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    Home » Eating Vegan

    Aquafaba egg replacer for magical vegan meringue and beyond

    Last Modified: Nov 17, 2022 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    image collage showing aquafaba meringues, whipped on a beater, a chocolate chip cookie, and whipped matcha tea

    Looking for aquafaba recipes? Learn how to use this amazing, vegan egg substitute in baking, breading, and beyond!

    beater with whipped aquafaba egg replacer on it

    Aquafaba is a vegan egg replacer that totally changed the world of vegan cooking. Not only does an aquafaba egg replace animal egg in recipes like a dream, it's basically free. Here's a guide to getting started with this magical egg replacer, plus some amazing aquafaba recipes!

    Jump To:
    • What is aquafaba?
    • How to use aquafaba
    • Tips for making vegan meringue
    • Aquafaba recipes
    • How much aquafaba per egg?
    • What kind of bean liquid will work?
    • Can you freeze aquafaba?

    What is aquafaba?

    Aquafaba was discovered by Goose Wohlt. It is just the liquid you'd normally drain and toss from a can of beans.

    It turns out that bean liquid has a similar protein profile to egg, which makes it an amazing egg replacer.

    How to use aquafaba

    There are so many ways to use this all natural, inexpensive egg replacer!

    Use it in any recipe that calls for one to two eggs. For something like quiche or an omelet, aquafaba alone is not going to work. You're better of using something like tofu or chickpea flour and following a tested vegan recipe.

    I have used aquafaba with boxed cake mixes that call for three eggs. While it does work, your cake won't have exactly the same structural integrity it would if you used animal eggs or followed a tested from-scratch vegan cake recipe. It works well best if you're making a sheet cake, in my experience.

    Here are some ideas for how you can use aquafaba:

    • in baking (see the first part of this section for caveats)
    • as a binder to make breading stick to baked or fried food
    • to make vegan meringues
    • to make vegan marshmallows and marshmallow fluff

    Tips for making vegan meringue

    If you're familiar with how to make meringues, these tips will help you make aquafaba meringues!

    Sugar plus protein is what gives you stiff, shiny peaks. As far as I know, you need real sugar to make traditional meringue, whether you use it with egg whites or with aquafaba.

    For a vegan meringue recipe, your ratio of bean liquid to sugar should be around one part liquid to 1 ⅓ parts sugar. You can get away with 1 ¼ parts sugar, if you prefer.

    Start with a small amount of sugar. You can always add more sugar if you're not getting the stiff peaks you want! I see recipes that say to add the sugar after you have soft peaks, but I had success adding most of the sugar right from the get, then adding more as needed.

    image collage of whipping aquafaba, soft peaks on a beater, uncooked meringues on a baking sheet, and baked meringues on a plate

    Aquafaba recipes

    OK, so those are the basics, but with anything new, it's nice to have recipes to jump off of. Below are vegan aquafaba recipes to get you started.

    blue plate with pile of vegan aquafaba meringue cookies. another stack of cookies and kitchen counter items in the background

    Vegan meringue cookies recipe

    Vegan Meringue Cookies made with white bean meringue are crisp, sweet, and have no beany taste at all! This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

    In an meringue-adjacent application, you can use it to make fluffy, whipped tea or coffee. This whipped matcha is a great example!

    A close up of a whipped matcha latte in a pint glass

    Matcha whipped tea

    Move over, whipped coffee! This bitter-sweet, vibrant, fluffy Matcha Whipped Tea is where it's at. You don't need any special ingredients to make it.
    A traditional flip cocktail is made with egg whites, and this vegan lemon gin flip uses a secret ingredient that I bet you already have in your pantry.

    Vegan Lemon Meringue Gin Flip Recipe

    This light, tart vegan lemon gin flip uses a secret ingredient that I bet you already have in your pantry. No special equipment required.
    giant, vegan air fryer cookie with a bite taken out on a plate with glasses of soy milk next to it

    Vegan Air Fryer Cookies Recipe

    If you're craving cookies but don't want a few dozen sitting around tempting you tomorrow, single-serving vegan air fryer cookies are for you!

