Naturally vegan and gluten free, this Lebanese Garlic Sauce is light, fluffy and packed with flavor. Serve with grilled meat, shish kebobs or warm pita.
I am so lucky. As much as I would love to say that I am a self-taught, self-made home chef, I really can’t take credit. It’s in my blood. It’s in my DNA. It’s in my genes. My family is full of incredible cooks on both sides but today’s post is about one woman in particular, my Aunt Paula.
She won’t let anyone photograph her, ever. As you know, I’m a bit camera happy and always have it out at family gatherings and parties. Whenever she seems me come near she looks the other way.
My Aunt Paula is known for gifting friends and family with food all year round. If you’re sick, she will defrost homemade chicken soup and deliver it with a bag of fritos – the best chicken soup topping in the world. Just have a baby? She’ll stop by at dinner with a platter of Hushwee rice.
At Christmas, she is notorious for The Gift of Butter (Clarified Butter). If we happen to stop by for a walk during the weekend, it’s almost a guarantee she is baking up a loaf of barley bread for my Uncle Randy to pack in his lunch box during the week. Inevitably, she’ll have a loaf to send you home with. Aunt Paula is the best and I owe all of my Lebanese food skills to her.
As you probably guessed, this Lebanese Garlic Sauce was the most recent food gift I received from my Aunt Paula. The recipe is just four simple ingredients but with a little love it turns into a magical, intoxicating and addictive sauce you’ll be spreading on pita sandwiches, serving with Beef Shawarma or dipping with Chicken Tawook.
What is Lebanese garlic sauce made of?
It’s a fairly basic recipe containing garlic cloves, salt, and canola oil.
Is there mayo in garlic sauce?
One of the best qualities of garlic sauce is that there is no mayo
What type of oil can be used in garlic sauce?
Only use canola or vegetable oil. Do not use olive oil.
How long does garlic sauce last in the refrigerator?
Up to 7 days in an air tight container.
What causes my garlic sauce to fall apart when I’m making?
This process requires you to drizzle in the oil — not dump in the oil right away. When you see it begin to thicken up THEN you start with the lemon juice.
Can I use diced garlic from a store in lieu of fresh garlic?
I would not recommend. Garlic in a jar is quite bitter.
If you’re a visual person and need to see the process I encourage you to take a look at this video for help. Your fork is waiting.
Take a look at my Lebanese Pinterest board to see more recipe ideas!
Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum)
Ingredients
- 1 cup garlic cloves peeled (roughly 3 heads of garlic)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups canola oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about one lemon)
Instructions
- Place the garlic cloves and salt in a large food processor and puree until smooth. It's a good idea to scrape down the sides two or three times to ensure that all of the garlic is finely processed.
- Turn the machine back on and slowly drizzle in the oil through the lid starting with 1/2 cup. After the first 1/2 cup has been added, pour in a teaspoon of the lemon juice.
- Continue alternating between 1/2 cup of the canola oil and a teaspoon of the lemon juice until you've added all of the oil and lemon juice. Alternating between the two is the key to proper emulsification which creates the light and fluffy garlic sauce.
- You know it's done when the sauce is white and thick with a similar consistency of mayonnaise. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Need more delicious, homemade Lebanese food in your life? Check out my Pinterest board!
JFran
May 19, 2019 at 10:01 pmThis was the first thing i ever made in a food processor. The first time i made it, it turned out perfectly. I must have made a HUGE mistake because ive tried making it 3 times since then (twice today) and it just breaks apart at the end. Very disappointed it seems this recipe doesn’t capture whatever mistake i made to successfully make this.
Liz DellaCroce
May 20, 2019 at 6:42 amI wish I could help you problem solve where you went wrong. Did you slowly drizzle in the oil?
JFran
May 20, 2019 at 6:23 pmSo slowly, even slower the 2nd and 3rd time. It looks like the right consistancy then it falls apart. Took about 35 mins to add the oil and lemon juice.
