How to Make Aquafaba

If you have ever wondered how to make aquafaba or even what is aquafaba, I’m here to explain it all! Aquafaba translates to bean water and although it sounds weird, this liquid from the cooking process of chickpeas and other beans makes a magical substance that whips up fluffy like egg whites and can be used in a variety of recipes.

Simply drain a can of chickpeas or beans into a bowl, add a tiny bit of cream of tartar, and use a stand mixer or electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the liquid until it forms a light fluffy consistency with stiff peaks.

Is aquafaba just chickpea water?

Most aquafaba is just the liquid from cooking chickpeas, but you can also use the liquid from white beans, navy beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, or even black beans. The lighter the liquid, the whiter your whipped aquafaba will be, so most of the time people use chickpeas or white beans.

Should I use unsalted chickpeas?

Many recipes for aquafaba call for unsalted chickpeas, however, the unsalted variety is hard to find and I don’t think that it changes the flavor that much. I actually prefer the enhanced flavor that the added salt brings to the aquafaba recipes.

How does Aquafaba work?

Beans contain proteins called albumins and globulins, the same proteins found in egg whites. When boiled these proteins then get into the cooking water and when in high enough concentration, they are able to be whipped like egg whites. When you add acid to the aquafaba like cream or tartar or lemon juice, it loosens the stands of protein so that they can trap hold water and air bubbles forming a colloidal foam. This stabilizes the meringue so it doesn’t deflate.

Ingredients you’ll need

• The liquid from 1 can of chickpeas or white beans
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• Sugar or sweetener plus some flavored extract. I find that powdered sugar works best since dissolves completely.

How to make aquafaba

• Add 1/2 cup aquafaba (chickpea liquid) to the bottom of a large mixing bowl with the cream of tartar or lemon juice and beat for 7 minutes until it forms a stiff meringue.
• Add 2 tsp of vanilla and beat again for another minute.
• Slowly add powdered sugar until the desired sweetness is achieved.

Does aquafaba taste like eggs?

Aquafaba can be used as a vegan egg substitute in many recipes and it’s the only thing that you can use to replace egg whites when making a vegan meringue, however, it has a slight taste of beans and doesn’t taste like eggs. This flavor is easily hidden in desserts with some vanilla and sugar in recipes like aquafaba whipped cream, vegan marshmallows, aquafaba ice cream, and vegan chocolate mousse.

What can I do to hide the taste of aquafaba?

If you don’t like the flavor of chickpea liquid (garbanzo bean liquid) then I highly recommend using the liquid from a can of white beans like navy beans, cannellini beans, or great northern beans instead. White beans tend to have a more mild flavor.

Whatever type of beans you choose, you will need to add sugar, extract, or some type of flavor to the whipped aquafaba since it won’t taste good without it.

Can you use aquafaba straight from the can?

Most cans of beans are suitable to use straight from the can, however, I occasionally open a can of beans and find the liquid to be super watery. This very clear watery liquid doesn’t beat up into as thick of a meringue and does not hold its shape as long as a thicker meringue. When this happens I simmer the aquafaba to boil off some excess water and make it thicker.

How to reduce aquafaba to make it thicker

If you open a can of garbanzo beans or white beans and find that the liquid is clear and watery, you will need to reduce it down to achieve its full thickening power. To do this, simply pour the liquid into a saucepan and simmer it over medium-low heat uncovered for about 10 -15 minutes until the liquid has reduced to about 1/2. At this point, it will be cloudy and thicker. Allow it to cool to room temperature before beating.

What is aquafaba used for?

Aquafaba is most commonly used as an egg white replacement since it is able to be whipped up into a fluffy meringue. Some people also use it as an egg replacement in baking, but I find that other egg substitutes work better for this purpose. See my post about vegan egg replacements for the best substitutes for baking.

Storing and freezing

When you use a can of chickpeas or white beans, save the liquid to use another time. You can keep aquafaba in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Pouring it into ice cube trays is a convenient way to store your aquafaba for later.

Troubleshooting

If your aquafaba doesn’t whip up well or doesn’t hold its shape for long before deflating there are a few things that you may have done wrong.

• First, be sure that the liquid that you are using is thick and not too watery (see how to reduce aquafaba above).
• Next, be sure to use an acid, like cream of tartar or lemon juice to help stabilize the foam. You will need just 1/8 tsp cream of tartar or 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
• Lastly, you need to whip the aquafaba long enough to form strong bonds. The meringue may look good after about 3-5 minutes of whipping, but keep whipping it for a full 9 minutes to form strong bonds that won’t break down.

How to make a stable meringue that won’t deflate

If you want a vegan meringue that will last for days on top of a pie or when making vegan marshmallows, you need to use agar agar as an additional stabilizer.

Aquafaba recipes

• Aquafaba Whipped Frosting
• Vegan Marshmallows
• Silken Tofu Chocolate Mousse
• Vegan Chocolate Mousse
• Aquafaba Whipped Cream
• Vegan Grasshopper Pie
• Aquafaba Ice Cream
• Aquafaba Mayo
• Egg Free Cake
• Vegan Angel Food Cake
• Egg-Free Candied Nuts
• Vegan Macarons

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

How to make aquafaba