Lebanese Garlic Sauce is a creamy garlic-based sauce that is perfect for serving with Middle Eastern flatbread or pita and/or fresh vegetables.
It’s time to try the most amazing sauce/dip you’ve ever had. I became totally enamored with Lebanese Garlic Sauce when I lived in San Diego and frequented a local restaurant there. I ordered it every chance I could get. It’s a thick dip greatly flavored with garlic. You’ll want to dunk your flatbread into it many times. The garlic lives with you for a bit beyond indulging, but it’s totally worth it because this sauce is so delicious!
Ingredients needed:
- garlic cloves
- kosher salt
- vegetable oil
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ice water
How to make Lebanese Garlic Sauce:
You must have a food processor to make Lebanese Garlic Sauce. And you will need a LOT of garlic- 3/4 cup of peeled garlic cloves! It’s exhausting to peel garlic, so I suggest you pick up the cloves already peeled. Process cloves and kosher salt together until the garlic is finely ground and forms a paste with the salt.
How to add the oil:
Adding the oil in a proper way is important in order for this sauce to turn out perfect. It’s a bit of a tedious task, but the vegetable (or canola) oil must be added to the food processor very, very slowly (a little at a time). The lemon juice is added alternately with the oil. The process of incorporating the oil and lemon juice takes about 20 minutes. It should be done slowly so the mixture emulsifies properly. Follow the directions in the recipe exactly, and you will have success. Do not use olive oil or you will have a very different flavor for this dip. You need a neutral-tasting oil like vegetable or canola.
The sauce becomes thickened with the addition of the oil and lemon juice. For the final step, blend in a little ice water.
Transfer the Lebanese Garlic Sauce to a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top (optional). Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Can you see how totally creamy that sauce is?? It’s best to refrigerate Lebanese Garlic Sauce overnight before serving. Keep stored in the fridge in an airtight container, and you can continue to enjoy it for up to one month.
Serve as a dip for pita or Middle Eastern flatbread (Trader Joe’s carries a great flatbread too!) Grilled lemon chicken is wonderful to serve with Lebanese Garlic Sauce. And it’s great used as a substitute for mayonnaise on a chicken sandwich or lamb burger. Enjoy!
Lebanese Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup peeled garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons ice water
- for serving, as desired: extra virgin olive oil, fresh chopped parsley, flatbread, fresh vegetables
Instructions
- Add the garlic and salt to a food processor and process until the garlic forms a paste, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
- With the motor running, drizzle the oil into the garlic, starting with just a couple drops at a time. Continue to drizzle in the oil until the first ¼ cup of oil is added, and then add it in a very slow drizzle. Once half of the oil is incorporated, with the motor still running, add the lemon juice in a slow drizzle. With the motor running, add the remaining oil in a slow steady stream, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. The process of incorporating the oil and lemon juice takes about 20 minutes. It should be done slowly so the mixture emulsifies properly.
- Drizzle the ice water in the top with the motor running. The mixture will smooth out a bit and should be very creamy. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top, if desired. Serve with pita, flatbread and/or fresh vegetables.
- Store Lebanese Garlic Sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
- In addition to dipping, this dip is delicious on a chicken sandwich. You can use it in place of mayo!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you use avocado oil? I don’t usually use canola. Thank you
You can certainly try… but I haven’t tried it myself.
It is called Toum. and is just delicious. I have used it when sauteing veg, marinating chicken, rubbed on lamb. and of course slathered on pita.
It’s called Toum. The best ever garlic accompaniment to any meat/veggie. 🤤
Can you use extra vergin olive oil instead of vegetable oil
It would give it a much different flavor.
This sounds so familiar to something I also had in a San Diego restaurant. Do you remember which one you had this at??
Armenian Cafe in Carlsbad…but I believe it has changed to another name.
This sauce is of French origin, Mediterranean basin, it is consumed
throughout the Mediterranean and its name is aioli, the real way to do it is a mortar and it must be fresh garlic. And who does it like this today, having thermomix and in 3 minutes it is ready. Lebanon is part of the Mediterranean, but the sauce is not Lebanese. I am sorry
In Spain we love it and we eat it with every thing, my favorite is black rice with alioli. Delicious!. Best regards