Description
This easy 5-minute fluffy toum recipe is a creamy, garlicky sauce made by emulsifying fresh garlic with lemon juice and neutral vegetable oil. Its smooth and airy texture makes it perfect for adding bold garlic flavor to Middle Eastern dishes, grilled meats, sandwiches, and dips. The recipe uses simple ingredients and an immersion blender for quick preparation and long-lasting storage.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 6-8 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and cut in half
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup neutral vegetable oil (such as avocado oil, avoid olive oil)
- To taste herbs such as parsley (optional, for flavor enhancement)
- To taste spices such as cumin (optional, for flavor variation)
Instructions
- Prepare Garlic: Peel 6-8 fresh garlic cloves, cut each clove in half and remove the green germ inside to avoid bitterness. Place the prepared garlic into a tall jug suitable for your immersion blender.
- Add Lemon and Salt: Add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and about 1 teaspoon of salt to the garlic in the jug. Use your immersion blender to pulse the mixture for 20-30 seconds until it forms a smooth paste.
- Emulsify Oil: Keep the immersion blender running at the bottom of the jug and slowly drizzle in 1 cup of neutral vegetable oil over 3-5 minutes. The mixture will thicken and emulsify into a creamy, fluffy sauce.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the toum and adjust the lemon juice or salt if needed. Optionally, add herbs like parsley or spices such as cumin for extra flavor variations.
- Store Properly: Transfer the toum into an airtight mason jar. Store in the refrigerator where it will stay fresh for 2-3 months.
Notes
- Use fresh garlic for the best flavor and avoid garlic that tastes bitter or is sprouting.
- Avoid olive oil as it can overpower the delicate texture and flavor; stick to neutral oils like avocado or sunflower oil.
- Removing the green germ inside the garlic cloves helps prevent a bitter taste in your toum.
- Drizzle the oil very slowly while blending to ensure proper emulsification and avoid separation.
- Toum is a versatile sauce that pairs well with grilled meats, kebabs, sandwiches, and roasted vegetables.
- Store toum in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 months for best quality.