Liz DellaCroce
May 24, 2019 at 8:57 amYES!! :)
Frances Witherspoon
May 17, 2019 at 7:52 pmI wish i would’ve read reviews first. OB a long tired day i was excited yo make this but the recipe says 3 cups of oil. Would’ve been nice to know to stop when the consistency was right. Because now all my ingredients, effort, and patience are wasted. Better instructions make happier hard working moms who want to make a good dinner for their kids
Liz DellaCroce
May 18, 2019 at 7:35 amHi Frances, I’m so sorry this didnt turn out for you. As a busy working mom I get where you’re coming from!! I just re-read the ingredients and it says to add the oil 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the right consistency. Is there something else I should add that would have helped you avoid the mistake? Let me know!!
Indy Moussa
May 17, 2019 at 2:34 pmFor all those that commented that they ended up with a watery oily mess, this has nothing to do with the amount of oil listed or any of the other things listed. The recipe is pretty spot on, except that I use a raw egg as well (just like mayo) Here’s the reason, and don’t laugh. You are paying too much attention to a recipe and not enough attention to watching your garlic. I’m Lebanese, came to the US at 14 and I learned this from my mother, the best Lebanese cook I’ve ever known. The first few times I broke it and it ended up in the garbage. People ask me to bring this to every barbecue and every time another fellow middle easterner tries to make this they tell me I’ve not given them the accurate recipe. WATCH the garlic. Drizzle in the oil at first. Do NOT pour in a half cup of oil. It’s a process. drizzle and watch. drizzle and watch. and when you see it begin to thicken up THEN you start with the lemon. That’s the trick. Good luck. Also for those that found this too garlicky (3 heads of garlic is a lot) You can make this same fluffy concoction with one head of garlic and it will be a little less potent. Sahtein!
Liz DellaCroce
May 18, 2019 at 7:35 amYES!!! Thank you so much!! :)
Casey
April 20, 2019 at 12:49 pmI’ve got it! Making this a handful of times now, I think I have the ultimate tip…you have to commit to 1/2 cup of oil to 2 tsp of lemon juice. Use as much garlic as you want (I would recommend at least 2 heads of garlic), once minced in food processor and then slowly add oil then lemon juice…then add more in the same ratio and in same order. Keep adding as necessary until it becomes Mayo or a mousse consistency. You just have to commit to that ratio…1/2 cup of oil to 2 tsp of lemon juice. Good Luck & Enjoy!
Liz DellaCroce
April 21, 2019 at 9:53 amGREAT TIPS CASEY!
Aashika
March 14, 2019 at 12:08 pmSo I tried this same recipe that came up as a youtube search when I looked for this. But it was soooooo strong !! I think something needs to be done to alter the recipe. Maybe need some cream or milk and definitely more salt and lemon. Looking to perfect the recipe because the garlic is extremely pungent! Thanks!
Liz DellaCroce
March 18, 2019 at 2:07 pmHi Aashika – I bet that means your garlic was really pungent! It’s a very strong recipe – it’s supposed to be garlicky! :)
Emad
April 4, 2019 at 2:04 pmWe also found a pungent garlic shock initially so I added 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and that just calmed everything down and made it taste creamier! This was a good recipe otherwise with the right amount of salt and garlic. We also added an additional half cup of canola oil to make it taste to our likening!
Liz DellaCroce
April 5, 2019 at 4:17 pmSo glad you made it your own!! It’s supposed to be very strong – you use VERY little. :)
Nathan
February 25, 2019 at 3:17 pmI also ended up with a watery liquid of far too much oil. I second the suggestion that the recipe should be changed to say “add oil until you reach a mayonnaise-like consistency” or something similar. Being clear that not all the oil may be needed.
Also, just wanted to add a way to “save” this recipe if you have indeed put in far too much oil. For those of you who can eat dairy, I would suggest simply adding some of the watery mixture to some yoghurt. Spoon a few teaspoons into half a cup of yoghurt (or similar ratios for larger amounts) and mix in well. It still tastes great and also saves you having to throw away a litre of oil and a whole heap of garlic.
Colleen Noyes
February 20, 2019 at 2:00 pmWe love this recipe!!! First watch a video of how the process works using a food processor only.
