Creamy, fluffy, and loaded with garlic - toum is the flavor bomb missing in your kitchen. Pair this Lebanese garlic dip with grilled chicken, roasted veggies, and one of my favorites: french fries. This recipe comes together in just a few minutes and you don't even need a food processor! What's not to love?!?
Toum is a super popular condiment in Lebanon. The word "toum" actually translates to "garlic" in Arabic, but we also refer to the prepared dip as toum, because, well, it's very garlicky.
In Lebanon, toum is absolutely mandatory with chicken shawarma, shish tawook, grilled chicken, roasted chicken, fried chicken... You get the point. But you really can't go wrong pairing it with just about anything.
Considering what a big part of my life toum is, it really was a no-brainer to make it the first recipe I publish on my blog. And the fact that it's the easiest toum recipe ever and naturally vegan is another plus. So let's make this deliciousness!
Ingredients
It really doesn't get much simpler than this! Salt hardly counts as an ingredient because it is essential to every recipe, so really you're looking at a 3-ingredient flavor packed condiment! All you need is:
- Garlic: the star of the show of course! Fresh garlic is a must - no pre-minced jars of garlic! If you must, you can use peeled garlic cloves - but read your labels and make sure there are no additives and that they are as fresh as possible.
- Oil: use a neutral oil for best results. Avocado, grapeseed, canola, and vegetable oil are all great options and you can even use a combination of them. Do not use olive oil as it has a strong flavor that will be overpowering and take away from the star of this dip. It will also make the toum darker instead of that signature white color.
- Lemon juice: blending the garlic with lemon juice helps to mellow out the strong garlic flavor, and the acidity balances out the flavor.
- Salt: enhances the flavor and also aids in the initial blending of the garlic to form it into a paste.
Instructions
First, peel enough garlic cloves until you have one heaping cup - this usually takes 3 to 4 whole heads of garlic.
For faster peeling, place the unpeeled cloves on a stable cutting board, then place the blade of a chef's knife flat against the clove, and use the heel of your hand to smash it. This loosens up the skin and it pops right off.
Just make sure to trim the brown stems with a knife before setting the garlic aside.
Next, place the peeled garlic cloves, lemon juice, and salt in the tall, narrow container that comes with your immersion blender.
For less clean up, use a jar that is wide enough to fit the immersion blender and that is large enough to fit all the ingredients - that way you can store the toum in the same jar you made it in.
If you are following this toum recipe without scaling it, a wide mouth one-quart jar is ideal.
Place the immersion blender in the jar and blend the garlic until you have a paste. You'll have to move it around a few times to get it all blended.
Pour the entire amount of oil on top of the garlic paste - do not stir! Before turning on the blender, submerge it to the very bottom of the jar.
Hold the jar with one hand, and turn on the immersion blender while it is at the bottom of the jar.
As it begins to blend, you will notice the bottom becoming white and fluffy. Once you see that, slowly begin raising the immersion blender until the whole mixture becomes white and fluffy.
I told you this is the easiest toum recipe ever!
Tips for making perfect toum
- Remove the germ. This is an optional step, but as garlic ages, it develops a green sprout in the middle which has a bitter taste. Use a paring knife to split the clove down the middle lengthwise and pry the green sprout out with your fingers.
- Be patient. Don't raise the blender too fast - only move up once the section it's in has already emulsified. Once you get to the top, you might see some residual oil. Give the mixture a quick stir, then blend it for another few seconds until it is completely homogenized. The whole process takes just a couple of minutes.
- Use the narrowest container possible. This really helps with the emulsification process because the blender is closely surrounded by all the ingredients.
- Chill the toum overnight. While you can absolutely enjoy the toum as soon as you make it, the flavors really meld and mellow out if you let it chill overnight first.
Frequently asked questions
- How can I make toum thinner/thicker? The recipe below results in a traditional consistency. However, if you would like it thinner, simply blend in a couple tablespoons of cold water at a time until you reach the desired consistency. For thicker toum, add a little more oil and blend well.
- How can I make the garlic flavor less strong? Toum mellows down with time, so you can simply make it in advance and consume it later. But if you'd like to enjoy it immediately and don't want it so potent, you can microwave the peeled garlic cloves for 2-3 minutes before using.
- How long does it last? Longer than it takes you to finish it! Toum keeps really well in the fridge for a couple of months. The garlic flavor mellows out significantly after a couple of weeks, so keep that in mind.
If you’ve tried making this addictive, easy toum recipe or any other recipe on Forks & Foliage, then please don't forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! I would be so happy to hear how it turned out for you. And if you took any photos or videos, please share them with me on Instagram @forksandfoliage so I can see the deliciousness you made!
📖 Recipe
Easiest Toum Ever (Lebanese Garlic Dip)
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 cups neutral oil, such as avocado, canola, or grapeseed
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel the garlic cloves and place them in a wide mouth quart jar or similar sized container, then add the salt and lemon juice.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until it resembles a paste.
