For many classic alcoholic cocktail recipes, such as sours and fizzes, egg white is an essential ingredient to create stable and fluffy foam. However, the idea of drinking raw egg white can be less than appetizing, or even risky (for our immunocompromised friends).

Let me introduce you to an alternative: Aquafaba.

Aquafaba is the fancy name for the liquid that comes from canned chickpeas, beans, and other legumes. Unless you’re vegan or plant-based, you may be accustomed to discarding this rich liquid down the drain, but I’m here to tell you that this ordinary “bean juice” is a wonderful substitute for egg white for all sorts of purposes in sweet and savory recipes. Best of all, it’s completely flavorless when added to your non-alcoholic cocktails.

Because of the carbohydrates and proteins in aquafaba, you can get a similar foamy texture to egg whites when shaken with a cocktail shaker. When replacing egg white in a cocktail recipe, use one ounce of aquafaba per cocktail. You can even freeze aquafaba in an ice cube tray, and take a cube or two out to thaw when you’re ready.

The other bonus to using aquafaba is reducing food waste. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration estimates 30-40% of food supply is wasted. Not only does saving and using aquafaba mean stretching your dollar and your ingredients, but it also means reducing waste (no yolks being pitched either).

Next time you break out the can of chickpeas, save that liquid for your next mocktail. I bet you’ll never consider cracking an egg over your cocktail shaker again.