Egg whites beaten with sugar into a stable foam, then baked dry, folded into batters, or piled onto a pie and browned.
What it does in a recipe: A sweetened protein foam that holds its shape and sets crisp or marshmallowy depending on how it is treated. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
2substitutes
Reliablebest available
Eggscategory
Quick answer
Aquafaba meringue
3 egg whites = 1/2 cup aquafaba, whipped with the same weight of sugar the recipe calls for
All substitutes, best first
2 ways to replace meringue
Aquafaba meringue
Reliable
3 egg whites = 1/2 cup aquafaba, whipped with the same weight of sugar the recipe calls for
Chickpea liquid is the only reliable vegan meringue base, foaming and setting through a comparable protein network.
MethodWhip 10 minutes with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, add the sugar a spoonful at a time, and bake at a lower temperature for longer than an egg meringue - it colours faster.
Trade-offMore prone to weeping and softening in humidity, and it will not hold overnight the way an egg meringue can.
Meringue is one of the few places where the egg is not really replaceable - it is the entire dish. Aquafaba comes surprisingly close, but expect to accept a softer set.
At a glance
Meringue in summary
Meringue at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
3 egg whites = 1/2 cup aquafaba, whipped with the same weight of sugar the recipe calls for. Chickpea liquid is the only reliable vegan meringue base, foaming and setting through a comparable protein network. More prone to weeping and softening in humidity, and it will not hold overnight the way an egg meringue can.
Can I use whipped cream (as a topping only) instead of meringue?
Meringue topping for 1 pie = 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped with 2 tbsp sugar. Where the meringue is simply the crown of a pie rather than a structural component, sweetened whipped cream fills the same role. Cannot be browned or baked, and it must stay refrigerated. This changes the dessert rather than substituting within it.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.