Aioli or Toum? What’s the difference. The names are often interchangeable. It’s a Garlic infused Oil that is emulsified into a Sauce. Almost like Mayonnaise, but not quite.

This makes a big batch, but you’ll use this up in no time. Be sure to refrigerate to allow the flavors to blend. It will last in the fridge for about 2 weeks, maybe longer.

Aioli

Aioli is a Mediterranean sauce made of garlic and olive oil; some regions use other emulsifiers such as eggs. The names mean “garlic and oil” in Catalan and Provençal. Some versions of the sauce are closer to a garlic mayonnaise, incorporating egg yolks and lemon juice, whereas other versions are without egg yolk and have more garlic. This gives the sauce a pastier texture while making it more laborious to make, as the emulsion is harder to stabilize. There are many variations, such as adding lemon juice or other seasonings. In France, it may include mustard. It is served at room temperature.

Toum

Toum or toumya is a garlic sauce common to the Levant. Similar to the Provençal aioli, it contains garlic, salt, olive oil or vegetable oil, and lemon juice, traditionally crushed together using a wooden mortar and pestle. There is also a variation popular in many places, such as the town of Zgharta, in Lebanon, where mint is added; it is called zeit wa toum (‘oil and garlic’). Toum is used as a dip, especially with French fries and chicken, and in Levantine sandwiches, especially those containing chicken.

Aioli in Garlic Butter

Whatever name you want to call it, Aioli or Toum. It’s a very good sauce to have in your repertoire and is the secret to Fantastic Garlic Butter. Once you make Garlic Butter or Garlic Fingers out of this. You’ll be making this all the time. There just won’t be any other way.

This recipe is the ratio I prefer not only for Aioli itself but to be combined with Butter and Herbs & Spices to create an out of this world Garlic Butter.

Aioli or Toum doesn’t Emulsify

If the Aioli doesn’t emulsify, this means that the Oil was added too fast. This does not mean the sauce is no good. You want the Emulsification if using for a dipping sauce.

The non-emulsified Aioli is still perfectly good for an array of other things like Garlic Butter, Carbonara, or other pasta dishes, or in any other place where you plan to cook with the Aioli which would break down anyway during the cooking process. So if you do mess it up, don’t worry. There are plenty of places where it can still be used. After all, it’s that Garlic Punch we’re really after.

Fixing non emulsified Aioli or Toum

You can start a second Batch and then once emulsified, add the non-emulsified Aioli in place of Oil to incorporate it into the Aioli. You can chill the liquid Aioli to assist in emulsification.

Aioli or Toum Uses

Below are some of the places where Aioli can be used to offer up that unique Garlic Punch.

Stick Blender Aioli

The stick blender method just the same as Homemade Mayo can be used here for Aioli in 5 minutes. It is quick, easy, and ready to be used in recipes, with the remaining that can be portioned into ice cubes and frozen to add to recipes you will cook with at a later time.

This recipe is cut down a bit for a smaller portion and to fit in a Glass Jar just wide enough to fit the immersion blender in. The recipe is scaled back about one third.

To peel the Garlic Faster, place one head of Garlic Cloves into the Jar with a lid and shake aggressively to peel the Garlic cloves. Empty out onto a counter and clean the jar out. Place the Garlic Cloves back into the Jar.

This method I typically use for Aioli that I am cooking or marinating with, since it does not produce an emulsified Aioli like it does in the food processor. The emulsification of it doesn’t matter since it is being used in marinades and cooking. I am still messing around with this technique, but I absolutely love it for how easy and how fast it can be made. The water is left out since this is used to assist in emulsification, which isn’t really a concern with Jar Aioli.