• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Perfect Tide
  • Recipe Index
    • MEDITERRANEAN RECIPES
    • SEAFOOD RECIPES
      • Fish
        • Rock Fish & White Fish
        • Salmon
        • Tuna
      • Canned & Tinned
      • Shellfish
        • Crab
        • Mussels
        • Oysters
        • Razor Clams
        • Shrimp
        • Steamer Clams
      • PACIFIC COAST
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Main Course
      • Mediterranean Main Dish
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Baked Goods
    • Drinks
    • Sauces & extras
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Seafood How-To
  • Shop
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Seafood How-To
    • Shop
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Subscribe!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home

    Toum - Lebanese Garlic Sauce

    Last Updated: Feb 24, 2023 by Suzy Sakamoto · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Share on Facebook

    Toum is a Lebanese Garlic Sauce that packs a punch of flavor and easy to make in a food processor. This recipe is the most palatable with yogurt and potato, allowing you to enjoy as much as you'd like. This Mediterranean sauce is the perfect shawarma garlic sauce.

    Table of Contents

    • You will make the creamiest toum on your first try!
    • WHAT IS TOUM
    • WHAT MAKES THIS TOUM CREAMY AND MORE PALATABLE
    • FOR THIS RECIPE, YOU WILL NEED
    • HOW TO MAKE LEBANESE GARLIC SAUCE
    • TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THIS SAUCE
    • WAYS TO USE THIS SAUCE
    • IS YOUR TOUM SAUCE TOO RUNNY?
    • HOW LONG DOES TOUM LAST
    • CAN YOU FREEZE TOUM
    • WHAT'S THE ACTUAL SPELLING?
    • MORE LEBANESE RECIPES
    • Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)
    • MORE SAUCES TO TRY

    You will make the creamiest toum on your first try!

    This recipe is absolutely foolproof, with a simple extra step of adding a boiled potato, you will be left with the creamiest garlic sauce ever, that's much more palatable than others.

    This will easily become a staple in your home, as it's an absolute must-have condiment in my house. We are garlic lovers after all!

    WHAT IS TOUM

    Toum sauce is a traditional Lebanese garlic sauce that's an absolute staple in most Lebanese households.

    Every family makes it slightly different, and my recipe is the absolute most palatable yet still pungently garlicky!

    This sauce is not only found in Lebanese homes but is also a staple in one of our most popular street food and is widely used as a Chicken Shawarma garlic sauce.

    Which, if you've never tried it, you must! It's filled with flavorful meat and wrapped in a pita that's been slathered with this amazing Lebanese sauce and stuffed with fries and pickles alongside meat.

    In downtown Beirut and most cities, you will find this sandwich as a quick meal on the go!

    lebanese garlic sauce in a wood bowl with pita bread on side

    WHAT MAKES THIS TOUM CREAMY AND MORE PALATABLE

    This recipe is the creamiest and the most palatable because of 2 extra ingredients that I use; boiled potato and Greek yogurt.

    These two ingredients both have a strong purpose in this recipe and create this garlic sauce that is dangerously good!

    Boiled potato. I take the time to boil a potato for this recipe because it makes all the difference. Potato is the perfect starch to thicken the batter to such a creamy consistency, meanwhile slightly diluting the strong raw garlic taste. 

    Yogurt. Yogurt in this recipe is a must! It adds the perfect amount of creaminess to complete this well-rounded Lebanese Garlic Sauce recipe. 

    FOR THIS RECIPE, YOU WILL NEED

    1. Food processor.
    2. Small pot.
    3. Measuring Cups.
    4. Bowl to serve, or mason jars to store. I love these wooden bowls!
    5. Neutral oil.
    6. Garlic. A whole lot of it!
    7. Boiled potato.
    8. Yogurt.
    9. Lemon.
    10. Salt.

    toum lebanese garlic suace ingredients oil garlic potatoes salt and yogurt

    HOW TO MAKE LEBANESE GARLIC SAUCE

    This sauce is quickly whipped together in the food processor!

    After you have your boiled potato ready, add all your ingredients except the flavorless oil and blend.