    Marshmallows and marshmallow fluff

    Why buy expensive vegan marshmallow fluff at the store, when you can use Seitan is My Motor's five ingredient recipe?

    This marshmallow party is pretty awesome, and Seitan Beats Your Meat (best blog name ever?) blew my mind with her homemade Lucky Charms.

    Mayo

    Serious Eats uses aquafaba to create a super easy vegan mayo!

    Pizza crust

    Sarah from Fried Dandelions uses aquafaba to create crisp-yet-soft, perfect pizza crust.

    Mousse

    Whip up that aquafaba into rich, creamy mousse! A Saucy Kitchen shows you how to use it to make chocolate mousse. If chocolate isn't your thing, try strawberry mousse or coconut mousse instead.

    Whipped cream

    For a Cool Whip-style vegan whipped cream, aquafaba is your friend! Try this amazing recipe from The Hidden Veggies.

    Egg substitute for breading

    Aquafaba is fabulous for getting breading to stick to things! It's what I use in my Avocado Fries:

    avocado fries on a plate next to sriracha mayo dipping sauce

    Avocado Fries Recipe

    Crispy, creamy, avocado fries use no added oil, and you can make them in the air fryer or in the oven. They're kind of like magic! 

    Oil replacer

    You can also use aquafaba as an oil replacer, when the oil is used as a coating to add crispiness or when it's being used to make flavoring or breading stick.

    For example, I use aquafaba instead of oil to create crunchy, air fryer chickpeas and help the delicious ranch seasoning stick to them:

    bowl of ranch seasoned air fryer chickpeas on an aqua tabletop

    Air fryer chickpeas

    Ranch seasoned air fryer chickpeas are a satisfying, healthy snack. They scratch that itch for flavor, crunch, and salt without the grease of a potato chip.

    Have you done any experimenting with bean liquid in place of eggs? I'd love to hear about your aquafaba adventures!

    How much aquafaba per egg?

    Replacing eggs with aquafaba is easy! In any baked recipe (or for breading), simply use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba per egg. If your recipe calls for a large egg, use 4 tablespoons (¼ cup).

    You can use aquafaba in any baking recipe that calls for one to two eggs. Sometimes it will work in a three egg recipe, but I wouldn't push it further than that.

    What kind of bean liquid will work?

    As I mentioned above, this is for the liquid from canned beans only.

    If you cook beans from scratch, you need to simmer the leftover cooking liquid until it reaches a thick, egg white-like consistency before you use it as an egg replacer. Once you simmer it to a good thickness, you can use it just like canned.

    I have not tested every type of aquafaba out there, but I can tell you about the ones that I have used:

    • chickpea or white bean liquid - I consider these the gold stars. Use them with abandon! They're a neutral color, so your baked goods won't take on a tint. White beans aquafaba has a slightly milder flavor, which makes it best for something like a meringue.
    • pinto, red, or black bean liquid - As long as you don't mind a bit of discoloration, you can use these without issues. They work best in darker items, like muffins, quick breads, and breading.

    Can you freeze aquafaba?

    You can freeze aquafaba. It will keep for a few days in the fridge, but you can freeze it for up to six months. To freeze:

    1. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze completely.
    2. Pop out the frozen cubes and transfer to an airtight container to freeze long-term.
    overhead photo of frozen aquafaba ice cubes in a  freezer container

    Defrost overnight in the fridge or for about 30-60 seconds in the microwave.

    Since one standard ice cube tray section holds two tablespoons of liquid, you can use two aquafaba ice cubes for one large egg.

    More Eating Vegan

    • 18 decadent vegan chocolate recipes
    • Trader Joe's Oat Beverages
    • The Big Guide to Vegan Meat Alternatives (to make or to buy)
    • Why do vegans eat 'fake' meat and cheese?

