You Should Freeze the Chickpea Liquid
When it comes to chickpeas and aquafaba, the liquid and the legume are two very different creatures in the same jar. Just because you used garbanzo beans in your salad doesn’t mean you’ll be craving those fluffy pancakes that same day—but you can on Saturday. If you have leftover aquafaba—or really, any time you’re eating chickpeas and are about to drain the liquid—stop your hand. It freezes incredibly well.
How to use aquafaba
Aquafaba has gained a lot of popularity since it was discovered in 2014 as a surprisingly effective substitute for making fluffy, silky meringues (read more about the history here ). However, it has more uses than just Pavlova’s party trick. It’s a great vegan ingredient that can thicken soups or replace eggs as a binding or leavening ingredient in baking. Use it as is in muffins, whip it for fluffy pancakes, or try other ways .
I’m not vegan and use eggs in most baking, but I often use aquafaba to thicken soups and sauces. It has some components similar to eggs, such as albumins and globulins , and starches give the broth additional viscosity. It took me some practice to stop draining the chickpeas, but I got into the habit of freezing leftover aquafaba. Whenever my soup needs something, I can now easily turn to the freezer.
Should you store aquafaba in the refrigerator or freezer?
It’s tempting to throw leftovers in the refrigerator. But if you’re like me, the containers get pushed back and then you find it three months later and realize you probably should have frozen the item. You can store aquafaba in the refrigerator, but no more than five days. After this, the liquid may boil a little and you should not try to use it. Aquafaba is easy to defrost, so the best storage method is almost always to freeze it.
How to freeze aquafaba
America’s Test Kitchen suggests freezing food in ice cube trays , but I usually only freeze one jar at a time, and just under half a cup isn’t enough to make a whole tray. Instead, I freeze the aquafaba in a small plastic container (about 4 ounces square) and then place the brick in a freezer bag for long-term storage.
Sometimes I’ll put two or three cubes in there at a time, ready for the next soup or sauce. If you choose to pour it into ice cube trays, be sure to whisk or lightly shake the chickpea liquid before pouring it. Aquafaba is not homogeneous in nature, so it helps to distribute the albumins and globulin particles evenly before freezing.
Aquafaba will keep in the freezer for up to four months. If you’re worried that aquafaba won’t work as well after sitting in an ice chest for a while, put your fears to rest. Freezing does not destroy or degrade the starches that are responsible for its excellent whipping abilities, and according to America’s Test Kitchen, the frozen and thawed version works just as well as before.
How to defrost aquafaba
Thaw the aquafaba by placing the cubes in a covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight. If you need the viscous liquid sooner, simply microwave it for a minute or two, depending on the size of the cube. If you’re using it in a soup or sauce, just toss the frozen piece straight into the pan with everything else.