Aquafaba, also known as chickpea brine, is the liquid obtained from cooking chickpeas. Joël Roessel is the French chef who first noticed it could be turned into a foam and used in desserts. Goose Wohlt found out it could mimic egg whites, with astonishing results, in applications such as the one below. I love this mayo so much.
Yes, the amount of oil is nothing to sneeze at, but that is the case for all types of mayonnaise. The quantity of salt needed will depend upon how salty the aquafaba is. Start small with ¼ teaspoon, have a taste and increase the amount even after the mayo is emulsified; it won’t harm it.
Don’t use extra-virgin olive oil here. I love EVOO as much as the next person, but it will yield bitter results in this application and, by gum, what a waste that would be.
YIELD: ¾ to 1 cup (168 to 228 g)
FOR THE REGULAR VERSION
5 tbsp (75 ml) aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 g) mild Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5 ml) white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp (7 g) agave nectar
¼ tsp coarse kosher salt, or to taste
¼ tsp ground white peppercorn, or to taste (optional)
¾ cup (180 ml) grapeseed oil or canola oil, up to ¼ cup (60 ml) more if needed
FOR THE CHIPOTLE VERSION
1½ tsp (7 g) tomato paste
⅜ tsp chipotle powder
½ tsp sweet paprika
⅛ tsp onion powder
⅛ tsp ground cumin
tsp garlic powder
FOR THE BASIL VERSION
¼ cup (8 g) packed basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
1 clove garlic, grated
For best results, use aquafaba that is rather thick in order to obtain a thick mayonnaise.
Place the aquafaba, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, agave, salt and pepper (if using) in a measuring cup fit for an immersion blender. Be sure to choose a cup that is large enough as the mayo volume will increase. Blend until combined and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Very slowly drizzle the oil into the aquafaba mixture, blending continuously on high speed. The incorporation and emulsion of the oil should last approximately 4 minutes for a thick mayo-like result. If the results are still pourable and more dressing-like, slowly drizzle in up to an extra ¼ cup (60 ml) of oil to help with the thickening.
To make either variation: Pick a version and add the ingredients after thickening the mayo. Blend until just incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.