- Add all the oil on top of the mixture, then the place immersion blender at the very bottom. Start blending without raising it up. As the mixture emulsifies, gradually raise the blender until the whole mixture is white and fluffy.
- Place a lid on the jar and chill in the fridge, ideally overnight, for best flavor.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and may vary.
Lena says
Excellent recipe, but I’m curiouser if you have any advice for choosing good garlic? I’ve made this recipe a few times, but the last three times it was inedible because the garlic was so bitter. I bought organic and peeled them all and cut the germ out of every single one and it still turned out so insanely bitter. I use an high quality grapeseed oil so it pains me to waste so many ingredients.. Any advice or tips?
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Lena, I'm glad you've enjoyed the recipe! I'm sorry you've had a couple bad batches of garlic. I have never experienced bitter garlic so I'm not totally sure what could have caused it especially if your garlic was fresh (not old) and you removed the germ... The only other thing I can think of is maybe you blended the garlic too long on its own before adding the oil? I wish I could be more helpful!
Charles Meekings says
I did it! It worked! I've made...no, scratch that...tried to make toum so many times over the years and wasted so much precious olive oil in the process. The hot tip for making toum in tropical environments is to freeze or partially freeze the garlic ahead of time to stop the emulsion from separating during blending.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so glad it worked for you! And thank you so much for the tip, I will make sure to pass it on to my readers! 🙂
Sunny says
It came out so good! Was worried I didn’t have an emulsifier so it wouldn’t thicken but I used a food processor to chop the garlic with the lemon juice and salt. Then a blender to create the paste. Then back into the food processor as I slowly poured in the oil. Was looking for a dish n dash garlic dip recipe and this was super easy to make and tasted the same! Thank you!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you were successful!! Thank you 🙂
Bill says
Thank you sooooooooo much for this recipe. I last had toum about 40 years ago at a Lebanese restaurant in Hermosa Beach, and I’ve been looking for it ever since. This recipe is so simple and so good — just as I remember it.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so happy you can enjoy the delicious toum again now 🙂
Rue says
I cannot believe this worked! And so easy. Simple, easy and delish! Definitely checking out your other recipes.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Woo hoo I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you 🙂
Zlatibor Veljkovic says
Success on first try
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Love to hear it! Thank you 🙂
Natalia says
This recipe is simple and it works! I used a different recipe from someone else using Vitamin and it was a failure. So please use this one, no changes no tweaks, as is! It was like magic - it just started emulsifying. And it is DELICIOUS and creamy and smooth.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yayyy I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for your comment Natalia 🙂
Sara G says
I have made this several times using this technique. It is easy and foolproof if you use a jar barely wider than your emersion blender. And it's so addictive. I use toum on so many things. I discovered this flavor bomb a few years back and am now never without it in my refrigerator. Thanks for posting this technique. Other techniques rarely worked for me. This is the only way I make it now.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I am thrilled to hear this is your go-to recipe now! Thank you so much for your comment Sara 🙂
Anne says
Delicious! If ever there was a recipe for an easier or better accompaniment to many foods, this is it. Just make as stated using that wonderful immersion blender. It has quite a bite in the first minute after making so I’m eager to see how it mellows.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Anne 🙂
Mel Wilkinson says
I made this for the first time this same time before Thanksgiving and it turned out fantastic , just like instructions said . I made this again yesterday and it was so bitter I couldn't even sample it. I went to a reputable MidEastern grocery store and got firm , fresh heads I followed the instructions tons verbatim and it slowly emulsified but was runny and didn't taste like last years batch ! So many people requested I make it again because it was delicious on the roasted turkey
As you know , it takes along time to peal the garlic , cut off brown end and then slice open to remove the germ and cut it to fill a 1 cup heaping measuring cup like you suggested!!! I am exhausted and refuse to try again not to mention very disappointed and very tired. I added more oil to thicken and it did nothing. I added a little more , about 1/8 up and it is runny as water. I added more and immulsifed well and still runny. Idk what else to do but I will NEVER try this recipe again!!! 😡
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Sounds like something went wrong with your ingredients this time, especially since the recipe worked great for you before (and for many others!). Garlic can be temperamental — bitter, watery, or just off — no matter where it’s bought. I totally get being tired and disappointed, but blaming the recipe (and being angry at the author) when it worked before might be a little misplaced.