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Bethany

      September 20, 2021 at 10:51 pm

      I use 2 tbsp of Aquafaba
      When making Impossible meatloaf and meatballs.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 25, 2021 at 1:02 pm

        Ooh what a great application!

        Reply
    2. Lisa P Weinberg

      March 02, 2019 at 5:20 pm

      I am guessing that aquafaba can be use in Souffle and Flan. Has anyone tried either and if so, is there a recipe online? I am trying to make a vegan Flan, using a Sous Vide, and have not perfected it yet.

      Reply
    3. Renee

      December 16, 2017 at 2:45 pm

      Thank you very much! I was looking for a vegan air fryer (just bought a Cozyna) recipe for donut holes, and had no idea at all about this aquafaba business (new vegan, 3 months). This opens up a whole bunch of new doors for me. I'd been using soaked ground flax seeds for my eggs, and throwing out the bean water. Now I have a use for it, and a use for my ice cube trays that I haven't used in years. Awesomeness!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 16, 2017 at 5:23 pm

        Oh I am so glad I could help!

        Reply
    4. Gurubandhu

      December 01, 2016 at 7:25 am

      Can you make the "meringue" with anything other than egg beaters? Like a good blender, immersion blender or something else? How long do you need to blend if the consistency is like egg whites before blending? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 01, 2016 at 7:52 am

        No, this recipe definitely needs an electric mixer. A stand mixer will work also.

        Reply
    5. Conni

      July 26, 2016 at 4:48 pm

      Just tried aquafaba to replace beaten egg whites in a Maine melt-in-your-mouth Blueberry Cake, a traditional recipe from a local Historical Society. It was always fantastic with egg whites, but once we became vegan, the egg substitutes never worked to achieve the melt-in-your-mouth texture. I was amazed at how well the aquafaba achieves the texture of beaten egg whites! I used Vegg to replace the yolks. It wasn't "perfect" - but pretty close for a first try! I used 4 T of aquafaba per egg white because I wanted a moist cake, abut next time I will use 3 T.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        July 26, 2016 at 5:14 pm

        I'm so glad to hear it!! You might use AF for all of the egg, unless the yolk is part of the cake's flavor.

        Reply
    6. Samantha

      May 18, 2016 at 2:25 am

      Hello
      I am a vegan so all my recipes are eggless but I find the texture to be a bit dense. Can I add in the Aquafaba to my eggless recipes to make them more light and fluffy even though the recipes does not ask for eggs?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 18, 2016 at 7:51 am

        It really depends on the recipe. In general, you'd definitely need to tinker. The AF is going to add moisture as well as lift, so you may need more dry ingredient to compensate.

        Reply
    7. Atia

      May 12, 2016 at 11:06 am

      Maybe I've missed something, but can one make one's own aquafab or must it come from purchased canned chickpeas?
      I hate using canned beans, they never taste as good as freshly cooked ones.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 12, 2016 at 11:41 am

        You can make it. Save the liquid after cooking, then boil it down until it reduces by half. You want it thick - the consistency of an egg white, basically.

        Reply
        • Annalisa

          August 27, 2016 at 3:33 am

          I'm glad to know you can make your own. does the salt amount matter, or is it the bean juice itself that is important?

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            August 27, 2016 at 7:46 am

            I've used both salted and unsalted with no problems!

            Reply
      • Naomi

        May 27, 2016 at 3:56 pm

        I saw a recipe using a pressure cooker on Amazon TV but the chef had such a strong accent I couldn't understand him . I did get oook and reduce until thickened to egg white consistency.

        Reply
    8. Aimee / Wallflower Girl's Kitchen

      February 25, 2016 at 10:42 am

      LOVE aquafaba! It's made my life so much better. And I just noticed you included my royal icing - thanks :-)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        February 25, 2016 at 11:04 am

        Same here! It's super handy. :) And you're welcome - I love your site!