    Slowly drizzle in the oil to avoid the sauce separating.

    Once the oil is incorporated, taste for salt, and add more to your liking.

    Serve, or allow to sit in the fridge to meld further.

    TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THIS SAUCE

    1. Make sure the potato is completely soft and almost mushy. Using a harder potato will prohibit this recipe from becoming the creamy frothy texture it needs to be.

    2. Blend the ingredients until completely creamy, the longer, the better, prior to slowly drizzling in oil.

    3. Use a flavorless oil, not olive oil. Though I usually gravitate towards Extra Virgin Olive Oil in most of my recipes, this one will be the exception.
      Olive oil has a strong flavor that takes over in this sauce. So use any flavorless oil of choice.

    4. Use a food processor to make this Lebanese Garlic Sauce recipe in as little time as possible!

    WAYS TO USE THIS SAUCE


    This Lebanese Garlic Sauce recipe is so versatile. I like to make sure we always have it on hand to add to any meal throughout the week. Here are some ideas to use this sauce, that we love:

    1. SHAWARMA GARLIC SAUCE. Our recipe is packed with flavor!
    2. THE PERFECT GARLIC DIP FOR A BBQ. The other most popular way to enjoy this Lebanese garlic sauce is with BBQ'd chicken. This is hands down the best garlic sauce for chicken. It's a pairing made to be together!

    3. USE AS FRY SAUCE. This is our second favorite way to use it is on fries or roasted potatoes! Scoot over stadium garlic fries! Make your own by drizzling toum and sprinkling fresh parsley.

    4. ON SANDWICHES. Slather on bread and pair with any meat, cheese, and veggies you enjoy.

    5. DRIZZLE OVER COOKED FISH. Pour a light drizzle over.

    6. DRIZZLE OVER YOUR PIZZA. Garlic sauce for pizza anyone? Yum! I know I'm not alone in wanting extra garlic sauce for pizza, and this sauce couldn't be more perfect for the job! It will pair well with most pizzas.

    7. USE AS VEGGIE DIP. Simply dip cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, or other veggies in it.

    8. DRIZZLE ON AN OMELETTE. I added it to a Crab Omelet recipe and it couldn't have been more delicious! Though you will need to be mindful not to enjoy this breakfast on a day full of meetings :).

    9. DRIZZLE OVER YOUR PASTA OR USE IT AS PASTA SAUCE.

    10. TOSS THIS GARLIC SAUCE WITH ROASTED VEGGIES. Just yum!

    IS YOUR TOUM SAUCE TOO RUNNY?

    The number one complaint in making this Lebanese garlic sauce, is the ingredients not binding and therefore your sauce becoming too runny, since you want it creamy and fluffy.

    My secret to this dilemma is adding boiled potatoes!

    Potato acts as a natural binding agent and with the help of Greek yogurt to keep it the perfect creamy consistency.

    Both the potato and Greek yogurt in this Lebanese Garlic Sauce recipe will be sure to cut the edge off the raw garlic, without compromising the pungent garlic flavor whatsoever.

    HOW LONG DOES TOUM LAST

    This creamy homemade garlic sauce recipe lasts about a week in the fridge! I typically store it in an airtight condiment dispenser or in a mason jar. My family runs through this garlic sauce fairly quickly! 

    Follow us on social media!

    • Facebook
    • Link to our Youtube Channel
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    CAN YOU FREEZE TOUM

    Yes! You sure can! I freeze mine in mason jars. Though the texture does change slightly, making the sauce a little bit runny, the flavor is still spot on!

    So it's best to use fresh, but if you have a lot left over, it's best to freeze and later use as a marinade.

    WHAT'S THE ACTUAL SPELLING?

    There are many names for this garlic sauce recipe, as some spell it "toum" and others "toom". While some prefer to call it Lebanese garlic sauce. So, what is the correct name for Lebanese Garlic Sauce?

    Let's start with the basics - Where does the name the name come from?

    Toum is actually the name for garlic in Lebanon. Everyone has adopted their way of spelling it. Regardless of how you prefer to spell it, it all means the same thing - Garlic!