Amber says
My daughter LOVES toum, and the last time I made it in a food processor, it took so much time and mess. I used this recipe last night with my immersion blender, and I couldn’t believe how easy and fast it came together - MAYBE 2 minutes. And I could store it in the jar I made it in! So glad I tried this!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so happy you loved it Amber! I, too, love the easy clean up with this method 🙂
Ole says
A classic 🙂
Little correction though:
Step 3: “ then the place” should be: “then place the” 😉
Have a nice day 🙂 ♥
Amber says
Amazing! I wish I’d seen your recipe first - it would’ve saved me a lot of time, trouble, and mess!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Better late than never, right? 🙂
Marlyss Davidson says
Delicious 😋 I will be adding this to my fridge.thank you
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Z Freehling says
I made this recipe and it was an easy as stated in the recipe. I used it instead of ketchup for my lamb chops, and it was delicious. I also used some on my vegetables and potatoes. Equally as tasty!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so happy you enjoyed this toum on so many things! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Kris says
Fantastic Recipe!! I will never go back to the trials and labors involved with a food processor. This garlic sauce came together like magic. Thank you for sharing Gladys!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Isn't it such a game changer? I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe Kris! 🙂
Sherril Frith says
I halved the recipe it’s delicious and very easy I will be making this again and again. Thank you
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Nikita says
Just wanted to thank you for this, because it worked so beautifully and is delicious. A friend grew a ton of garlic and gave me a big pile of it, and I knew exactly what I was going to do, since it was so fresh and firm. Chilled the garlic, oil and lemon, forgot to crush the garlic into a paste first in the jar and just added oil on top of the cloves as if I were doing mayo, all at once. It still worked, took about 7 seconds to blend into perfection, and I'm thrilled. Thanks so much!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Wow it must have been incredible with homegrown garlic! I am so glad you loved my recipe 🙂
Brenda says
Easiest and best recipe ever! I tried to make this at home years ago but it didn’t work. I was craving some and found your recipe. So good! Thank you!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
This makes me super happy! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Mel-Mel says
So quick and easy to make. I have made it twice! This doesn't last long in my house. Made multiple batches. LOVE IT!❤
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so happy you've enjoyed my recipe multiple times!! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Brenda Devereaux says
This was amazing! It was super easy to make and I will be doing it this way from now on. Ty so much
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hey Brenda, I am so happy you enjoyed my recipe! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Kelly Murphy says
I didn’t rate this because it didn’t work for me. However reading the comments I realized the blender matters HUGE!!! It was like eating fire lol. I will try again though! When it works toum is so delicious
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I hope you have success next time Kelly! I'm more than happy to help you troubleshoot if you have any questions 🙂
Eric says
First try… came out the thickness of buttermilk. It should be thick more like mayonnaise right? Bonus question - when measuring the garlic cloves we should be using a cup of peeled cloves (I.e. However many unpeeled cloves it takes to peel them and fill up a cup, right?)
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Eric, sorry it didn't thicken up properly for you - it sounds like it never emulsified which could be due to moving the blender up too fast or the jar being too wide. And yes you are correct, it should be one cup of peeled cloves.
Gauri Karnik says
This recipe is perfect!!!! Worked out so well in matter of minutes.
Thank you so much 😊
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Toum raider says
This is insanely bad. If you want garlicky oil this may be for you. If you want thick, fluffy toum, cut the oil by about 80%. I just wasted 2 cups of oil.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Sorry this recipe didn't work out for you! Sounds like you didn't blend it properly but I hope you have better success next time!
Joe Mama says
The ratios are wrong... we followed the recipe to a T, and just made a garlic soup. Way too much oil.. and then the suggestion to add more oil to thicken it up? What are you talking about? It just made it worse.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Joe, the ratios are not wrong, but perhaps your emulsion failed due to improper blending. When properly emulsified, adding more oil does in fact thicken the mixture - same with mayonnaise and other emulsions. I'd be happy to help you troubleshoot if you'd like to give it another try.
Barb says
This was so easy! I have never had this before & I am in love with it! What addicting flavor! Thank you!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm glad you found it as addicting as I do! Thanks so much for giving it a try and leaving a comment 🙂
Ls says
You changed my life- Lebanese American,
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Aaahhh what an honor! 🙂 Thank you!!
Mark Chadwick says
Simple, effective, yet to have a failure. Thanks for the recipe.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
This makes me so happy! Thank you!
Keara says
Omg this turned out SOO GOOD! I was nervous to make this because I have failed so many times in the past trying to make mayonnaise, tonnato etc. but this came out PERFECT! We added it to our shish taouk and it was divine! Ready to add toum to everything now!! THANK YOU for an easy recipe 🙂
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so happy to hear that Keara! Thanks so much for your lovely comment 🙂
Mark Chadwick says
Easy peasy, and super tasty. My first batch was a double, made in a blender so I drizzled the oil in after pulsing the garlic and lemon juice into a pulp. Yielded just less than 1litre, which I think is a quart in Yankee speak.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the toum, Mark! Thanks for leaving a comment 🙂
Joe H. says
Amazing!! Very easy to make and very authentic taste.. Shoukran ya habibti.
Joe
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Joe! I am so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Deb Mack, south west Western Australia says
Hi Gladys, made toum yesterday with my homegrown garlic. Wow, what a recipe, easiest toum made yet. My garlic has just been harvested (a week ago) and the toum is soooo hot. I will do as you say and let it mellow in the fridge for a week or so. But the consistency and the flavour are superb. Thank you
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Deb! Wow - that sounds incredible! I have yet to try toum made with homegrown garlic. What a treat! I can just imagine how hot it turned out. Thank you for trying me recipe and leaving a comment 🙂
Judyline says
I love Lebanese salad. I will surely try this garlic dip and other dishes:
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you! 🙂
Michael says
Thank you for the recipe! I have done it in the past but for me it’s always hit or miss. I was proud of myself when it came out perfectly one time, but since then I’ve had a hard time with its consistency. It comes out with liquid consistency even though I follow the technique exactly as you said. I’m not sure if I’m blending it for too long or if I’m doing something wrong!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm glad the recipe has worked out for you, but i'm sorry it hasn't been consistent! The biggest things I would pay attention to are the size of the jar you are using (should be snug around the immersion blender), and if your blender tends to overheat, start with cold ingredients. Also make sure you blend fully at the bottom until thick before you move up super slowly.
