The next time you open a can of chickpeas, think before you drain it. It turns out, that leftover liquid is kind of magic. Known as aquafaba or chickpea water, it can be used as a vegan substitute in many recipes that call for eggs or egg whites. Meringues, fancy, foamy co*cktails, mayo—it may seem crazy, but it really does work!
If your interest is piqued, great. But don't just start throwing chickpea water into your recipes willy nilly. First thing to know is that for every 1 egg white, you'll want to sub in 3 teaspoons chickpea juice. A thicker liquid is always going to be easier to work with, so if your's is particularly thin, you may want to heat it on the stove until it's reduced a little.
Food bloggers across the web note that experimenting with this vegan favorite is going to come with a bit of trial and error, but that ultimately it's pretty easy to master. I've never cooked with chickpea water myself, but according to SELF's food editor, Christine Byrne, who has tried it out, it really is as good as it sounds.
One other thing to note before you start cooking: Chickpeas are a decent source of protein, but their water is nothing in comparison to the protein you'd find in actual egg whites. If you're trying to be conscious about how much protein you're eating, you might want to consider adding another source when you try out this trend. It's not so important for desserts and co*cktails, which don't have much protein to begin with. But if you're making vegan scrambled eggs or fried rice, adding a bit of nutritional yeast or tofu will keep it balanced.
Not sure where to begin with aquafaba? Try it out in one of these 11 recipes.
