5 Minute Vegan Tequila Sour Cocktail w/ Aquafaba

An egg-free spin on a classic foamy cocktail

This Tequila Sour with Aquafaba is a vegan cocktail with sweet, balanced, and bright flavors. While many classic sour cocktails are made with egg whites, I wanted to shake things up with aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas) instead. It works just the same as egg whites but is the perfect substitution that will make your egg-free or vegan guests happy!

If you’ve been lucky enough to try my Vegan Cranberry Gin Fizz Cocktail, then you already know about the magic that is aquafaba. Who knew the liquid in a can of chickpeas could make a tequila sour without egg whites look so grand and appealing?

Despite this simple substitution, you would never know that this drink has “bean water” in it. Rather, it’s delightfully sweet and sour and the aquafaba gives it a creamy and smooth mouthfeel. It’s a fantastic twist on a classic!

Ingredients you need

This recipe is simple and made with minimal ingredients, which is why it’s important to use the freshest ingredients possible. This will give you an overall better tasting and higher quality cocktail: 

Reposado tequila

While you’ll often see silver or blanco tequila in margarita recipes (it’s delicious in my Strawberry Margarita), a more complex and deeper flavored variety is the better choice here. Reposado is the best tequila you can use in a tequila sour. It has deep layers of flavor but still has a subtle brightness from the agave.

Do you only have blanco tequila at home? Go ahead and use it instead! The cocktail won’t be as rich or layered as a reposado tequila cocktail but will still taste great.

Lime juice

A must in sour cocktails and many tequila cocktails, freshly squeezed lime juice rounds out the rest of the ingredients with its acidity.

Simple syrup

Homemade simple syrup is easy to make by simmering equal parts granulated white sugar with water. It’s ready to be used once the sugar dissolves and it takes on a thick syrup-like consistency.

You can keep a bottle of simple syrup in your fridge for up to 1 month, making it easy to put this drink together at a moment’s notice.

Aquafaba

This is the liquid in a can of chickpeas and it magically works just like egg whites. Aquafaba is an important vegan ingredient that can be used in all kinds of recipes, like mixed drinks with tequila, vegan-friendly meringue cookies, or dairy free whipped cream.

As discussed, many sour cocktails are served with foam on top. Traditionally, this foam is achieved by shaking the cocktail ingredients with an egg white. The aerated egg white not only finishes the cocktail with its signature foamy head but also offers it a smooth and luxurious mouthfeel.

Aquafaba works just the same when making a sour cocktail without eggs. It’s the perfect ingredient for vegans or those with an aversion to eggs.

So the next time you open a can of chickpeas, save the precious liquid! You can keep it in an airtight container for about 2 to 3 days in your fridge. 

How to make a tequila sour with aquafaba

This recipe makes two tequila cocktails in just 5 minutes. Here’s how it’s done:

Tips and tricks

Follow these helpful recipe tips to make the best tequila sour recipe:

The double shake is a must

The double shake, or a dry shake, is necessary when making any cocktail with egg whites (or, in this case, aquafaba). Dry shaking refers to shaking the cocktail ingredients without ice first. This method aerates the mix, produces more foam, and fully emulsifies the aquafaba/egg white.

Recipe