        Reply
    9. Laurie

      October 21, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      Hi, I am so glad I found this site!

      Can you tell me if you can use the Aquafaba in a cake, bread or pie recipe that you are using canned beans also, instead of flour?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 21, 2015 at 3:06 pm

        That's a good question! I've only used it in pretty standard baked goods, but I can speak to that. It works great as a binder in cookies and cakes, except angel food cake. I also used it in vegan 'crab' cakes and for breading tofu, and it worked out like gangbusters. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    10. Terra Santos

      October 06, 2015 at 2:09 pm

      Another clarification question please. ;) I've seen this used for egg white replacement but are you saying it works for full egg replacement as well? And are the measurements any different? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 06, 2015 at 2:56 pm

        It does work well for binding in baking. 3 tablespoons per egg has worked well for me. Sometimes I do 4 tablespoons if it calls for large eggs.

        Reply
        • Terra Santos

          October 07, 2015 at 2:04 pm

          Awesome. Thank you so much for the super quick response! And you only mix it "till it peaks" for recipes where it calls the same with the egg whites? Otherwise, just dump it in?

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            October 07, 2015 at 3:45 pm

            Exactly! Now I'm super curious about what you're making. I'd love to hear how it turns out!

            Reply
            • Terra Santos

              October 08, 2015 at 2:08 pm

              hahaha... Well, it's not for one particular recipe. We are a family of 7 with multiple food allergies/intolerances. Recently, 3 of us were told to avoid egg white after food sensitivity testing. Considering we already have to a multitude of other foods to avoid, I was trying to figure out how in the world I could still make things without eggs. So this is a recent world of learning for me. I've tried the flax/chia mix and it didn't work super well with the pancakes I made at all. I tried baking soda/vinegar and that wasn't tasty. I've been told some substitutes work better in some things than others so I'm still experimenting. ;) So I really appreciate the help! Now I have to figure out what to serve for breakfast on the 3-4 days per week we were having eggs!

            • Becky Striepe

              October 08, 2015 at 2:19 pm

              Yeah, it's definitely true that different subs work in different places. For breakfast, maybe tofu scrambles or overnight oats? My husband also really likes grit bowls in the morning with sliced avocado on top. Let me know if I can help further!

            • Terra Santos

              October 08, 2015 at 2:22 pm

              Unfortunately we can't do soy. The kids can have oats but I can't. Boo. Gotta get creative. Thanks for the offer to help!

            • Becky Striepe

              October 08, 2015 at 2:23 pm

              Wow, you have a lot of moving pieces! You might check out Fork and Beans. She is great at allergy-friendly cooking. I think she has a baking guide that's free, too.

            • Terra Santos

              October 08, 2015 at 2:26 pm

              Yeah... It's nuts. I'll check that out. Thanks again!

            • Terra Santos

              October 10, 2015 at 2:26 pm

              Alas!!! I tried a muffin recipe and a pumpkin roll recipe with this method last night and neither worked! I was so sad! What might I have done wrong? They tasted fine but they did not rise at all. I have pictures of both. Thoughts?

            • Becky Striepe

              October 10, 2015 at 2:29 pm

              Hmm interesting! I'm surprised about the muffins especially. And stumped!

            • Terra Santos

              October 10, 2015 at 3:15 pm

              Neither recipe called for the eggs to be beaten... however, do you think maybe I should've with the aquafaba? I used it straight up as you mentioned with your waffles.

            • Becky Striepe

              October 10, 2015 at 3:37 pm

              It's worth a shot! Maybe just do a batch of one thing to see what works? Do you have the recipe handy? I can take a look!

        • Terra Santos

          October 12, 2015 at 3:31 pm

          I do have both recipes by snapshot if you can tell me where to send or email them. Thanks for asking!

