This vegan lemon meringue pie uses a creamy tofu filling and a fluffy aquafaba meringue!

A toasted lemon meringue tart on a blue and white striped towel on a black table.

Close up on a toasted meringue lemon meringue tart next to a slice of tart on a white plate.

I’ve tried making this pie before. Because ever since I found out you can make billowy, fluffy, snow-white, honest-to-marshmallow MERINGUE from aquafaba (aka the magical chickpea brine), lemon meringue pie has obviously been on my to-do list. (Even though I’ve never really been a huge lemon meringue fan.) (It still had to be done.)

A toasted lemon meringue tart on a blue and white striped towel on a black table with a slice taken out of it and put on a white plate.

A slice of lemon meringue pie on a white plate with a fork taking a bite next to a close up on the toasted meringue.

Does this pie taste vegan?

To me, the satiny, glossy, lightly toasted and sticky meringue tastes just like the real deal. The tofu-based filling definitely tastes more like tofu than a traditional lemon curd. If you go in with expectations for a milkier, lightly lemony custard layer, you might be pleased.

The crust is thick, hefty and nutty and stands up to the creamy topping and filling well. Overall, this pie had a somewhat healthy-tasting quality that I found strangely addicting. Even though it wasn’t the most amazing lemon meringue pie rendition I’ve ever had, I couldn’t stop eating it. The fact that the filling has way more protein and less fat and sugar than a traditional lemon meringue pie may have helped!

Although this was technically made in a 9″ tart pan, you could also make this in a deep-dish pie pan to make it an actual pie.

A note about aquafaba

While you can make aquafaba meringue using chickpea brine straight from the can (alternatively, some have had success using the liquid from boiling dry beans), I find that reducing the aquafaba first makes for a stronger, stiffer meringue that is less likely to weep and disintegrate into foam after sitting in the fridge. However, you can skip this step if you’re in a rush.

If you’re looking for more recipes with aquafaba, I’ve also used it successfully as an egg replacer in these aquafaba waffles and these vegan pumpkin cookies!

Aquafaba Lemon Meringue Pie (vegan, gf)

Erika Kwee

This vegan version of lemon meringue pie uses a tart tofu-based curd for the filling, a thick, gluten-free oat and almond crust and a glossy topping of aquafaba meringue that gets briefly toasted under the broiler.

5 from 12 votes

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Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 2 15

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, vegan

Servings 9 or 10-inch tart pan

Ingredients

Meringue:

Brine from 1 15-oz can chickpeas about 3/4 cup
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sugar

Crust:

1.5 cups of oat flour
¾ cup almond flour
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons almond milk

Filling:

14 oz silken tofu
¾ cup lemon juice juice of ~4 large lemons
½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons almond milk
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon zest optional

Instructions

Prepare the aquafaba:

Bring chickpea brine to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. Mixture should be reduced to a little under half a cup at this point (it’s okay if it isn’t exact). Pour reduced brine into a cup and refrigerate while making the crust and filling.

Make the crust:

In a food processor, combine the oat flour, almond meal, sugar and salt until blended. Slowly stream in the coconut oil and milk until evenly incorporated. Alternatively, mix the dry ingredients together by hand, then work in the wet ingredients until dough holds together when pressed (mixture will be crumbly). Press evenly into a 9 or 10” tart pan or deep dish pie pan, prick all over with a fork, and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, until crust is dry and starting to turn golden.

Make the filling:

Blend all ingredients (tofu through salt) together in a blender or food processor.
When the crust is done baking, let stand or refrigerate for about 10 minutes, or until barely warm. Pour filling into crust and bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until filling is set, but still slightly jiggly. Let cool while making the meringue.

Make the meringue:

Whip the cold, reduced brine in a clean bowl with clean beaters with the cream of tartar and vanilla until mixture turns foamy, and then begins to form soft peaks. At this point, slowly add the sugar a quarter cup at a time. Continue to whip the mixture until it reaches stiff peaks.

Assemble:

Cover the top of the cooled pie with the meringue. Preheat the broiler to 575 and broil for 1-2 minutes, keeping an eye on the pie the entire time–it can burn in a second!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!