April says
O.M.GAAAAAWSH! Wonderful! I saved and have read and reread this article for probably a year now. Right after I discovered t o u m at a local Mediterranean restaurant and wanted to make a bowl of soup out of it. Seriously, I could sit there with a spoon and just go for it. I was terrified mine would not be nearly as good, and I've read some people don't emulsify correctly, but mine was perfect. I have it in the fridge to cool down and maybe thicken a little, but it was sorely tempted to drink it out of that jar. He he
Thank you.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Haha I am sooo glad you had success with my recipe and loved it! Thank you so much for your comment 🙂
Margaret says
I make this quite often!!!! I LOVE garlic, so this one of my Favorite things to make!!!!!!!
Mike Mroueh says
A game changer for me, because I love it. I used Avocado oil, so beside being delicious, it’s healthy. Success on my first try with half the portions. Thank you so much. I have been trying with different methods, nothing came close, and then bingo. Thank you thank you.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so happy you had success and enjoyed my recipe! Thank you 🙂
SILEO REYES says
Absolutely delicious. Love the smell and the kick of the garlic, not too pungent but not too soft either. I smear over everything I find in my kitchen. Two thumbs up.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you loved it! I also like to put it on everything haha! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Heather K says
Perfect, easy, delicious! Succesful on my first try. I was wondering how I would know when it "starts to emulsify" but there was no mistaking it. Came together quick after that. Thank you!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so happy this recipe was a success for you Heather! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Jennie Marie says
I made this recipe twice and it turned out perfect with canola oil used. Today I tried it with avocado oil and it was a disaster. I have no idea what I did wrong. I just washed the glass jar and used it. Maybe that had something to do with it please give me an insight?
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hey Jennie, I'm so glad the recipe turned out great for you the first couple times! I have made it with avocado oil several times with good results, so I don't think that had anything to do with it. Could it be that you moved up too fast with the blender this time? This can make the emulsion fail. Or if your blender overheated or if your jar was warm from washing it, this could be a reason too. Try starting with cold ingredients next time and move up very slowly from the base of the jar when blending.
Adamcrewmom says
This is amazing!!! Food processor method has broken into an oily mess. This method is great! Yum!! Tastes so good
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I am so happy you enjoyed my toum method! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Jane Hanson says
Used light flavoured olive oil and the flavour is superb but it's too thin.....tried more oil after it had chilled in the fridge but still a bit thin. If I make it again how can I make it thicker please. Any suggestions would be great.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Jane, I'm glad you enjoyed the flavor! The consistency should be thick with the posted measurements, but sometimes due to the blender overheating or not being powerful enough, the toum may not emulsify properly which leads to a thinner consistency. Try refrigerating the ingredients ahead of time next time so you can start with everything cold and that should help!
Kacey says
OMG thank you for posting this, I have tried making toum 3 times using food processors and failed. This method worked the first time and it tastes exactly as I was hoping. Thank you so much!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Woo hoo this makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing your success 🙂
Nichelle says
This is PERFECT!!!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so glad!! Thank you!
Matt says
I've tried many recipes and many methods and they never really gave me the same toum I grew up eating in Lebanon ..... now I finally have a recipe that is both easy and authentic.
Many thanks for your blog!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hey Matt! I'm so glad you found my recipe and had success with it! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Mrs. Ali says
This is the perfect recipe!!!! Thank you so so much for sharing this with us. It took less time and less effort with better results than the other conventional methods. It was the right consistency and the taste os amazing. Will be sharing it. 👍
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and leaving a comment 🙂
Bits says
Easy-peasy and delicious! I’ve tried and failed with the food processor method twice and I could not believe my eyes as the ingredients emulsified up the side of the jar. This could not have been easier.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay yay yay!! I'm sooo happy to hear you enjoyed my toum recipe! It has been a game changer for me and I love when others have success with it too! Thank you for your comment and rating 🙂
Billie says
My daughter had success with this recipe, but I'm sooo sad. Mine didn't thicken even though I followed your directions. Wondering if the problem is my immersion blender?? The handle was hot-maybe it's not strong enough?? Maybe I need a new one. Tastes yummy and will be drizzled on our shawarma.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Billie! I'm so glad your daughter enjoyed this recipe! Sorry to hear about your batch. Usually the reason it doesn't thicken is if you didn't blend it long enough on the bottom before raising up the blender. But if you did that, then the only other possible reason is the power of your immersion blender unfortunately. I've tried it with several brands with great success, but there have been a few people reporting back that their blender got too hot and it didn't thicken. But I'm glad you still enjoyed the flavor with your shawarma! 🙂
Ben says
Hi Billie,
I had a similar problem to you, with the blender heating up at the end causing the Toum to break. I was able to fix it by making sure all the ingredients and the immersion blender started cold by leaving them in the fridge for a few hours before starting. After I started doing this, I was getting much fluffier results.
