★★★★
Hi there,
A batch is best if used within a month. I always make a full batch and use it for cooking, marinades, dipping! You can always share with a neighbor too. 🙂
xoxo,
Cosette
Yes yes yes!!! Perfect recipe and perfect results! Tastes as good as restaurant or store bought! Okay, I lie! This tastes MUCH better than any other! It’s a keeper! Thank you!
★★★★★
Awwww, thank you so much for leaving a review. So glad you enjoyed!!
xoxo,
Cosette
WOW. This toum is exactly what I was looking for. Growing up in a Syrian home had me spoiled. I moved away a couple of years ago and I’m so happy I found Cosette’s recipes. They are just like home, This toum is so delicious and SO easy. I think I spent more time trying to scrape out every last bit of it from my food processor than I did making it. Thank you, Cosette.
★★★★★
Hahaha! I love that – yes, it is an absolute necessity!!! Enjoy!
xoxo,
Cosette
This is the BEST recipe!! I make it all the time and use it in EVERYTHING! I’d bathe in it if I could! 😂
★★★★★
Hahahahaha! I know some people that may..hahahahah! Thanks Lisa!!
xoxo,
Cosette
Hahahaha! I love it, so glad you enjoy!
Xoxo,
Cosette
This was my first time making this sauce and it was absolutely incredible!!! It’s going to be a staple in my house and I can’t wait to put it on all the things. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
★★★★★
Yayyyy! You will never go back now!!! Thank you for sharing, enjoy!
xoxo,
Cosette