Perfect vegan meringue that keeps its shape and doesn’t go flat! Made with aquafaba, the liquid from canned beans, this egg-free meringue will surprise you. This light and airy aquafaba meringue can be toasted with a kitchen torch, and unlike most vegan meringue recipes, it holds its shape even after days in the fridge!

A vegan meringue pie being toasted with a kitchen torch.

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Why make vegan meringue

If you want to top your pies with truly awesome egg-free meringue, this recipe is for you! I originally created this recipe back in 2018 to top my vegan s’mores pie. I then modified it to create a vegan marshmallow recipe too!

This meringue is perfect for topping my vegan lemon meringue pie and my vegan cranberry meringue pie, too. They come out perfectly every time, and keep in the fridge for days without going flat!

Hi! I’ve been meaning to get back here and mention how much I love this recipe! Been too busy making meringue topped pies 😂.

But seriously, this is a game changer. I’ve been messing around with various meringue/whipped cream recipes for years and this one succeeds where all the others have fallen short. The meringue is somehow both light and fluffy, yet structurally sound?! It even stays put for several days before breaking down. What sorcery is this?!

—Jermery

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Aquafaba – This is the liquid from a can of chickpeas or white beans aks chickpea brine or chickpea water. You can use any type of bean cooking liquid, but the clear liquid will give you a beautiful white meringue similar to egg whites. To see all of my tips and tricks for using aquafaba, see my aquafaba guide.
  • Cream of Tartar – this is tartaric acid, and it will help the proteins in the aquafaba bind together. You can use 1 teaspoon of lemon juice if you don’t have cream of tartar.
  • Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
  • Agar agar – this is a key ingredient to making the meringue set. It is a clear, flavorless gelling agent made from seaweed. You can find it at most Asian markets or specialty stores, or order it online. (You can make the meringue without it, but it will only last for a few hours before it starts to deflate. If you want a firm vegan meringue that will hold up, you must use agar agar.) If you choose to omit the agar agar, you will also want to omit the water and add the sugar directly to the aquafaba.
  • Water – to dissolve the agar agar.
  • Sugar – to sweeten the meringue. A light-colored sugar will give you a white meringue. I don’t recommend using maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener.

Helpful tools

  • Electric Mixer – you will need to whip the aquafaba for nearly 10 minutes, so a stand mixer is easiest, but any electric mixer will work. This is not something that you can do with a hand mixer.
A slice of vegan lemon meringue pie with a fork in it.
vegan lemon meringue pie

How to make meringue from aquafaba

Step 1 – Add aquafaba (chickpea liquid) to the bottom of a large mixing bowl with cream of tartar or lemon juice, then beat with a whisk attachment for 7 minutes, until stiff peaks form.

Step 2 – Add 2 tsp of vanilla and beat again for another minute.

Step 3 – Turn off the beaters and make your syrup.

Aquafaba beaten into a meringue.

Make the syrup to set the meringue

Step 4 – In a small saucepan, add water and agar agar and boil for 3 minutes.

Step 5 – Add the sugar, then boil for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly.

A boiling syrup made of sugar and agar agar to set the vegan meringue.

Step 6 – Then, immediately, pour the hot syrup slowly into your meringue mixture with the beaters set to medium speed.

Step 7 – Beat the syrup into the mixture for about 30 seconds, until well incorporated and the meringue looks shiny.

Step 8 – Quickly top your pie with the meringue, spreading it evenly over the top and making peaks by lifting up the spatula.  (You must work quickly because the meringue will start to set once it cools.)

Step 9 – Let your pie cool in the fridge for another hour, allowing it to set completely.

Step 10 – Then use a kitchen torch to toast the top of the meringue, giving the peaks some golden-brown color. (This is optional and only for aesthetics.)

You can also use this meringue to make vegan Peeps or vegan meringue cookies by putting the hot meringue into a piping bag and piping it onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Pro Tips

  • Reduce your aquafaba.  Some brands of chickpeas have a thinner, light-colored, watery liquid.  If this is the case, you will get better results by simmering the liquid for a little while to get more concentrated aquafaba. You read more about how to reduce aquafaba here.
  • Measure your agar agar carefully; slight changes in the amount of powder will affect the firmness of your pie.
  • Once you mix the syrup into the meringue, work quickly to put it on top of your pie. You will only have about 1-2 minutes before it starts to firm up and set.

Storage

Refrigerate:  Place your meringue pie in the fridge to set. Leave it uncovered for a few hours to allow any steam to escape. Then loosely cover your pie to let a little air in and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

A slice of a vegan cranberry pie on a white plate with the rest of the pie in the background.
Vegan cranberry meringue pie!

More vegan pies

Vegan meringue recipe

A pie with vegan meringue being toasted with a kitchen torch.
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5 from 4 rating

Vegan Meringue

Yield: 10 slices
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Total: 1 hour 16 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
Vegan meringue made from aquafaba that holds its shape and won't go flat.
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Ingredients

For the aquafaba meringue

  • 1/2 cup aquafaba, (the liquid from a can of chickpeas or white beans)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, or lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the syrup to stabilize the meringue

Instructions
 

Make the aquafaba meringue

  • Add 1/2 cup aquafaba (bean liquid) to the bottom of a large mixing bowl with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar or lemon juice. Beat for 7 minutes until it forms a stiff meringue.
  • Add 2 tsp of vanilla and beat again for another minute, then turn off the beater and make your agar agar syrup.

Make the syrup to stabilize the meringue

  • In a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup water and 3/4 tsp agar agar and boil for 3 minutes.
  • Then add 3/4 cup sugar to the agar mixture and boil for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Immediately pour the hot syrup slowly into your meringue mixture, with the beaters set to medium speed.
  • Beat the syrup into the aquafaba mixture for about 30 seconds, until well incorporated and the meringue looks shiny.
  • Quickly top your pie with the meringue, spreading it evenly over the top and making peaks by lifting up the spatula.  (You must work quickly because the meringue will start to set once it cools.)
  • Let your pie cool in the fridge for another hour, allowing it to set completely.
  • Use a kitchen torch to toast the top of the meringue, giving the peaks some golden-brown color. (optional)

Notes

  • Measure your agar agar carefully; slight changes in the amount of powder will affect the firmness of your pie.
  • Work quickly when making the aquafaba meringue.  It will set once it cools, so it needs to be added to the pie quickly while it is still warm.
  • I don’t recommend toasting the top of your pie in the oven.  The meringue can become too hot and deflate or melt.  A kitchen torch works best.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 61kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 14mg, Sugar: 15g, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg
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