Hope it works!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you for chiming in with helpful tips Ben! I appreciate it and will make sure to share your tips with others having a similar issue 🙂
Georgia says
I had the same issue for ages. Followed all the steps and everyone’s tips in the comments and the thing that changed what the container I was using! I was using a large ramen ish bowl and it never work so I used my Pyrex jug and turned out perfectly! I hope this helps
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yes the size of the jar makes a huge difference! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Cris says
Amazing! I was determined to make toum and I tried so many recipes and so many kitchen appliances and I have never been able to get it to emulsify. But the immersion blender and the wide mouth jar were the perfect solution. It was super easy and turned out so good! Will be sharing the recipe with friends. Thank you! 🙂
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Cris! I'm absolutely thrilled that you had success with my recipe and enjoyed it! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and rating, I appreciate you! 🙂
Michael says
I wish I had found your recipe years ago! I could have saved a small fortune. Thank you 🙏🏻
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Michael! I'm so happy you enjoyed my recipe! Thank you for leaving a comment 🙂
Johan says
Very good. Made half the amount - and put everything in at once. Emulsified in seconds. No lumps.
I made half the amount as saw the recipe and only had two small bulbs and a lemon. So, thought 'why not'? Worked brilliantly. Sunflower oil is fine too. I would say, when making again, you want reasonable sized bulbs, and I think I was about five mil over the amount needed on lemon, but otherwise it is now in my fridge and will be used very, very quickly. Thanks. Great recipe.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Johan! I am so glad you had success making my toum recipe with your modifications and enjoyed it! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and sharing your experience and tips! 🙂
Peg says
Did not work for me at all. Blended forever, no emulsion 😔what a waste if ingredients !
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Peg, sorry this recipe didn't turn out for you! It could be due to your blender unfortunately. I hope you didn't waste it though because it makes a great marinade 🙂
Kelly says
Fabulously easy. The third recipe I tried and this one knocks all the others right out of the ballpark. Excellent recipe! Thank you for sharing it!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Oh my gosh thank you so much Kelly! I am thrilled you enjoyed my toum recipe 🙂
Tyler says
My toum haiku:
Eat by the spoonful
Why is everyone running?
I smell like garlic
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hahaha I am dying! I'm glad my toum recipe inspired you to compose a haiku 🙂
Suzi says
Super easy and delicious! A big hit for my family! Also all your videos are great quality and you provide very easy to follow instructions. Def one of my fav people to follow for recipes now!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm thrilled to hear that Suzi! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and leaving a comment! 🙂
Didier says
I tend to buy too much garlic and waste some of it when it goes bad. I tried your recipe and it is amazing! Great tips. I am using it on everything!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Oh I am so glad you are loving my toum recipe Didier! This is definitely a great way to use up a lot of garlic as it lasts a long time in the fridge! Thank you for leaving a comment 🙂
Yasmine LBUSA says
I have been making garlic sauce (Toum) all my cooking life as a Lebanese mother (38 years) and everyone like it. It used to take a lot of my time to make it by hand. Your method and your video tutorial were an awesome help and easy to follow. Thank you for a great recipe. It is never too late to learn new things. Bravo. 👏🏻 .
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Yasmine! Your comment made me so happy! I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe and found it easy to follow! My mom was also very surprised to learn this method as she has been making it the more time consuming way her whole life. But like you said, it's never too late to learn new things 🙂
Margaret says
I LOVE Garlic and saw this post on my FB feed, and said I Gotta try this! Followed your directions to a "T" even taking out the green thingy on the garlic, blended slowly, bringing up the blender slowly, and it came out Beautifully!!!! Tasted it and 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 absolutely Loving it.
Thank you!!!!
Aloha
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm sooo happy to hear that you loved my toum recipe Margaret!! Thanks so much for trying it and leaving a comment! 🙂
Lanae says
This was amazing! We had with roasted potatoes tonight but I'm fully prepared to ear this over my cereal! It's that good!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Haha!! I am so glad you loved it so much Lanae! Thank you for leaving a comment 🙂
MissyG says
🥣 🤣🤣🤣
Aneesa says
I made this today and it was super creamy and delicious. Used a food processor, and it emulsified so well! It's key to run the processor on its highest speed,and stream your liquids in very slowly. Took me a full 5 minutes for this step alone. Also, with the processor method, I didnt need to use the full 2 cups of oil, achieved the perfect texture and consistency with 11/2 cups of oil. Thank you for sharing your amazing, simple recipes ❤️
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Aneesa! Thank you so much for leaving a comment and sharing your tips 🙂
Rad says
I tried it the first time, and it came out perfectly.