    MORE LEBANESE RECIPES

    • mediterranean salad dressing with sumac
      Mediterranean Salad Dressing with Sumac
    • lebanese baklava nests on a plate
      Easiest Baklava Recipe
    • samke harra with harra sauce toasted walnuts and pinenuts cilantro and saffron rice
      Samke Harra - Lebanese Tahini Fish
    • mutabal topped with olive oil diced tomatoes sumac and parsley with a spoon in the dip while the bowl is over black towel and cut lemon nearby
      Authentic Mutabal (Moutabal Dip)

    If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. Please share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

    lebanese garlic sauce toum in a olive oil bowl

    Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

    This Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce) is the most creamy and palatable recipe. With yogurt and potatoes, you will end up with a fluffy garlic sauce on your first try!
    Use this Mediterranean garlic sauce on many dishes like Chicken Shawarma, bbq kabobs, and fries.
    5 from 11 votes
    Cuisine: Lebanese, Mediterranean
    Course: sauce
    Prep: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook: 20 minutes minutes
    Total: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Print Share Pin Email Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup garlic cloves
    • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
    • ⅓ cup potato, cut in cubes , about 1 small potato
    • 1 cup flavorless oil avocado oil, canola, vegetable
    • 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
    • 1 ½ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Place the cubed potato pieces and boil for approximately 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Remove potato, and place aside to cool.
    • To a blender, add potato, yogurt, garlic, lemon and salt. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
    • To the mixture, slowly drizzle in oil while blending for an additional 2-3 minutes. Be sure to not pour all the oil at once, as this may cause separation. Remove once mixture is smooth and frothy.
    • Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and place in the fridge until completely chilled.

    Notes

    -Can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a week.
    -Make sure to use Greek yogurt, otherwise your sauce will come out runny. If you have regular yogurt to use up, I would use it, being careful not to add in the extra liquid from the yogurt.
    -This is the traditional toum recipe that I grew up with. It pairs well with almost every dish, sandwich, BBQ, and is a little easier on the stomach than others. 
    -If you are DF, substitute Greek Yogurt for DF Yogurt with as little flavor as possible. I would stay away from coconut as it's strong in flavor. Another option is using DF cream cheese that you dilute with water.
     
    IF YOU ENJOYED THIS RECIPE, PLEASE GIVE US A 5 STAR RATING!
    I'd love to see the dishes you've made using our recipes! Please post them on social media and tag us! You can find us on Facebook @perfecttide and Instagram @theperfecttide
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 232kcal
    Keywords: foolproof creamy garlic sauce, garlic, healthy sauce, mediterranean garlic sauce, middle eastern sauce, sauce for shawarma, toom, toum ingredients, toum sauce too runny

    MORE SAUCES TO TRY

    • Oyster Vinaigrette on half shell oyster
      Mediterranean Oyster Sauce with Sumac
    • seafood boil sauce next to a boil
      Cajun Seafood Boil Sauce
    • japanese goma dressing in a white ramekin
      Japanese Goma Dressing
    • tartar sauce with fish sticks and tater tots
      Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce (4 ingredients!)

    * I earn from qualifying purchases from the product links at no extra cost to you.

    More Recipes

    • grilling salmon steaks on cedar plank
      Grilled Salmon Steaks
    • gluten free fried smelt with lemon wedges
      Crunchy and Light Fried Smelt
    • apple cider vinegar drink with pineapple and mint garnish in a dotted glass cup
      Apple Cider Vinegar Drink "Twister"
    • grilled halibut skewers on a plate with coconut rice and grilled mini peppers with pineapple
      Grilled Tropical Halibut Skewers

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 11 votes (7 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. T Shelby

      August 20, 2022 at 8:30 pm

      So delicious. Gotta put this on everything!

      Reply
      • Suzy Sakamoto

        February 24, 2023 at 10:45 am

        Thank you! We sure have a hard time not adding it to everything ourselves.

        Reply
    2. Grace

      March 07, 2023 at 8:54 pm

      I bet this would be so good with French fries 🙂

      Reply
      • Suzy Sakamoto

        March 08, 2023 at 11:27 am

        We love it with french fries, and well, just about everything else too :).

