How do you feel about vampires?

Odd question, I know, but maybe the better question is this: do you eat enough garlic to ward them off?

If you ask me, I’m pretty safe these days. But that wasn’t always true… not until I met my friend Cosette and her magical Lebanese garlic paste known as toum.

What Is Garlic Paste (Toum)?

In Cosette’s own words (and she says it best):

“Toum is no stranger to Arab cuisine. It’s been around for centuries, from the time of using a mortar and pestle to make the creamy garlic sauce. Grandmothers all over Lebanon and surrounding countries have made toum for chicken on Sundays since the dawn of time. It’s quintessential and one of the best-kept secrets to create the most flavorful food.”

Cosette, the brilliant mind behind Cosette’s Kitchen, has truly mastered the art of this garlic paste, and all of its endless uses.

How to Use Garlic Paste

Traditionally, garlic paste (or toum) was served as a dip for roasted chicken, but honestly, it’s the kind of condiment that transforms everything it touches.

Here’s how I use it in my kitchen:

• On pizza: Slather a spoonful on the crust before adding toppings — next-level flavour!
• In tomato sauce: Add a scoop right into the pot with your tomatoes. No burnt garlic, no bitterness — just rich, garlicky goodness.
• On rolls: Brush it over freshly baked dinner rolls, then sprinkle with Parmesan as they cool. Heaven.

Of course, you can (and should) visit Cosette’s blog for her full garlic paste recipe — find it here on Cosette’s Kitchen. But here’s the short version if you want a peek at how it all comes together.

How to Make Garlic Paste

Step 1: Prep the Garlic

Start with about three fresh heads of garlic. Make sure the cloves are firm and not dried out. Separate and peel them (try this viral garlic peeling hack — it actually works!).

Image alt text: “Fresh garlic cloves ready to make Lebanese garlic paste toum.”

Step 2: Blend It

Place the peeled cloves in a food processor with a little cold water. Blend until you have a smooth, pasty texture.

Step 3: The Secret Step

Now for the magic: slowly — and I mean slowly — drizzle in neutral oil while blending. Your food processor’s feeder tube might even have a small “streaming hole” that helps regulate the pour.

When it’s done, your garlic paste will look thick and creamy, almost like mayonnaise. That’s when you know it’s perfect.

Image alt text: “Creamy Lebanese garlic paste in a food processor, smooth and fluffy like mayo.”

Common Garlic Paste Questions

If you’re new to making garlic paste, Cosette covers everything beautifully on her blog:

• How to fix a broken toum
• How to store garlic paste
• How to use it in everyday cooking

Seriously, go check out her Toum recipe post here and follow her on Instagram — you’ll be hooked.

And if you need more garlic inspiration, my TikTok video here shows just how easy it is to fall in love with this aromatic paste.

Final Thoughts

Once you make garlic paste, you’ll never go back to minced garlic again. It’s smooth, strong, and transformative — the kind of secret ingredient that instantly elevates every dish.

So, grab some fresh garlic, fire up your blender, and make a batch of this Lebanese treasure. Then go out there and ward off a few vampires — just to be safe.