The second time I tried making the recipe, the oil did not emulsify and stayed very liquid even though I was kept the blender at the bottom for over 10 minutes. I gave my mixer a chance to cool down and when I came back the liquid had split.
Any tips on why and how i can prevent this?
If it happens again, can i save the toum by doing something and not wasting it?
Thank you for your amazing recipes, content and help!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad it came out perfectly! The second time around could be due to insufficient blending at the bottom. I have a detailed video tutorial on my Instagram story highlights if you want to check it out 🙂 Sometimes if you come back to it after a while and reblend, it emulsifies perfectly. But if it doesn't, it's definitely not wasted! Treat the sauce like garlic and oil - use in salad dressings, marinades, or any time you want to add garlic flavor without having to mince any!
Deborah Frost says
I too had great success with my first attempt. My immersion blender was too wide for the wide mouth jar so used a nesting bowl that was narrow with high sides. Turned out perfect.
Second time I used a wide mouth Ikea Jar and it ended up being a sauce. I will try letting it rest for a while and go back and blend again to see if my results are better. If they aren't I will use the sauce and when I want something with more of a hummus texture I'll use some labneh with it. Thank you for this recipe and your instructions.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Maria says
Hello , I came to this place accidentally, but I found it amazing, then I stopped reading the recipes and comments, so I like to give you this tips for oil , that I had got from my long time experience in food , the problem is ,for the receipt like this ,(or for example what we called Teseyeh bel zeit. )We MUST definitely use the ((VIRGIN OIL)), NEVER EXTRA Virgin.
Because the extra virgin oil never melt or blend with other ingredients.
Regards.
Maria Masaad.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Maria! I am so glad you found my website and are enjoying it! Thank you for your tip, I definitely agree with you - I don't recommend extra virgin olive oil for this recipe, rather a neutral oil as mentioned in my post 🙂
Maja says
Hi! Im new to toum, is it supposed to be so extremely strong?! I even got ulcer on my lips, haha. And it’s just too strong to eat. I admit I strayed slightly from the recipe by using whole garlics, but the same amount as stated.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Wow! Haha I have never heard that before. It is supposed to be very garlicky, but not so strong to give you ulcers or any other reaction unless you are sensitive/allergic/intolerant to garlic. So sorry that happened to you! Also the older the garlic the stronger and spicier it is. That's why I recommend using the freshest garlic possible 🙂
Amber says
This turned out perfect! My husband is actually the cook in the family & he has not been able to get this right with other recipes. So I thought I would give this one a try - it was very easy & turned out perfectly. I even cut the recipe in half without any problems. My husband was very impressed that I got this right! Can't wait to try more recipes. Thank you so much!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
This made me so happy Amber! I am really glad you were able to make my recipe and impress your husband 🙂 Thanks so much for your sweet comment!
Alix says
Phenomenal! The hardest part is peeling the garlic - but totally worth it!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Alix! 🙂
Maggie Taylor says
Just made this exactly as directed and it is ah-mazing! Came out beautifully with a creamy texture and perfect garlic balance. I was going to wait until I tried it tomorrow after being in the fridge overnight, but just couldn’t wait!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay yay I'm so happy to hear that you loved it Maggie! Thank you for trying it and leaving me a kind comment 🙂
Kate says
I never comment on recipes but oh my god? This is incredible. I always thought making Toum was out of reach for me as a cook and I am just overwhelmed with how well this turned out.
Thank you so much for the step-by-step!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Oh yay I am so happy you loved it Kate! Thank you so much for making my recipe and leaving such a kind comment 🙂
Alexa says
I couldn’t get this emulsify properly. I tried blending it for a very long time and slowly raising it up as you said to. The only thing I can think of that I did differently is that I used lemon juice from a bottle rather than from actual lemons. (It’s all I had in hand). Any thoughts as to why it didn’t work for me? And if it would be possible to salvage it?
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Alexa! So sorry to hear that. The reason this happens is if you moved it up before the bottom got white, thick, and fluffy. Once you go up before reaching that point, it will not thicken unfortunately. If you did exactly that and it still came out thin, I'm not sure what the reason could be... I doubt bottled lemon juice would be the reason but I haven't tested it with it so it's possible. You can just use the mixture you have as a dipping sauce, mix into salad dressings, marinate chicken or veggies with it before roasting, etc. Definitely don't toss it 🙂
Arie says
Same thing happened to me. Also used bottled lemon. Have you tried fresh instead?
Lindy says
I just tried for the first time and same result, so I have garlic milk instead of toum 😂
However, intend to try again soon, as if I’m honest I didn’t wait long enough when blending
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Lindy! Yes that is due to blending. If you're on Instagram, I have a very detailed video tutorial posted to help you blend it correctly 🙂
Carmen says
It existed to make the toum
I will tell soon
Thank you
Seckin says
This is one of my favorite in Lebanese dishes. Thank you for the good recipe:))
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm glad you enjoyed it Seckin!
Parul says
Can this be made in mixer or blender is a must??
