Ingredient Focus: Aquafaba

✨ Kitchen magic — chickpea water spun into crisp cloud.

Pantry Zone

Ambient (tinned liquid) or fridge (if saved from home-cooked beans)

Storage whisper: Store aquafaba in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in ice cube trays for handy portions. Label well — it looks deceptively like oat milk once chilled!

In Season (UK)

Not seasonal — a by-product of cooking chickpeas. Available year-round in tinned or home-cooked form.

What Aquafaba Brings to the Table

Once dismissed as waste, aquafaba has become the soul of vegan meringue. Reduced and whipped, it holds air like cloud-stuff — light, miraculous, and a little bit alchemical.

Its genius lies in its versatility. From mousse to mayo, it steps in where eggs once stood — binding, foaming, lifting, emulsifying. It’s the quiet hero of modern plant-based baking.

How To Use

• Whip into soft or stiff peaks for pavlovas and mousses
• Emulsify with mustard and oil to make vegan mayo
• Add to batters for lightness and bounce
• Use as a binder in veggie burgers or fritters
• Reduce slightly and sweeten for a marshmallowy texture

Flavour Pairings

Vanilla — Lemon — Maple — Mustard — Dark Chocolate — Sea Salt — Almond — Strawberry — Rosewater

Waste Less

Saving the liquid from a tin of chickpeas? Decant and freeze if not using right away. Even small amounts can add structure to pancakes or cakes. And if your meringue flops, call it an Eton mess and carry on.

What next?

• Find Recipes with Aquafaba
• Or wander the shelves of the Golden Ingredient Index for more ideas.
• If you like learning ingredients this way, get my weekly kitchen letter.