Salads & sides
Courgette, mint and almond couscous with chilli oil
A mild couscous base lets sesame chilli oil bring the heat at the table, so everyone can choose their own spoonful.
Vegan
110 pages tagged vegan.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy lemon potatoes with white beans and greens
The potatoes take the heat first, then the beans go in late so they stay creamy instead of collapsing into mash.
Cooking technique
Plant proteins, ranked by what you actually eat
Most protein rankings quietly compare dry lentils to cooked tofu. Measured the way food reaches the plate, the order changes.
Cooking technique
Tofu sauces that stay crisp
Crisp tofu lasts longer when the sauce is thick, added late or served underneath. Build contrast with cucumber, lemon, tahini or chilli oil at the table.
Dinner ideas
5 dinners that make aubergine the main event
Aubergine can carry dinner when it gets enough heat, a sharp finish and something with substance beside it. These five meals give it the main role.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage for a packed lunch
Roast the cabbage until it can travel without collapsing, then pack it with rice and edamame while the sesame dressing stays separate.
Soups & stews
Charred red pepper and chickpea stew
The peppers go under the grill until they are properly black in patches. That ten minutes is the whole flavour of the dish.
Salads & sides
Courgette, mint and almond couscous with tahini dressing
A thin lemon tahini dressing settles into the couscous without hiding the seared courgette or toasted almonds.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala for a one-pan dinner
Chickpeas and spinach make this okra masala substantial enough for dinner, all from the same wide pan.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup with chilli oil
A mellow leek and bean soup gives smoky chilli oil room to smell fragrant rather than simply hot.
Buying guides
Firm vs extra-firm tofu: which crisps best?
Extra-firm tofu is the reliable choice for crisp edges and turning. Firm tofu can still work when you press it gently, use larger pieces and avoid overhandling.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with warm flatbread
Warm flatbread turns a crunchy cucumber salad into dinner, with every piece useful for scooping up the lemony dressing.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage with crispy chickpeas
The chickpeas roast beside the cabbage but finish with a separate blast of heat, so they stay crisp while the cabbage turns tender.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens for the freezer
Cook the coconut chickpea base now, freeze it in portions, and add fresh greens and lime after reheating so the curry still tastes alive.
Salads & sides
Courgette, mint and almond couscous with pickled onions
Quick pickled onions cut through the nutty couscous and make the soft courgettes taste sharper and more vivid.
Weeknight dinners
Tomato butter beans with toast with tahini swirl
A loose lemon tahini swirl rounds out the tomato sauce and turns crisp toast into something worth dragging through the bowl.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup with lemon and herbs
Soft leeks and creamy white beans make a gentle soup that wakes up with lemon, parsley and dill.
Cooking technique
Cornstarch on tofu: how much coating is enough
A thin, even dusting of cornstarch gives tofu a crisp shell. Too much leaves powdery patches and makes the coating fall off in the pan.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad for a packed lunch
Drain the cucumber well and keep the peanuts separate: two small choices that make this salad work in a lunchbox.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage with chilli oil
The chilli oil stays raw and fragrant while the cabbage takes a long, hot roast under a thin miso glaze.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens with toasted seeds
Toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds bring a dry, nutty crunch to a creamy coconut curry without adding another complicated dish.
Salads & sides
Courgette, mint and almond couscous with crispy chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas bring a crackly top to warm courgette couscous while mint and lemon keep the bowl fresh.
Weeknight dinners
Kimchi fried rice with peas with pickled onions
Quick pickled onions cut through the savoury kimchi rice and bring a crisp, bright bite to the bowl.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup with tahini swirl
A loose lemon tahini swirl adds richness to this gentle bean soup without needing cream.
Cooking technique
Why tofu sticks to the pan and how to stop it
Sticking usually comes from wet tofu, a cool pan, early turning or a thin pan surface. Fix the sequence and the crust releases on its own.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella for the freezer
A practical freezer base of roasted tomatoes and crisp bread, finished later with fresh peaches, herbs and lemon.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with chilli oil
Fragrant chilli oil brings warmth to cold smashed cucumber without cooking away its snap.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens with lemon and herbs
Chickpeas simmer in coconut milk with ginger, garlic and greens, then lemon and herbs keep the bowl from tasting heavy.
Salads & sides
Courgette, mint and almond couscous with toasted seeds
Pumpkin and sesame seeds add a savoury crunch to almond couscous without making the plate feel busy.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with yogurt
Roast the aubergine until deeply browned and put cold yogurt underneath, where it cools each hot, spicy mouthful.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup with pickled onions
Quick pickled onions cut through the creamy beans and make the quiet leek flavour feel more vivid.