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
It can be made with a food processor or immersion blender. A high speed blender may work if you use the directions for a food processor. I have not tried it with any other appliance though. Hope that helps!
Marty says
Never heard of it but definitely will try! I just recently heard of garlic confit since I've been vegan, and I was a cook. I digress. Can I ha e some serving ideas please and Thank You!!
Elizabeth says
Made this Sunday but my ratios were a little off. I don't think I had a full cup of garlic. I used avocado oil - and even though it was more of a sauce than fluffy - still SO good. We've been using it as a marinade and topping sauce. Love it!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Oh I'm so glad you're loving it Elizabeth! The consistency could be due to changing the ratio, but if it wasn't a drastic change in the measurements, it most likely needed to be blended more at the bottom to fully emulsify and thicken before slowly raising it up. But either way I'm happy you're enjoying it! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Di says
Easy-peasy and sooo good on roasted veggies and fries!
Am using it on burgers and chicken-great!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay I'm so happy you're loving it Di! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Becky K says
I made this using avocado oil and some fermented garlic that I had made, instead of fresh. I Omitted the lemon juice, as the fermentation adds plenty of tanginess, but I did add the salt. It was awesome! Thick and creamy.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Wow what a delicious twist! Thank you so much for trying my recipe Becky! I'm happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Faye says
Hello;
I am super excited to try this. Am I able to cut the amount of salt in half? Will that affect the texture and taste? I have to be careful with salt consumption.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Faye! I totally understand. So just to clarify, this recipe has the salt measurement for kosher salt, which contains about half the amount of sodium by volume when compared to table salt. In other words, if my recipe states 1 teaspoon kosher salt but you have table salt, you should use half a teaspoon of table salt. In any case, since the amount of salt mostly affects flavor (and preservation to a certain extent), feel free to reduce it according to your needs. As long as it tastes good to you, it should be fine 🙂
Fran says
The same recipe is also ancient recipe followed in Spain (Alioli) which translates from the catalan "all i oli" / "allium et ollium" - garlic and oil, although it was manually smashed back then and contained less garlic, being more like a sauce which nowadays converted to famous Alioli sauce, although the current one contains egg/milk and is more similar to a garlic mayo.
Still this recipe looks so yummy I can't wait to taste it! Thanks for sharing
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yes it is very similar to traditional alioli! Long ago toum was also made in a mortar and pestle. I'm thankful for kitchen appliances that make our jobs easier nowadays hehe 🙂 Thank you for your comment Fran! I hope you enjoy this recipe when you give it a try!
Sou says
Amazing!!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Sou! I'm so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Martha says
Just made it. I can already eat it with a spoon. It's so good.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you love it as much as I do Martha! Thank you so much for leaving a comment!
Sunni says
Hi.. I'm new here.. Is there any way to subscribe? 🤔Or am I just missing the button?
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Sunni! I'm so happy to have you here! There is a green box halfway down the home page and another one on the very side of each recipe page. But if you'd like I can manually add you to my subscribers list. Let me know 🙂
Jean F says
Thanks Gladys fir the Toum recepy you made my day...
Simply put just hummmm
Bravo
JF
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so happy to hear you love it Jean! Thank you so much 😊
Dorie says
Need to buy some jars tomorrow to make this!!! Looks easy and so good!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm excited for you to make it Dorie! Thank you ❤
Nicole says
This looks so delicious!! I didn't read through all the comments, but I'm curious if you've ever tried it with roasted garlic instead of raw? I might have to do both!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you Nicole! I personally haven't tried it yet, but one of my followers said she did and the garlic flavor was too mild for her taste, she preferred the original recipe. But feel free to experiment however you like ❤
Bernice says
So delicious smothered on everything!!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Bernice! Thanks for your comment 😊
Floridiot says
It started off great, but then turned to milk water 🙁
I’ll try again by chilling everything first, my blender was getting hot as well.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Aw I'm sorry to hear it didn't emulsify! I hope you have better success next time. Cold ingredients should help if your blender was overheating.
Elena says
Looks so easy , I can’t wait to try it .I adore Garlic and my family too .I think will be a time saver and a great recipe to be shared, Thank you
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you Elena! It really is super easy. I hope you love it as much as we do! 😊
Neal says
New here...please suggest specific type of neutral oil...thanks
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Neal! I have several suggested in the recipe card, such as avocado, vegetable, canola, grapeseed, etc... this recipes works great with any neutral oil! So it's up to you and which oils you prefer to use. I've used them all and have had success with them! Hope that helps 🙂
Sasha says
This recipe is AMAZING!!! I’m a garlic lover and it was perfect immediately- no refrigeration needed to mellow it out. This will be on regular rotation. Thank you!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I am so happy you loved this recipe Sasha! Thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂
Daria says
I've never emulsified anything before trying this. I followed the directions to a T! Besides halfing the recipie. I used a Kitchen Aid immersion blender and it turned out perfect! I'm do glad I ran into this recipe! Super delish and I've only tried it in its first strong stage. I'm excited to try it tomorrow!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yayyy!! I am so happy you had success with my recipe! Your comment made my day! Thank you so much for making my recipe and coming back to comment Daria ❤
Rubia says
Mine broke, as it has with every other method I've tried. So disappointed, just stayed liquidy and separated.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Rubia. I'm sorry to hear your garlic separated. The only reason this could happen is if you don't blend at the very bottom of the jar until the mixture emulsifies. If you keep moving the blender up and down, it will stay liquidy. I have it detailed under my "Tips" section. I've tried it with several different immersion blenders and have never had it separate. Just be patient and blend on the bottom until it turns white and fluffy, then slowly move up a bit, stay there and blend until white and fluffy, and repeat. Hope you give it another chance!
