Aquafaba is the thick liquid from a can of beans – like chickpeas – that is often strained out and disposed. It was treated as a waste product until 2015, when a 45,000-person Facebook group set out to find the perfect vegan substitute for egg whites in merengue and stumbled upon a French cook’s revelation that this viscous goo was the winner.
Aquafaba makes for a perfect substitute for eggs whites in cocktails, too – some would argue that it’s even superior to egg whites, as it has no scent at all (rather than the “wet dog” smell that some people detect in egg whites). It’s easier to measure out, too; it can be difficult to wrest the standard one-ounce (or 30mL) measure from an uncooperative egg white, but it’s easy as pie to pour out as much or as little of that magical bean juice as you need.