Cooking technique
How to get tofu crispy without deep-frying
Crispy tofu comes from removing surface water, using a thin starch coating and leaving gaps in the pan. Deep-frying is optional, not the requirement.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala for the freezer
Cook the tomato base until thick, cool it quickly and add lemon and coriander only after reheating for a brighter bowl.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with tahini dressing
Lemon tahini gives smashed cucumber enough richness to stand beside bread or become lunch on its own.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens with chilli oil
The curry is gently spiced and creamy; a cumin chilli oil made in the same pan adds heat without making every mouthful fiery.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage with warm flatbread
Roast the cabbage until its edges are dark, warm flatbread in the last five minutes and use it to catch the miso and lemon juices.
Weeknight dinners
Kimchi fried rice with peas with toasted seeds
Toasted seeds add a dry, nutty layer to kimchi fried rice and keep their crunch against the soft peas.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup for a one-pot dinner
Kale and white beans give leek soup enough substance for dinner, with toast to catch the thick broth.
Cooking technique
How to build a filling tofu bowl
Build the bowl around crisp tofu, then add a base, a fresh vegetable and one strong sauce. Texture and portion balance make simple ingredients feel complete.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella for a packed lunch
Pack the tomatoes and peaches with a lemon dressing underneath, then keep bread, herbs and seeds separate until lunch.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad for the freezer
Cucumber can survive the freezer if you drain it hard and treat it as a thawed pickle, not a fresh salad.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens with pickled onions
Make the onions first so they turn pink and sharp while the coconut chickpea curry simmers underneath them.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage with tahini dressing
The cabbage gets a salty miso crust; the tahini stays cold and lemony, so the finished plate has both depth and lift.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with warm flatbread
Make the tray saucy enough for flatbread, then warm the bread directly on the oven rack while the aubergine rests.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup with toasted seeds
Toasted seeds give creamy leek soup a dry, nutty edge and make each spoonful more interesting.
Storage and keeping
Can you freeze crispy tofu?
Crispy tofu can be frozen, but the crust softens. Freeze a cooled tofu and rice base, reheat it in a dry skillet and add cucumber and dressing after.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with chilli oil
Chilli oil gives the sweet fruit a savoury edge, while toasted bread catches every drop of tomato and lemon juice.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with lemon and herbs
Smashed cucumber catches the lemon dressing in its cracks, while peanuts and herbs keep every bite crunchy and bright.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens for a one-pan dinner
Everything for this coconut chickpea curry goes into one wide pan, including the greens, so dinner is on the table with very little washing up.
Weeknight dinners
Roasted squash with lentils for the freezer
Squash and lentils freeze well when kept saucy, then get their fresh finish from lemon and herbs after reheating.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with pickled onions
Pickle the onions while the tray roasts; their vinegar and crunch keep the soft aubergine from feeling too rich.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup with warm flatbread
Blend some of the beans into the stock so the soup is thick enough for warm flatbread to dip without collapsing.
Cooking technique
How to press tofu without a tofu press
You can press tofu with a tea towel, plate and heavy pan. The aim is a drier surface, not a perfectly flat block or a long kitchen project.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with tahini dressing
Lemony tahini gives the juicy fruit a creamy savoury backdrop and turns this bread salad into a more filling side.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with toasted seeds
Toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds add a second kind of crunch to the peanuts without making the salad heavy.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens with crispy beans
The curry stays creamy and the chickpeas on top roast until dry and crisp, giving a one-pot dinner the crunch it usually misses.
Weeknight dinners
Roasted squash with lentils with chilli oil
A spoonful of fragrant chilli oil wakes up the sweet squash and gives the lentils enough heat to feel like dinner rather than a side.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas for the freezer
Cook the sauce thick and leave the fresh finishes until reheating, so a freezer portion comes back glossy rather than watery.
Soups & stews
Spiced chickpea soup with lemon
Blending all of it gives you baby food. Blending none of it gives you thin broth with things in it. Half is the answer.
Storage and keeping
How to keep cucumber crisp in a tofu bowl
Cucumber stays crisp when it is cut with purpose, kept cold and dressed late. Treat it as a fresh counterpoint, not another pan ingredient.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with pickled onions
Quick-pickled red onions cut through ripe fruit and tomato juice in a panzanella with crisp bread and basil.
