Bean Liquid Is The Umami-Packed Superhero You Should Add To Meatloaf

As far as magical ingredients go, bean liquid takes the cake. It can make egg-less whipped meringue, cocktail foam, and rich mayonnaise, not to mention it works as the secret ingredient to extra creamy refried beans. There's yet another thing this super useful medium can help you with. In this case, you can use a few tablespoons of bean liquid to act as a flavorful mix-in for your meatloaf. 

Meatloaf, like meatballs, needs a binder to help hold the mix together during cooking. For most recipes, an egg will work in this role, as its sticky proteins help glue the meat, breadcrumbs, and aromatics all together. But bean liquid can easily work in this way as well. As an added bonus, this bit of bean liquid not only works as a binder but also as a salty, umami-rich flavor booster that will take your dish to the next level. It's a win-win across the board. 

First, make sure you're grabbing the best bean liquid for the job. Chickpea or garbanzo bean liquid, also known as aquafaba is a great place to start, but you can also use navy bean or cannellini bean liquid as well. Black bean and kidney bean liquid will work too, but they may have a slightly stronger aftertaste. Once you have your bean liquid, you can use about three tablespoons per egg called for your typical meatloaf recipe. 

You can basically make the recipe as suggested from there out, but you may want to adjust the salt seasoning for your meatloaf, as the bean liquid can be quite briny. Fry off a tester piece of your meatloaf and see if you need to adjust your seasoning accordingly. This flexible hack can work to bind other meaty mixes, like meatballs and sausage, as well. Either way, the next time you hold back your bean liquid for some cooking magic, think about using it in your meatloaf.