How to Make Authentic Shawarma Garlic Sauce (Toum)
The fluffy, punchy Lebanese garlic sauce served with chicken shawarma. Just garlic, salt, lemon, water and oil — and a little patience.
November 1, 2026
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 2 heads), germ removed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 3 cups neutral oil (canola, sunflower or grapeseed)
What You’ll Need
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Good for quick garlic in marinades
OXO Good Grips Garlic Press
OXO
A garlic press from OXO’s Good Grips line — shawarma marinades and sauces use a lot of garlic, and this speeds up the prep.
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Instructions
- Blend the garlic and salt in a food processor to a fine paste, scraping down the sides.
- With the motor running, add about 1/2 cup oil in a very thin, slow stream until the mixture turns white and starts to thicken.
- Keep the motor running and alternate: a tablespoon of lemon juice or ice water, then about 1/2 cup oil, slowly each time.
- Continue until all the oil is used and the sauce is thick and fluffy, like mayonnaise.
- Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Tip: adding oil too fast breaks the emulsion. Go slowly.
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What is toum?
Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce: an emulsion of garlic, salt, lemon juice and oil whipped until thick, white and fluffy, like a garlicky mayonnaise with no eggs. It is the classic sauce for chicken shawarma and grilled meats.
Equipment you need
- A food processor. Essential — it does the steady blending that creates the emulsion. A blender can work but is harder to control.
- A measuring cup with a spout for pouring the oil in a thin stream.
- Optional: a garlic press helps if you are making a small batch by hand or prepping garlic for other sauces.
Tips for perfect toum
- Remove the green germ from each clove to avoid bitterness.
- Go very slowly with the first half cup of oil. This is where the emulsion forms.
- Use a neutral oil. Olive oil can turn bitter when blended hard.
- Ice water keeps it cool and helps it stay fluffy.
How to fix broken toum
If it turns runny and separates, pour it out. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 egg white (or a few fresh cloves of garlic blended to a paste) to the empty processor, then drizzle the broken mixture back in very slowly.
What to serve with toum
- Chicken shawarma wraps and plates
- Grilled meats and skewers
- Roasted potatoes and fries
FAQ
Why is my toum not thickening?
Usually the oil went in too fast early on. Start over with fresh garlic and add the broken batch slowly, as above.
How long does toum last?
Up to about 4 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. It mellows over time.
Is toum the same as aioli?
They are related, but traditional toum has no egg and uses much more garlic.