Aquafaba

Aquafaba is the viscous liquid in which chickpeas or other legumes have been cooked, including the liquid found in cans of chickpeas. It contains a mixture of starches, proteins and other soluble plant compounds that allow it to be whipped into a stable foam, in a similar way to egg whites. Since its popularisation in the mid-2010s, aquafaba has become one of the best-known egg substitutes in vegan baking.

The name combines the Latin words aqua (“water”) and faba (“bean”).

History

Cooks have long used legume cooking liquids in soups and stews, and some earlier recipes used bean liquid as a binder. However, the widespread use of chickpea liquid as a whipped egg-white substitute is recent.

In 2014, French musician Joël Roessel reported experiments showing that the liquid from canned chickpeas and other legumes could be whipped into a foam and used in place of egg whites, and he shared his findings online.

In 2015, American software engineer Goose Wohlt developed a meringue recipe using chickpea liquid with sugar, and an online community formed around the discovery. Wohlt is credited with coining the name aquafaba. The community shared recipes and experiments widely, and the ingredient spread quickly among vegan cooks and food bloggers.

Since then, aquafaba has appeared in cookbooks, restaurant desserts and cocktail bars, and some manufacturers have produced aquafaba-based or chickpea-protein products.

Properties

Aquafaba’s foaming ability comes from its combination of proteins and carbohydrates, including starches and soluble fibres released from the legumes during cooking. The exact composition varies with the type of legume, cooking time and how much the liquid has been reduced, which is why results can differ between batches and brands.

Characteristics include:

• It whips into soft or stiff peaks, usually taking longer than egg whites.
• It can bind, emulsify and add structure to batters.
• It has a faint bean flavour that usually disappears when combined with sugar and other ingredients.
• It is low in calories and protein compared with egg whites.

Uses

Aquafaba is used in a wide range of dishes:

• Meringues and pavlovas
• Macarons, which require a stable foam
• Mousses and whipped desserts
• Mayonnaise, where it acts as an emulsifier with oil
• Cakes, brownies and cookies, as a binder
• Marshmallows and nougat-style confectionery
• Cocktails such as sours, replacing the egg white traditionally used to create foam
• Vegan butter and cheese-style recipes (see vegan cheese)

Common substitution guidelines

The following rules of thumb are widely used, though recipes vary:

Preparation tips

1. Choose the liquid – liquid from canned chickpeas is most commonly used because its consistency is relatively reliable. Unsalted varieties give more flexibility.
2. Check the thickness – liquid that resembles thin egg white tends to whip best. Thin, watery liquid can be gently reduced on the hob and cooled.
3. Use a clean bowl – as with egg whites, traces of fat can inhibit foaming.
4. Add a stabiliser – cream of tartar, a small amount of acid, or sugar added gradually helps produce a firmer foam.
5. Whip thoroughly – an electric mixer is recommended, as reaching stiff peaks can take several minutes.
6. Bake low and slow – meringues are usually dried at a low oven temperature to keep them crisp.

Aquafaba can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen in portions for later use.

Significance in vegan cooking

Before aquafaba, vegan bakers had few options for recipes that relied on whipped egg whites, such as meringues and macarons. Aquafaba made many of these recipes achievable with an inexpensive ingredient that was previously often discarded, and its discovery is frequently cited as an example of community-led innovation in vegan cooking. It is commonly recommended to people learning to replace eggs, an issue discussed in egg industry and how to go vegan.

See also

• Egg substitutes
• Vegan Baking
• Egg Industry
• How to Go Vegan