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Aquafaba

Beans, lentils & pulses · Chickpeas & peas

Aquafaba

The thick liquid from canned or cooked chickpeas, whipped like egg whites for vegan meringues and mousses.

Also called: chickpea water, chickpea brine

Photo: Mangostaniko, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Aquafaba is the cloudy, slightly viscous liquid that chickpeas are canned or cooked in. Proteins and starches from the chickpeas let it whip into stiff, glossy foam, so it can replace egg whites in meringues, macarons and cocktails. It tastes faintly beany, but the flavour fades once sweetened and baked.

How it’s used

  • Whipped with sugar into vegan meringues and pavlova
  • Folded into mousses
  • Used in place of egg white in sour-style drinks
  • Emulsified with oil into vegan mayonnaise

Characteristics

Texture
Thin and viscous, like loose egg white.
When cooked
Whips more slowly than egg whites; cream of tartar helps stabilise it. Reduce home-made liquid until it is as thick as the canned kind.
Sold as
liquid
Cooking uses
Used for binding, Suitable for baking
Common in
International

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate in a covered jar and use within a few days, or freeze in ice-cube portions.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
13 kcal
Protein
0.738 g
Carbohydrate
2.023 g
Fat
0.293 g
Fibre
0.66 g
Sugars
— g

USDA FoodData Central: Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, canned, solids and liquids × 0.15 (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Egg white — For anyone not avoiding eggs; about 30 ml aquafaba replaces one white.

Related ingredients

Recipes with aquafaba

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

More chickpeas & peas