Toum, The Secret Ingredient for Incredible Garlic Bread

This Lebanese garlic spread takes homemade garlic bread to the next level.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A writer discovers the magic of toum, a Lebanese garlic spread, and how it can elevate simple garlic bread to new heights of flavor. Toum's emulsified texture and mellowed garlic taste make it a superior alternative to fresh or powdered garlic for garlic bread.

Why it matters

Garlic bread is a beloved comfort food, but this story shows how one simple ingredient swap can transform it into an exceptional dish. Toum provides a unique garlic flavor profile that is more nuanced and less harsh than raw garlic, making it ideal for garlic bread and many other savory applications.

The details

The writer was introduced to toum by a co-worker with Lebanese heritage. When the writer ran out of fresh garlic for making garlic bread, they decided to try using toum instead. Blending the toum with softened butter created a rich, fluffy spread that coated the bread perfectly. After broiling, the result was the "most richly flavored garlic bread" the writer had ever tasted.

  • The writer was given the tub of toum by their co-worker Alana a few days before trying it in their garlic bread.
  • The writer made the garlic bread with toum for a dinner of spaghetti and meat sauce.

The players

Alana

The writer's co-worker who introduced them to toum, a Lebanese garlic spread. Alana has family ties to Lebanon and grew up eating toum.

Josh Miller

The writer of the article, who discovered the magic of using toum to make exceptional garlic bread.

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What’s next

The writer plans to continue experimenting with using toum in a variety of savory dishes, including salad dressings, sauces, and even grilled cheese sandwiches.

The takeaway

This story demonstrates how one simple ingredient swap can elevate a classic dish like garlic bread to new levels of flavor. Toum, a Lebanese garlic spread, provides a unique taste profile that is more nuanced and less harsh than raw garlic, making it an ideal alternative for garlic bread and many other savory applications.