Oil-Free Garlic Sauce (Toum)! Packed with plant-based goodness, this oil-free toum is not only a flavor powerhouse but also a versatile condiment that elevates everyday meals while keeping them wholesome and clean.
This healthy oil-free garlic sauce, a bright and creamy take on traditional toum, is a Whole Food Plant Based nod to the classic Lebanese (Middle Eastern) staple. Traditional toum is famous for its intensely garlic-forward flavor, achieved by whipping garlic into a mayonnaise with olive oil. Our version uses soaked cashews and raw garlic, where the hot water tames the garlic’s punch just enough to let its natural flavor shine through. The result is a luscious, dairy-free sauce that pairs deliciously with sandwiches, wraps, and roasted veggies.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
We devour toum (garlic sauce) like our lives depended on it. We absolutely LOVE it. This is the kind of sauce that makes weeknight dinners feel special and turns simple ingredients into a flavor celebration. We slather it on everything—from hearty veggie wraps to roasted potatoes—because its creamy, garlicky punch adds a bright, memorable finish.
You gotta give this one a try if you crave a fearless, flavor-packed condiment that stays true to clean, plant-based eating while delivering restaurant-worthy wow factor.
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This healthy Oil-Free Garlic Sauce (Toum) is a Whole Food Plant Based nod to traditional Lebanese (Middle Eastern) Toum Sauce. Traditional Lebanese (Middle Eastern) Toum Sauce is basically an intensely garlic flavored mayonnaise where olive oil and garlic are whipped into a mayonnaise. This recipe uses raw garlic that has been soaked in hot water to remove a tiny bit of the raw-garlic bite.
- Raw Garlic Bite: If you are lover of garlic, then you will most likely love this sauce; however, if that tiny bit of raw garlic bite is not your jam, then consider skipping this recipe.
- Number of Garlic: We used 3 medium-to-larger sized garlic in this recipe.
- Slightly Smashing the Garlic: Place the garlic on a cutting board and use the flat side of a chef’s knife and tap it, just enough to crack open the garlic. This allows the boiling water (for soak) to permeate the inside of the garlic and remove some of the raw bite. You will still have a tiny bit of raw garlic bite, but it will be slightly diminished by the 20-minute hot water soak.
- Health Benefits of Raw Garlic: There are many health benefits of eating raw garlic such as it has the active compound allicin which is maximized in raw, crushed, or chewed garlic and can improve heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, bolster the immune system against infections, reduce cancer risk, and support bone health. Raw garlic also has antibacterial properties and is full of antioxidants. It can also help with managing blood sugar
- Water: We used ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons of water. If you wish to thin out the sauce more, then feel free to add more water to thin it out. Keep in mind that cashew-based sauces tend to thicken in the refrigerator.
- Cashew Substitutions: You can try the typical substitutions like silken tofu, white beans, or other nuts or seeds with the understanding that the flavor and texture will be impacted accordingly. We have not tested any substitutions.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered air-tight container.
Toum can be frozen; however, we do not recommend it as the freezing will cause the emulsion to separate.
Pantry Products:
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.Â
Kitchen Equipment:
- High-Speed blender
If you try these bold sauce, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Oil-Free Garlic Sauce (Toum)
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Total Time: 25 Minutes (+Rest Time)
- Yield: 3/4 Cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This healthy oil-free garlic sauce, a bright and creamy take on traditional toum, is a Whole Food Plant Based nod to the classic Lebanese (Middle Eastern) staple.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- ½ cup [raw] cashews *
- 2 to 4 garlic cloves, slightly smashed *
Sauce Ingredients:
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons water *
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch to ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
Instructions
- Place the cashews and the slightly smashed garlic cloves in a small bowl, pour boiling water over top and soak for 20 minutes, then drain (discard water) and set aside.
- Place all the Sauce Ingredients (including the soaked cashews and slightly smashed garlic) into a high-speed blender, process until smooth and emulsified, refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or longer) before serving. Important Note:Â Start with only two smashed garlic and taste the sauce after processing, add more smashed garlic to increase the garlic intensity.
Notes
Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.Â
Servings:Â makes 3/4 cup
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