Strawberry Aquafaba Mousse

I’m a huge chocolate mousse lover but I have to say that during summer, I lean more towards fruity desserts. So when I saw vibrant and juicy strawberries at my local market the other day, I had an idea – turn strawberries into a mousse. But not any mousse, one that would obviously be dairy-free, egg-free, and naturally sweetened.

I can’t tell you how many strawberries went into the making of this recipe! A LOT. But it was well worth the effort because the result is a super light and fluffy strawberry mousse that tastes like cotton candy. It’s almost MAGICAL!

My strawberry mousse is not too sweet, full of strawberry flavor, and makes the perfect summer dessert! I recently served this mousse for dessert to guests, and it was a hit with all of them!

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

Fruity, sweet, and SO airy.

My strawberry mousse doesn’t call for any artificial flavoring—actually, it doesn’t need it. It relies exclusively on fresh strawberries blended with a few other ingredients to create an airy mousse packed with INTENSE strawberry flavor!

Through testing, I discovered that raw strawberries have a fresher and fruitier taste compared to cooked ones. That’s why I’ve chosen to use raw strawberries in this recipe. It results in a fantastic fruity dessert that is extremely light and super refreshing!

Quick disclaimer: The texture of my mousse is much lighter than a traditional chocolate mousse for example. It’s really airy and delicate, do not expect it to be as rich as chocolate mousse.

Extensively tested.

The not-so-secret ingredient that gives my mousses their light and fluffy texture is aquafaba. You know, that yellowish liquid that comes in cans of cooked chickpeas. I told you I used a lot of strawberries while testing this recipe. Well, I also used a lot of aquafaba. Let’s say that I have enough chickpeas to make hummus for the rest of the year.

The problem with aquafaba is that it tends to collapse quickly if you don’t add something to harden it. The chocolate helps firm up everything when making chocolate mousse, but it’s a different story to make fruit mousse. I had to rely on coconut cream + agar to get a light and fluffy texture that is perfectly soft yet keeps its shape well.

By the way: If you share this recipe, please give credit as it took me a long time to develop (and unfortunately, many other bloggers have stolen it, changing a few things here and there to “make it their own”).

Only 6 ingredients.

This recipe uses only 6 wholesome and very easy-to-find ingredients. I tried to make this recipe as simple as possible, so there is no artificial strawberry flavoring or freeze-dried strawberries required. Just fresh fruits and a few pantry staples!

🍓 Ingredient Notes

Here are the ingredients that you will need:

Strawberries

The star of the show! If you are making this recipe during summer, use those fresh and juicy strawberries from your local farmer’s market.

When it comes to the variety to pick, it’s hard to give you a recommendation as there are literally hundreds of different cultivars that vary depending on countries and regions. Here, in France, I generally pick either “Mara des Bois,” “Charlotte,” or “Gariguette.”

To make 4 servings, you will need about 7 ounces (200g) of fresh strawberries. You can imagine just how rich in strawberry flavor these mousses truly are!

Note: Use the sweetest strawberries you can find. Their sweetness and flavor will greatly affect the end result, which can go from meh to delicious. I haven’t tried frozen ones, so let me know if you do!

Maple syrup

Instead of relying on white sugar, I prefer to use natural maple syrup in this recipe. Not only it keeps these mousses on the healthier side but it also adds more complex flavors.

Substitute: I acknowledge that maple syrup is not the most affordable sweetener, so I also tried this recipe with granulated sugar, and it worked great! You can replace the maple syrup with 3 tablespoons of white sugar.

Aquafaba

I rely on the trendy aquafaba to replace the egg whites, which are usually used to create a fluffy and airy texture in mousse recipes. If you are new to aquafaba, it’s basically the liquid that comes in a can of cooked chickpeas. It has a thick and slimy texture and can be whipped just like egg whites!

Where to use chickpeas: After draining your can of chickpeas, use them to make this caramelized shallots hummus or this masala chickpea buddha bowl!

Coconut cream + Agar

While aquafaba is great at creating an airy texture, it tends to collapse after just a few hours. To prevent that, I use a combination of coconut cream and agar. The first one helps the mousse firm up slightly once it’s cooled, and the agar helps set the texture so it doesn’t collapse.

Important: Do not use coconut milk. You must absolutely use coconut cream—otherwise, your mousse will not be firm enough. You can use either a can of coconut cream or place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight and scoop out the hard part (which is the cream).

Do not omit the agar. It’s an essential ingredient in this recipe, as it hardens the mousse and prevents the strawberry juice from separating from the aquafaba. I don’t have a substitute for the agar to recommend – maybe pectin would work, but I haven’t tried it yet.

Vanilla extract

Finally, an optional splash of vanilla extract brings extra sweetness and fresh notes. You can use store-bought vanilla extract, homemade vanilla extract, or the seeds from half of a vanilla bean (the mousse will pack even more vanilla flavor!).

🥣 How to Make It

1. Blend the strawberries

1. Rinse the strawberries. Start by rinsing the strawberries under cold water. Drain them well and pat them dry using kitchen paper towels. Pluck the stems off with your hand.
2. Blend them. Transfer the strawberries, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. You should get a thin juice. Transfer the strawberry juice to a mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Activate the agar

1. Heat the coconut cream. Add the coconut cream and agar powder to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly to dissolve the agar. Remove from the heat as soon as it starts boiling.

2. Combine with the strawberry juice. Pour the hot coconut cream into the strawberry juice bowl and whisk to combine. Let cool for about 20 minutes or until just warm. It should not be too hot, or it will collapse the aquafaba later. You shouldn’t let it cool for too long either, or it will harden.

3. Whip the aquafaba

While the coconut strawberry juice is cooling down, whip the aquafaba. To do so:

1. Drain the chickpeas. If you haven’t already, drain the chickpeas from the can and reserve the juice (aquafaba).
2. Whip to stiff peaks. Transfer 1/4 cup of aquafaba to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Use either an electric whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whip the aquafaba until it forms stiff peaks. This step will take up to 5 minutes. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the aquafaba losing its shape.

4. Combine

1. Transfer the strawberry mixture to the aquafaba. Pour half of the coconut strawberry juice into the bowl containing the aquafaba and carefully fold it using a spatula. Once fully combined, pour the remaining strawberry juice and fold again until the juice is completely integrated into the aquafaba.

Try not to overmix. Stop as soon as it’s combined and no juice remains at the bottom of the bowl. The batter should be very light and fluffy.

2. Transfer to jars. Using a spoon, transfer the strawberry mousse to ramekins or jars. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before enjoying! The mousse will firm up as it cools.

🍒 Variations

Not a fan of strawberries? Try using other berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, or even cherries! I have tried this recipe with raspberries, and they worked great! Note: If using raspberries, I recommend straining the juice to remove the seeds.

You can also add 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice to give your mousse a subtle citrusy flavor.

These aquafaba mousses are SO fluffy and light and pack an intense strawberry flavor. It makes the perfect summer dessert, plus it’s low in calories! Yep, it’s good for your waistline, so don’t pass on this one!

🧁 More Fruit Desserts

Vegan Blueberry Tart

French Apple Tart

Vegan Lemon Pound Cake

Apricot Tart

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in April 2018 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in July 2024.