        Reply
      • Gina

        January 25, 2024 at 12:30 pm

        5 stars
        If you haven't made this yet, what are you waiting for? It will be your favorite sauce and you will find yourself putting it on everything!

        Reply
    3. Jay

      June 16, 2023 at 8:38 pm

      5 stars
      G’day, Suzy, from The land Down Under. Pressed for time doing lamb shawarmas, mid-east lemon chicken, stuffed aubergines, etc. Needed a toum recipe. And by far your’s is the tastiest I’ve had. I’ll be back for more. Recipes that is!

      Reply
      • Suzy Sakamoto

        June 19, 2023 at 9:06 am

        Jay, thank you so much for such kind words! It's a recipe that's been handed down from my family and is much more palatable! I invite you to subscribe :).

        Reply
    4. Marguerite

      February 20, 2024 at 9:31 pm

      5 stars
      Just like the restaurant garlic sauce I love. So glad I made this!!

      Reply
      • Suzy Sakamoto

        March 08, 2024 at 9:25 am

        Thank you, Marguerite! Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Larry Short

      June 07, 2025 at 9:11 am

      5 stars
      Very tasty! I added a few (2 tsp.) fresh pine tips (plentiful in the spring) which added a whimsical aroma.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    seafood blogger in the pacific northwest

    Hi, I'm Suzy! Welcome to my Pacific Coast kitchen!

    Here you will find authentic Mediterranean recipes and a variety of fresh seafood recipes that are easy to achieve, feature fresh ingredients, and are packed with flavor! Growing up on the Mediterranean I cherish our current catch-and-cook lifestyle, and my seafood recipes are tested, perfected, and easy to re-create! Subscribe to get them via email, and in the meantime you can Shop My Kitchen!

    More About Me

    Popular

    • crab melts on english muffins with tomato and cheese
      Crab Melt on English Muffins
    • fish fillet cooked in air fryer with roasted air fries carrots and parsnips
      Easy Air Fryer Frozen Fish
    • Mediterranean Pickled Beet Salad
    • cooked crab in a pot crab legs crab sections and whole crab cooked
      The Easiest Way to Cook Crab

    Seasonal

    • salmon crudo with chimichurri
      Salmon Crudo
    • crab omelette with crab legs and veggies on white plate
      BEST Crab Omelette
    • creamy espresso martini
      Creamy Espresso Martini (3 ingredients!)
    • oysters cooked in air fryer with vinaigrette topping and garnished with parsley
      Air Fryer Oysters (Opening Oysters The Easiest Way)
    seafood blogger in the pacific northwest

    Hi, I'm Suzy! Welcome to my Pacific Coast kitchen!

    Here you will find authentic Mediterranean recipes and a variety of fresh seafood recipes that are easy to achieve, feature fresh ingredients, and are packed with flavor! Growing up on the Mediterranean I cherish our current catch-and-cook lifestyle, and my seafood recipes are tested, perfected, and easy to re-create! Subscribe to get them via email, and in the meantime you can Shop My Kitchen!

    More About Me

    Popular

    • crab melts on english muffins with tomato and cheese
      Crab Melt on English Muffins
    • fish fillet cooked in air fryer with roasted air fries carrots and parsnips
      Easy Air Fryer Frozen Fish
    • Mediterranean Pickled Beet Salad
    • cooked crab in a pot crab legs crab sections and whole crab cooked
      The Easiest Way to Cook Crab

    Seasonal

    • salmon crudo with chimichurri
      Salmon Crudo
    • crab omelette with crab legs and veggies on white plate
      BEST Crab Omelette
    • creamy espresso martini
      Creamy Espresso Martini (3 ingredients!)
    • oysters cooked in air fryer with vinaigrette topping and garnished with parsley
      Air Fryer Oysters (Opening Oysters The Easiest Way)

    Footer

    ⬆️ back to top

    ABOUT

    • ABOUT
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    NEWSLETTER

    • SIGN UP FOR FREE RECIPES

    CONTACT

    • CONTACT
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • PINTEREST

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ©️ 2023 THEPERFECTTIDE

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.