The first time I made it I used a blender and it failed miserable so I watched videos and that made all the difference in the world. My husband is addicted to this Sauce.
Thank You
Colleen
Liz DellaCroce
February 21, 2019 at 5:16 pmSo glad!!! Isn’t it the best?
g
February 11, 2019 at 12:15 amAny idea of what to use in place or lemon juice? I’m highly allergic :-( apple cider vinegar perhaps or another fruit juice that’s not citrus?
Liz DellaCroce
February 12, 2019 at 1:41 pmPerhaps plain vinegar?
Mellanie Parrish
January 30, 2019 at 12:49 pmI want to try this with avocado oil. Would that work instead of canola oil. (I can’t eat canola oil.)
Liz DellaCroce
January 30, 2019 at 2:57 pmIt would work but it would change the flavor. :)
Rachael
January 14, 2019 at 5:28 pmThis didn’t work for me, I’ve never tried to make garlic sauce before, so maybe I’m doing something wrong? I followed the recipe but it came out watery. If the sauce looks like the perfect texture, should I stop adding oil and juice? It was good to a point then the more I added it fell apart at the end. Should I have stopped? Thanks!
Liz DellaCroce
January 15, 2019 at 9:43 amYes exactly that’s the point you stop!!
Kathie
February 11, 2019 at 6:36 pmWhy would you put in a recipe that calls for 4 cups of oil when it’s the perfect texture and taste at 2 cups of oil??? Ruined four cups of oil and 3 heads of garlic. Thanks a lot. Please correct this to suggest stopping at 2 cups if the texture is like butter instead of saying, “….until you’ve added all of the oil….” And continuing to process this mess doesn’t make it ‘buttery.’
Angie
March 2, 2019 at 11:16 pmTo Kathie, it’s shame your comment came across quite
rudely, there isn’t any reason to be so blunt, surely people realise that this recipe could turn out quite different for everyone.
Kathie
February 11, 2019 at 6:57 pmPlease change your recipe to note that the mixture could be perfect at 2 cups of oil.
Maariya
January 9, 2019 at 4:33 pmUnfortunately this recipe did not work out for me… I think there should be a note that this recipe will NOT work with just a blender. I followed the recipe so precisely, measured every ingredient, added slowly, pulsed when it came apart, and still ended up with a watery mixture at the end.. Flavor was great, but texture like water. I even read the comments and tried cooling it down in the freezer for 30 minutes, whisking it by hand, shaking it in a sealed container (all the time with absolutely no water, not even a drop), none of this worked. I then blended a little extra garlic, slowly poured in the old watery mixture, hoping it would somehow fluff up, but it never happened… Kinda sad
Liz DellaCroce
January 10, 2019 at 7:57 amHi Maariya, So sorry this didn’t work out for you! As mentioned in the recipe, it requires a food processor. I would not recommend a blender which is why I don’t mention one in the recipe. So sorry!
Jessica
January 8, 2019 at 9:52 amHello! I am wondering – have you ever used a hand/immersion blender for this recipe? Thank you!
Liz DellaCroce
January 8, 2019 at 4:45 pmNo I haven’t but you should try!
Victoria
December 28, 2018 at 3:49 amHi, thankyou for your recipe. I made this tonight and while the texture is perfect, the flavour is very strong with a burn. I’ve used home grown garlic. There’s many mention of using boiled potatoes mixed with the garlic so I’m wondering if I could add boiled potato into the food processor with the toum to tone it down. Do you have any other suggestions to tone it down while keeping the recipe vegan? Thanks for your help
Liz DellaCroce
December 30, 2018 at 12:10 pmI think it really depends on the strength of the garlic!! I notice that as well when I order it in restaurants!
Adrienne
October 21, 2018 at 9:09 pmI made this the other day, it was excellent! I only used 3c of oil (2.5C vegtable, .5Coliveoil).
