Toum Recipe

Prepare garlic

Trim and peel the garlic cloves. Remove any green shoots from the center of the largest cloves if present (they can be bitter). Roughly chop the garlic into smaller pieces so the blender/processor can handle them evenly.

Initial purée

Place the chopped garlic and kosher salt in a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse until the garlic is broken down into a rough paste (about 30–45 seconds), stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice. The salt helps break down the garlic and season the emulsion.

Add lemon and begin emulsifying

With the processor running on low, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a slow, steady stream. Continue processing for 15–20 seconds to incorporate. This acid helps stabilize the emulsion.

Slow oil incorporation (critical)

Very slowly begin adding the neutral oil in a thin, steady stream while the processor is running. Aim to add about 1–2 teaspoons of oil at a time at first. As the mixture becomes thicker and creamy (may take 3–5 minutes), you can increase the flow to a thin steady stream. Pause occasionally to scrape down the bowl so all garlic integrates. If the emulsion looks separated or runny, stop adding oil and add 1 teaspoon of ice water or 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, then resume adding oil slowly.

Finish and adjust

Once all neutral oil is incorporated and you have a thick, silky white emulsion, add the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the extra virgin olive oil (if using) in a slow steady stream while processing. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice to taste (add small amounts, then reprocess briefly). If the toum is too thick, blend in 1 teaspoon of ice water at a time until desired spreadable consistency is reached.

Chill and store

Transfer toum to a clean jar, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld and for the texture to firm slightly. Toum will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; bring to near-room temperature before serving if it firms too much.