This is a vegan’s prayer answered: Chickpea water is the new egg replacer that has recently taken the vegan world by storm. Whipped cream, vegan cheese, chocolate mousse - everything is possible!

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the name for the viscous water in which chickpeas, beans and lentils have been cooked. You may know it as the typically discarded liquid found in retail cans and boxes of beans, or as the liquid left over from cooking your own.

What is it good for?

The most common use of aquafaba is as an egg white replacer. It is composed of carbohydrates, proteins, and other soluble plant solids which have migrated from the seeds to the water during the cooking process. This unique combination of ingredients gives it a wide spectrum of foaming, binding and thickening properties. It’s composition makes it is especially suitable for use by people with dietary, ethical, or religious reasons to avoid eggs.

Where does it come from?

In 2014, french chef Joël Roessel, discovered that water from canned beans and other vegetables can be made to form foams, much like protein isolates and flax mucilage. Joël shared his great idea anonymously on a blog in France showing that the canning liquid can be used as a foaming agent for many recipes.

How does it work?

Use the liquid from a can of chickpeas, beans or lentils and simply whip it as you would whip egg whites into a meringue. After 10 or 15 minutes of whipping you will get the fluffy, stiff peaks that you’d expect from egg whites. 3 tablespoons of aquafaba can replace 1 egg.

A growing international community has developed around aquafaba to explore its full potential, resulting in many exciting recipes such as meringues, cakes, macarons, bakes goods, mayonnaise, butter, cheeses, pavlovas, macarons, baked goods, and so much more. Whether you are vegan or not, give it a try!