Did you know it’s possible (and easy!) to make vegan meringue? That’s right. Fluffy, toastable vegan meringue is achievable with a humble can of chickpeas. You simply use the aquafaba (or chickpea water) and whip it to perfection with cream of tartar, vinegar, sugar, and vanilla, much like you would a traditional meringue. And it comes out just as lovely as the egg white version. You can use the Vegan Meringue as a topping or bake it crisp, either way is a sweet treat!
One note is to make sure you’re using a can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans. I’ve read that you don’t get the same effect when using the water from homemade chickpeas. I strained the aquafaba to make sure it was free of any little pieces of beans before adding it to my stand mixer.
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120g) strained aquafaba aka chickpea or garbanzo bean water – from about 1 can
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 2/3 cup (134g) sugar
- 1/4 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the aquafaba and cream of tartar on medium high speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
- Turn the speed to medium and slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Turn the speed to high and whip until the meringue is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.
- Turn the speed to medium and add the vinegar and vanilla, then return the speed to high and beat for another minute. Use immediately.
Soft Meringue Topping
- Pipe or pile the meringue over your pie or dessert and use a blow torch to toast the top to get color and flavor.
Baked Crisp Meringue
- Preheat oven to 200°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pipe or spoon the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the meringues you've piped. The meringues will be hard to the touch when they are done baking.
- Pro Tip: To make sure they are completely crisp, turn off the oven when they are finished baking, and leave them in the oven with just the light on.
