What Is Aquafaba

After you finish boiling those beans, don’t throw the water out—it makes a surprisingly versatile and protein-packed vegan substitute for eggs or cream

- Lisa Turner

You’ve heard the kid’s ditty that goes “Beans, beans, the magical fruit.” Now beans have some serious magic, in the form of aquafaba. Latin (sort of) for “bean water,” aquafaba is the translucent, viscous water in which beans have been cooked.

Because the proteins and starches in aquafaba are structurally very similar to the proteins in egg whites, it behaves very much like egg whites when whipped, becoming light in texture, opaque in color, and more than tripling in size. It can be used as a vegan substitute for egg whites in dozens of recipes—meringues, marshmallows, macaroons, mousse, and more. With a small amount of sugar and vanilla, it also makes a mean whipped cream. Just beat with a handheld or standing mixer as you would egg whites or cream.