The short answer. An unopened carton of Plant Whip keeps for 15 months. Once you open it, refrigerate it and use it within 3 to 5 days. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Aquafaba is one of those ingredients people discover, fall for, and then immediately have a question about: how long does this stuff actually keep?
It is a fair question, and the answer depends on what kind of aquafaba you have. Liquid drained from a can of chickpeas behaves differently from a sealed, shelf stable carton. This guide covers both, along with how to store it properly and how to tell when it has turned.
In this guide
How long does unopened aquafaba last?
A sealed carton of Plant Whip liquid aquafaba keeps for 15 months from production. It does not need refrigerating until you open it, so it can sit in the pantry alongside your flour and canned goods.
That shelf life comes from how the carton is filled and sealed rather than from anything added to it. There are two ingredients inside: water and chickpeas. Nothing else.
Practically, this is the part people find most useful. You can keep a carton in the cupboard for the weekend you decide to make macarons, and it will be ready when you are.
How long does aquafaba last after opening?
Once the carton is open, move it to the refrigerator and use it within 3 to 5 days.
Keep it sealed. Aquafaba picks up smells from whatever is sitting near it, and an open container in a busy fridge will not do you any favors. If you have decanted it, use a container with a proper lid rather than covering a bowl.
A small thing that matters. Cold aquafaba whips perfectly well, but give it a gentle stir before you measure. A little natural separation is normal in any plant liquid and a quick stir brings it back together.
Storage times at a glance
| State | Where to keep it | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Unopened carton | Pantry, room temperature | 15 months |
| Opened carton | Refrigerator, sealed | 3 to 5 days |
| Frozen | Freezer, airtight container | Up to 3 months |
Can you freeze aquafaba?
Yes. Plant Whip can be frozen for up to 3 months.
A few things make freezing it more useful:
- Freeze it in portions. Three tablespoons is one whole egg and two tablespoons is one egg white, so freezing in measured amounts means you take out exactly what a recipe asks for. An ice cube tray works well for this, and most trays hold close to two tablespoons per cube.
- Use an airtight container. Liquids take on freezer smells quickly, and aquafaba is mild enough to pick them up.
- Leave a little headspace. Like any liquid, it expands as it freezes. Filling a container to the very top is how lids end up off.
- Label it with the date. Three months passes faster than you think, and frozen liquid all looks the same in February.
How to tell if aquafaba has gone off
Your senses will tell you before any date does.
- Smell. Fresh aquafaba smells mild and fairly neutral. A sour or fermented smell means it is done.
- Look. It should be a pale straw color. Cloudiness, darkening, or anything growing on the surface means throw it out.
- Texture. Aquafaba is naturally a little viscous, somewhere between water and a thin syrup. If it has turned slimy or stringy, that is not the texture you started with.
When in doubt, throw it out. It is not worth losing a batch of meringue to save a few tablespoons of liquid.
Storing aquafaba from a can of chickpeas
If you are working with liquid drained from a can, the rules are a little different.
Canned chickpea liquid has been sitting in an open can the moment you drain it, so treat it like any other opened canned product. Move it to a sealed container, get it in the refrigerator straight away, and use it within a few days. Do not leave it at room temperature while you finish the rest of your prep.
The bigger issue with canned aquafaba is usually not storage, it is quantity. A single can gives you a small amount, and recipes that need a meringue or a pavlova can ask for considerably more than one can holds. That is how people end up with several open cans of chickpeas and a fridge shelf of small containers.
If you want the full picture on what a can actually yields, we covered it in how much aquafaba is in a can of chickpeas.
Getting a full carton used
One liter is roughly 20 whole eggs worth of aquafaba, which is more than most single recipes need. The two ways people use a carton without waste are straightforward.
Plan around it. Whip what you need for the recipe in front of you, refrigerate the rest, and use it within the 3 to 5 day window. A batch of cookies on Saturday and a cocktail on Sunday covers a lot of a carton.
Or portion and freeze. Freeze what you will not use in the next few days in measured amounts, and take out what a recipe calls for.
For the exact measurements, our aquafaba to egg conversion guide has the full chart.
Ready to pour, whenever you need it
One liter, two ingredients, and a pantry shelf life of 15 months. No draining, no guessing.
Shop Plant WhipFrequently asked questions
How long does aquafaba last?
An unopened carton of Plant Whip keeps for 15 months. Once opened, refrigerate it and use it within 3 to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Does aquafaba need to be refrigerated?
Not before you open it. An unopened carton of Plant Whip is shelf stable and can live in the pantry. Once the carton is open, keep it in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze aquafaba?
Yes. Plant Whip can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze it in portions in an airtight container, leaving a little headspace for expansion, and label it with the date.
How can you tell if aquafaba has gone off?
Use your senses. Fresh aquafaba is pale and has a mild, neutral smell. If it smells sour or fermented, looks cloudy or discolored beyond its usual pale straw color, or has anything growing on the surface, throw it out.
How long does aquafaba from a can of chickpeas last?
Treat it like any other liquid drained from a can. Move it to a sealed container, refrigerate it straight away, and use it within a few days. Because a single can yields only a small amount, most of it tends to go unused.
How much aquafaba equals one egg?
Three tablespoons of aquafaba replaces one whole egg. Two tablespoons replaces one egg white. A one liter carton of Plant Whip is roughly equivalent to 20 whole eggs.