It’s delicious! I tried to do this in the blender, but it wasn’t turning out right. I thought it wasn’t going to come together at first, so i switched to an electric hand mixture and just kept on beating it and it eventually formed a lovely mixture of the correct texture.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Liz DellaCroce
October 22, 2018 at 3:59 pmSo glad you enjoyed it!!! :)
Lily
October 16, 2018 at 8:55 amFabulous! Made a test batch and used rapeseed oil. Had to finish by hand My food processor doesn’t a allow it to be run for so long but is sooo good ?
Liz DellaCroce
October 19, 2018 at 4:53 pmThat sounds so good!
Peggy Finnegan
October 15, 2018 at 7:00 amI made the garlic sauce. It’s great, how long will it last in the refrigerator.
Liz DellaCroce
October 19, 2018 at 4:53 pmI would say 5-7 days!
Ginny
September 20, 2018 at 8:32 pmMine broke right at the end. If I was to keep the processor on, do you think it would come together?
Liz DellaCroce
September 21, 2018 at 10:24 amYes that’s what people have said!!!
FreshT
December 5, 2018 at 9:31 amPulse it back together. Basically folding it together slowly. Chin up it happens to all of us
Jami L Johnson
July 23, 2018 at 6:59 amSo my only experience with toum is that I ate it at a restaurant a couple times and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I found this recipe and followed it exactly as laid out. I even banned my husband and child from the kitchen because I didn’t want water entering the area. For some reason neither of them can seem to keep water in the sink. I might add that I have never made mayonnaise either so I was skeptical that this would actually turn out out for me. It actually turned out perfect and I followed it to a “T”. So just follow it exactly and you shouldn’t have any problems. I loved it! I even gave a jar of it to my friend that introduced me to this amazing sauce!
Liz DellaCroce
July 23, 2018 at 3:03 pmOh I’m so thrilled to hear this Jami!! Isn’t it the BEST?? We just had it this weekend for dipping pita bread and spreading on grilled chicken. Enjoy!!
Nazia
June 9, 2018 at 7:46 pmWould this work if i used a batch of garlic i just roasted instead of raw?
Liz DellaCroce
June 14, 2018 at 4:23 pmNo it wouldn’t I’m afraid!
Toby Long
April 14, 2018 at 3:01 pmIs there a way to use the already diced garlic in a jar from the store? If so, how much?
Liz DellaCroce
April 15, 2018 at 9:09 pmNo I would only recommend using fresh. I’m afraid store bought is quite bitter.
Marcia
April 3, 2018 at 4:18 pmMine came out super thick like Cold left over mash potatos. Any idea why this happened? I was about 1/2 cup short on oil but I don’t think that was why .
Liz DellaCroce
April 5, 2018 at 3:35 pmYes that would be why, you didn’t have enough oil. I hope you try again!
Lisa
March 28, 2018 at 6:51 pmJust made this and it came out perfect! The sauce did break at one point, but I stopped adding oil or lemon and continued to process it until it came back together. Thank you for the recipe!
Liz DellaCroce
April 5, 2018 at 3:37 pmI’m so happy you enjoyed it!!!!
Sandi Parker
June 14, 2017 at 2:40 pmWondering why you don’t recommend using olive oil. I recently bought this at a Lebanese market and it was made with olive oil and it is delicious -and a wonderfully light whipped texture. Also, what constitutes one serving in your nutrition facts?
Liz DellaCroce
June 14, 2017 at 3:03 pmMy aunt taught me to never use olive oil as it negatively affects the flavor of the finished product. Serving size is 1 tablespoon – I edited the recipe to reflect that. :) Enjoy!!
Marisol Riddell
September 29, 2017 at 8:43 pmI’ve made lots of mayo, pesto, etc… when you whip up olive oil for the amount of time it takes to emulsify, it becomes bitter.
Extra-virgin olive oil contains bitter-tasting compounds called polyphenols that are normally coated by fatty acids, which prevent them from dispersing in the presence of liquid. … The blades of a food processor break olive oil into much smaller droplets than those created from whisking.
Testing Olive Oil’s Bitter End | Cook’s Illustrated
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5475-testing-olive-oils-bitter-end
Liz DellaCroce
October 2, 2017 at 9:30 amYes I don’t recommend olive oil!