A　novel　pre-aggregation　process　prior　to　gelation　was　applied　to　modulate　the　aggregation　and　gelation　pathway　of　soy　protein　isolate　(SPI).　SPI　dispersions　were　pre-aggregated　with　CaSO4,　MgSO4　or　ZnSO4　at　0–15　mM　and　then　gelled　by　adding　CaSO4　up　to　a　final　salt　concentration　of　35　mM.　Compared　with　the　sample　without　pre-aggregation,　the　storage　modulus　of　SPI　gels　pre-aggregated　with　10　mM　CaSO4,　10　mM　MgSO4,　and　2.5　mM　ZnSO4　were　increased　by　50.5%,　35.7%,　and　63.6%,　respectively.　The　fracture　stress,　texture　profile　analysis　parameters,　and　water　holding　capacity　were　markedly　improved　by　an　appropriate　level　of　pre-aggregation.　To　a　certain　extent,　pre-aggregation　could　promote　the　formation　of　uniform　structure　with　thicker　strands,　whereas　over-aggregation　resulted　in　a　coarser　network,　which　was　correlated　with　the　volume-mean　diameter　(D4,3)　of　pre-aggregated　SPI　particles.　The　results　are　of　great　value　for　further　understanding　of　gelation　mechanism　of　proteins.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd