Chickpea water, often called aquafaba, is the starchy, protein-rich liquid left over from cooking or canning chickpeas. It whips, foams, emulsifies, and binds much like egg whites, making it one of the most versatile kitchen liquids you’re probably pouring down the drain. Here’s how to actually put it to work.
Why Chickpea Water Works Like Eggs
The liquid picks up proteins, polysaccharides, and sugars from the chickpeas during cooking. Those proteins, particularly a group called albumins, are excellent emulsifiers. They trap air when whipped and stabilize the bubbles, creating foam that holds its shape. This is the same basic mechanism that makes egg whites stiff when you beat them. Chickpea water also contains small amounts of plant-based compounds that help oil and water mix, which is why it works in mayonnaise and salad dressings.
Nutritionally, it’s almost nothing: about 3 to 5 calories per tablespoon, with negligible protein and only trace minerals. That’s actually an advantage if you’re using it as a structural ingredient rather than a nutritional one.
The Substitution Ratios to Know
These measurements let you swap chickpea water into nearly any recipe that calls for eggs:
- 1 whole egg: 3 tablespoons of aquafaba
- 1 egg white: 2 tablespoons
- 1 egg yolk: 1 tablespoon
These ratios work for baking, binding, and emulsifying. For whipping into stiff peaks (meringue, mousse, marshmallow), you’ll typically use the egg white ratio of 2 tablespoons per white replaced.
Canned vs. Homemade
The fastest source is a can of chickpeas. Just drain the liquid into a bowl instead of the sink. Both salted and unsalted canned chickpeas produce usable aquafaba, so don’t worry if you can only find one type. Salted versions add a small amount of sodium, which won’t affect sweet recipes noticeably but is worth keeping in mind if you’re watching your intake.
Making it from dried chickpeas takes more effort but gives you control over the concentration. Soak dried chickpeas for about 12 hours in the refrigerator using a ratio of 1 part chickpeas to 4 parts water, then discard that soaking water. Cook the soaked chickpeas in fresh water (1 part chickpeas to 2 parts water) in a pressure cooker for roughly 20 minutes. After cooking, store the chickpeas in their liquid in the fridge for 24 hours before straining. This resting period lets more proteins leach into the water, improving its whipping ability.
Homemade aquafaba is often thinner than canned. If it won’t whip properly, simmer it on the stovetop until it reduces and reaches the viscosity of thin syrup. You may need to experiment a few times to find the concentration that works for your recipes.
Whipping It Into Stiff Peaks
Chickpea water whips best when cold. Pour it into a clean, dry bowl and use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer on high speed. Expect it to take longer than egg whites, sometimes up to 15 minutes of continuous beating for stiff peaks. A stand mixer makes this much less tedious.
Two additives significantly improve foam stability. Cream of tartar, added at about 3 to 5 percent of the liquid’s weight (roughly half a teaspoon per can’s worth), strengthens the foam and helps it hold. A small amount of citric acid (a pinch, around 0.1 to 0.3 percent) does the same job. Either one works. Adding sugar gradually once soft peaks form, just as you would with egg whites, also helps stabilize the structure.
What You Can Make With It
The range is surprisingly broad. Each application leans on a different property of the liquid.
Meringue and meringue-based desserts. This is the most popular use. Whipped aquafaba with sugar bakes into crisp meringue cookies, tops pies, and forms the base for pavlova. It also works in French macarons, which are notoriously finicky even with real egg whites. The key is whipping to stiff, glossy peaks and folding gently.
Baked goods. Unwhipped aquafaba works as a binder in cakes, brownies, muffins, and pancakes. It adds moisture and a light, fluffy texture. For pancakes especially, it creates an airier crumb than many other egg replacers.
Mayonnaise and dressings. Aquafaba emulsifies oil and acid the same way egg yolk does. Blend it with oil, lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, and salt, adding the oil in a slow stream, and you’ll get a stable, creamy mayonnaise that holds for days in the fridge.
Mousses, marshmallow, and fluff. Whipped aquafaba folded into melted chocolate makes a rich mousse. Heated with sugar syrup and whipped, it produces marshmallow fluff or actual marshmallows. These applications rely on the foam’s ability to hold air while setting.
Cocktails. Bartenders use aquafaba as a direct replacement for egg whites in drinks like whiskey sours and gin fizzes. It produces the same silky foam on top without the raw-egg smell that puts some people off. One difference: egg whites tend to soften the bite of alcohol slightly, while aquafaba lets the spirit’s flavor come through more clearly. Use about a tablespoon per cocktail, add it to the shaker, and do a “dry shake” (without ice) first to build foam, then shake again with ice.
Storing Chickpea Water
Refrigerated in a sealed container, aquafaba stays usable for 3 to 5 days. Before using stored liquid, smell it and check for any color changes or unusual separation. If it smells sour or looks off, discard it.
For longer storage, freeze it. Ice cube trays work well: measure tablespoons into each compartment so you can thaw exactly what you need. Frozen aquafaba keeps for up to three months and whips just as well after thawing. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for an hour.
A Note on Digestion
Chickpeas are a known source of fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) that can trigger gas, bloating, and discomfort in people with irritable bowel syndrome or sensitive digestion. Some of those compounds dissolve into the cooking water, so aquafaba may cause symptoms in people who already react to chickpeas. In most recipes, the amount consumed per serving is quite small, but if you’re following a low-FODMAP diet, it’s worth starting with a small quantity and seeing how you respond.