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            October 12, 2015 at 3:39 pm

            Sure! You can send to Becky at glueandglitter dot com :)

            Reply
        • Terra Santos

          October 12, 2015 at 3:53 pm

          Done. Thank you!

          Reply
    11. Diane

      August 09, 2015 at 5:55 pm

      The chick peas that I have are in salted water. Is this ok or is it other types of tins?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 09, 2015 at 6:28 pm

        Salted is fine. You might back off on the other salt in your recipe, but I have used salted even to make meringue cookies with no problems. If you're watching your salt, you can definitely find unsalted canned chickpeas, though!

        Reply
    12. Sue

      June 08, 2015 at 11:34 am

      After draining the beans the first time, can you add more water, cook for a time and make more usable juice with a second draining?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        June 08, 2015 at 12:24 pm

        I haven't tried that, so I can't say. If you give it a shot, I would love to hear how it went!

        Reply
    13. Dvorah

      June 01, 2015 at 6:24 pm

      I would like to use the water from the home made cooking beans. What will be the garbanzo bean - water ratio ? And also what about using chickpea flour water ? Any suggestions Thank you for sharing your awesome recipes ! ????????

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        June 01, 2015 at 6:35 pm

        Hmm I haven't used the water from homecooked beans, but you can for sure. Not sure of the ratio. I'd cook them the way you would normally, but you can also search the Facebook group I mention in the post. Folks there have done this for sure!

        Reply
      • Tee Bone

        July 12, 2015 at 1:37 pm

        I've used the homemade bean water with great success...just cook beans as you normally would & drain into a jar for numerous uses. I usually just cover brand by 1/2 to 1 inch depending on how many good of beans in trying to cook & salt as I normally would. Just made mayo today & it rocks!

        Reply
        • Becky Striepe

          July 12, 2015 at 1:51 pm

          Thank you so much for this comment! Very helpful info here!

          Reply
    14. Denise

      May 11, 2015 at 6:59 pm

      I drained off the liquid from a can of pinto beans a couple of days ago. Do you know if that will work too? Or fits it have to be white or garbanzo beans? Thanks in advance for your response! :)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 11, 2015 at 8:17 pm

        I haven't personally used pinto, but I hear that it works. I would measure the liquid and start with 1 part sugar to 1 part liquid, then add sugar by the tablespoon as needed. Different beans yield different amounts of liquid.

        Reply
    15. Pauline

      April 29, 2015 at 11:50 am

      Thank you for sharing your vegan recipes & tips!

      Reply
    16. Teprine

      April 22, 2015 at 7:15 pm

      This may be a ridiculous question, but when you say chick pea juice, what do you mean? The water in the can or the liquid that the chickpeas have been soaking in? Just not entirely clear for me.
      Tep

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 22, 2015 at 7:21 pm

        Not ridiculous at all. It's the water left after cooking. I usually collect it by just sticking a bowl under the colander when I drain my beans from the can or after cooking.

        Reply
    17. Micaela @MindfulMomma

      April 17, 2015 at 12:41 pm

      Always fun to learn of a new plant-based way to cook great food!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 17, 2015 at 12:55 pm

        Thank you, Micaela!

        Reply
    18. Betsy (Eco-novice)

      April 17, 2015 at 12:26 pm

      Awesome! I'll have to share this with my GF Vegan bean-loving sister!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 17, 2015 at 12:33 pm

        Hurrah! Enjoy it!

        Reply
    19. Hannah

      April 15, 2015 at 2:20 pm

      Nice roundup! Someday someone will figure out angel food cake. I so wanted to be the genius that made it happen, but....nope!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 15, 2015 at 3:20 pm

        I am eagerly awaiting that day too, Hannah! You could still be the one to crack it!

        Reply
    20. Aqua Faba

      April 14, 2015 at 4:19 pm

      What an #aquafabalous post!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 14, 2015 at 4:53 pm

        Aw thank you, Goose!

        Reply

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    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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