Stacy says
You know how long I've waited for this recipe??!! Amazing, thanks for sharing, it's sooooo delicious!!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you love it Stacy!!
Jolene says
My immersion blender heats up too much! I’ve tried at least 4 different brands of blenders. Any suggestions?
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Oh bummer! Does it stop blending when it heats up? My immersion blender starts getting a little warm during the last minute of blending, but not so bad that it stops or affects the speed or result. The exact one I use is linked in the post. But if you have a food processor, you can use the same exact measurements to make toum in it. The only difference is that you have to stream the oil in very very slowly from start to finish while the food processor is on (after you process the garlic cloves, salt, and lemon into a paste). I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Jennifer Stevensen says
This is the BEST recipe ever!!! The method was perfect and made it so easy. I made it for my husband and not only did he love it but we were eating it with a spoon by itself because it was THAT good!! Amazing!! Thank you Gladys for sharing this recipe!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yayayay!! Thank you so much for you sweet comment! I am sooo happy you and your husband loved it!
Britt D says
This is some serious game changing Toum! While I’ve made it many times before, this has definitely been the quickest I’ve ever done it and it came out delicious!
Not only did this recipe and hack make for an easy clean up, it was so entertaining watching the mixture completely change!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Sooo happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for trying it and leaving a comment!
Angie says
Help
Mine did not get thick, I think my jar is too wide! Is there any way to fix it?
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Angie! I'm sorry to hear that. It could be because of your jar or because you moved the immersion blender up too fast before it got thick. You could try adding a few more cloves of garlic and half a cup of oil on top of the garlic mixture (do not stir), then place the immersion blender in the bottom of the jar and turn it on. Do not move it up until you see the bottom getting thicker, then very slowly move up as each section gets thick. Once it's thick you can taste it and see if it needs a little more salt or lemon juice and blend them in. Please let me know if that helps!
MaryGay says
So much easier than the recipe I have been using! I don’t know if it is considered the “right” thing to do but I made so much that I froze some of it in small and medium cubes and then dropped them in a ziplock bag and I can pull it out anytime I need some. Great for flavoring so many things. Soup, salad dressing, marinades, sauces, etc.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
I'm so glad you found it easier! I love how you froze them - I'll have to try that myself!! Thank you so much for leaving a comment!
Mary says
Suuuper easy and quick!!! I tried to make it healthier by using avocado oil but I think the flavor suffered a bit, thanks for the suggestion to 50/50 with another oil. I shall try it. Love me some fluffy goodness
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
So glad you found it easy! The more neutral the oil the better 🙂
Kiana Valles says
This is a kitchen staple! So versatile. I’ve already been using it to dip veggies & chicken as well as adding a tiny bit into anything that calls for minced garlic. Recently added some to mashed potatoes and it really cut down time in the kitchen. I love it!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yesss I love that! It really is so useful in the kitchen! I'm so happy you loved it! Thank you so much for leaving a comment 🙂
Suzan says
Thank you so much for all of the wonderful tips and tricks along with the recipe. This was much easier to make than I ever could have imagined! everyone in the family loves it, especially on potatoes and chicken. I’ll be making again very soon. 😋
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yay so happy you found this helpful and that you and your family loved the toum! Thanks so much for leaving a comment 🙂
Tess says
AMAZING!!!! Super easy directions to follow. The dip was so creamy and tasty! Definitely a family favorite.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Yayyy thank you so much for trying my recipe and leaving a comment! I am sooo happy you loved it ❤
Mistofer Christopher says
I can’t wait to try making this and thank you Gladys for this tip and I look forward to many more!!!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thanks so much Chris! I hope you love it!!
Teddy says
Wonderful and very detailed!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it 😊
Val says
Incredible. Gonna have to make this a regular staple in my fridge. Goes great on sooo many things.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you Val! I agree - it is so good on just about anything! Always need a jar of it in the fridge 🙂
Bella says
Love this easy method! Can’t wait to try it! Also, congrats on the blog! So excited for you!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you sooo much Bella! It's a big day for sure. I hope you try it and love it!
Pat says
I love garlic dip, I pretty much use it with everything. I even use it as part of my chicken marinade or even as my garlic aioli sauce 🤤 in my sandwiches. This is by far the fastest, easiest and foolproof recipe!
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Thank you Pat! Yesss I love doing that too! So glad you like this method 🙂