Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie (with Aquafaba Meringue)

A slice of lemon meringue pie on a small white plate, fresh lemons sit in the background.

No ratings yet

Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie (with Aquafaba Meringue)

A homemade vegan lemon meringue pie that’s smooth, silky, and filled with bright citrusy flavour. This easy recipe layers a sweet but tart lemon filling topped with fluffy aquafaba meringue over a tender, golden crust for a dessert that feels extra special yet simple to make. Completely egg-free and dairy-free, with a simple gluten-free option, this is a crowd-pleasing dessert everyone will want a slice of!

Prep Time45

Cook Time35

Cooling/Chill Time7 20

Total Time8 40

Servings:

Author: Gwen Leron

Ingredients

1 x 9-inch blind-baked pie crust (see note below)

For the Lemon Filling:

1 ½ cups (375ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk (unflavoured)
¼ cup (32g) cornstarch (arrowroot starch may also be used, same measurement/weight)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
½ cup (125ml) lemon juice (freshly squeezed, see note below)
2 tablespoons (12g) lemon zest
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted vegan butter (optional, see note below)
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, see note below)

For the Aquafaba Meringue:

½ cup (125ml) aquafaba
½ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare Pie Crust (make a day in advance):

Make either my vegan pie crust or my vegan gluten-free pie crust recipe, blind-bake the pie crust and then fully cool it. This can be done a day in advance.

Prepare Lemon Filling (make a day in advance):

Add the milk and cornstarch to a small bowl and whisk well until the cornstarch has combined with the milk. Set aside.
Add the sugar and lemon juice to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk until all of the sugar granules have dissolved, roughly 3 minutes.
Give the milk/cornstarch mixture another mix and then add it to the pot along with the lemon zest.
Continuously whisk until the mixture has thickened enough to coat a spoon, this will take roughly 5-6 minutes. It will start to bubble towards the end of the cooking time, but don't let it boil.
Remove the pot from the heat and, if using, whisk in the vegan butter and turmeric. Continuously whisk until the butter has melted and the turmeric has been incorporated into the mixture.
Allow the mixture to sit in the pot for 20 minutes so it can cool down. Whisk every few minutes during the rest time so it doesn't form a skin on top.

Start Assembling the Pie (do a day in advance):

Transfer the lemon filling to the cooled pie crust. Make sure the filling is even and smooth out the top using a rubber spatula.
Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and place the pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Prepare Aquafaba Meringue (make the day of serving):

Once the pie has finished chilling, add aquafaba, lemon juice, and the cream of tartar to a clean metal or glass bowl. With a hand mixer, begin whipping at high speed.
When you reach the soft peaks stage, add the vanilla extract. Keep whipping until you get to the stiff peaks stage. This can take anywhere from 2.5 minutes to more, depending on your mixer and your aquafaba.
Once you reach the stiff peaks stage, slowly add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue whipping. Wait until each sugar addition has been dissolved into the aquafaba before adding more sugar. The mixture will start to become glossy and thicker. Once all the sugar has been added and the aquafaba is glossy and thick, stop whipping.

Finish Assembling the Pie (Do Shortly Before Serving):

Remove the pie from the fridge and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, transfer the meringue to the top of the lemon filling. Spread it so it covers the entire surface of the lemon filling.
Using a spoon or rubber spatula, create swirls and peaks with the meringue so the surface is not flat.
Turn on your kitchen torch and hold it about 1 to 2 inches above the meringue. Move the flame in slow circles over the surface until the peaks turn golden. Don’t linger in one spot; move away and then go back over any areas you want darker. Continue until the top is caramelized to your liking.
Slice and serve right away.

Notes

Please read all of the information above, as well as the notes below, before making this recipe.
Make my vegan pie crust or my vegan gluten-free pie crust for this recipe.
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Store-bought bottled lemon juice will not give the same bright, fresh flavour. You will need roughly 2.5 medium lemons to get the amount of juice needed, more if your lemons are on the small side, and less if they are large.
The turmeric gives the filling a brighter yellow colour (the taste will be undetectable), and the butter makes it creamier, glossier, and smoother. These can both be omitted if you prefer; the result will still be great.
If you want to have a completely smooth curd with no bits of lemon zest, pass it through a sieve before adding it to the pie crust.
Don't add the sugar to the aquafaba too fast or all at once, this can cause the meringue to deflate.
Cover and store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. If your pie dish has a domed cover, use that, if not, loosely cover it with plastic wrap or slice the leftovers and place them in a deep airtight container with a cover. The meringue will start to deflate, weep, and get runny the longer it sits in the fridge, causing the crust to get soft, so use it up as soon as possible.
Nutrition info is for 1 slice of 8 made using my easy vegan pie crust. Calorie count per serving if using my vegan gluten-free crust is roughly 340. Nutrition data is only to be used as a rough guide, click here to learn how nutrition data is determined on this website.

Nutrition