Weeknight dinners
Kimchi fried rice with peas with tahini dressing
A loose lemon tahini dressing cools the kimchi without hiding its fermented tang or the rice crust.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage with toasted seeds
Toast the seeds separately so they stay crisp, then scatter them over the miso cabbage after roasting instead of letting them burn on the tray.
Weeknight dinners
Tomato butter beans with toast for a one-pot dinner
Tomato butter beans and greens cook together in one saucepan, then go straight onto toast for a complete pantry dinner.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with chilli oil
Keep the roasting gentle enough for the aubergine to turn silky, then bring the heat with chilli oil at the table.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup for the freezer
This white bean and leek soup freezes well when the fresh lemon and herbs are saved for the reheated bowl.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber with warm flatbread
Warm the flatbread at the end and use it to scoop up crisp tofu, cucumber and the lemony soy dressing.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with lemon and herbs
Juicy peaches and tomatoes soak into crisp bread while lemon, basil and red onion keep the bowl sharp.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens with tahini dressing
A coconut chickpea curry gets a second kind of creaminess from lemon tahini, which is spooned over the top rather than cooked into the pot.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage with pickled onions
Start the onions before the oven. Their vinegar cuts through the browned miso cabbage and makes a plain grain bowl feel finished.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala with toasted seeds
Toasted seeds add a dry, nutty contrast to the soft tomato masala while the okra keeps its seared edges.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas for a one-pan dinner
Add tomatoes for moisture, chickpeas for substance and spinach at the end, so the whole dinner still comes from one pan.
Soups & stews
White bean and leek soup with crispy chickpeas
Crispy chickpeas bring the crunch that a smooth white bean and leek soup needs.
Cooking technique
How to turn leftover rice into a crispy tofu bowl
Leftover rice gives a tofu bowl a head start. Warm the grains separately, crisp the tofu in a clear skillet and add cucumber after the heat is off.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with warm flatbread
A juicy peach and tomato panzanella with toasted bread, plus warm flatbread for scooping up every last drop.
Weeknight dinners
Roasted squash with lentils with tahini dressing
Tahini gives the warm lentils a creamy edge without dairy, while lemon keeps the roasted squash from tasting too sweet.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with pickled onions
Quick pickled onions bring colour and bite to a cold cucumber salad that would otherwise be too gentle.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala with chilli oil
Fragrant ginger chilli oil gives the tomato masala a hot, aromatic finish without making the whole pan fiery.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage for the freezer
Freeze the cabbage without dressing or herbs, then reheat it hot and add a fresh miso brush and lemon at the end.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with toasted seeds
Toast pumpkin and sesame seeds separately while the tray cooks, then add them at the last second so they stay audible.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber for a one-pan dinner
Cook the rice first, push it aside, then crisp the tofu in the same pan so the grains pick up the soy glaze.
Weeknight dinners
Coconut chickpea curry with greens with warm flatbread
Keep this coconut chickpea curry thick enough for flatbread to scoop, with greens folded through just before the pan leaves the heat.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with tahini dressing
The smoky sweetness of corn and peach against a lemon tahini dressing. Creamy without dairy and substantial enough beside flatbread.
Weeknight dinners
Roasted squash with lentils with pickled onions
Quick pickled onions cut through the sweetness of roasted squash and make a simple lentil plate feel properly finished.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala with lemon and herbs
Dry-fried okra keeps its shape in a spiced tomato masala, then lemon and coriander lift the whole pan.
Salads & sides
Miso-roasted cabbage with lemon and herbs
Roast the cabbage hard enough to brown the cut faces, then brush on the miso so it stays savoury rather than burning.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with crispy beans
Roast the aubergine low on the tray and give the chickpeas their own hot corner, where they turn crisp and nutty.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber for the freezer
Freeze the cooked tofu and rice without cucumber, then reheat in a skillet and finish with fresh cucumber and vinegar.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with toasted seeds
A handful of toasted seeds gives juicy peaches and tomatoes the contrast they need, alongside crisp country bread.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with warm flatbread
Warm flatbread turns the lemony tomato and peach juices into part of the meal. Char the corn, tear the bread and let everyone build a bite.
Weeknight dinners
Roasted squash with lentils with warm flatbread
Warm flatbread turns roasted squash and lentils into a generous dinner, with every browned lentil and drop of dressing worth scooping up.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala with pickled onions
Quick pickled onions cut through the tomato masala and bring a fresh crunch to the tender okra.
Salads & sides
Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with crispy chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas make this cold, crunchy cucumber salad substantial enough for lunch without losing its freshness.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with tahini dressing
Roast the aubergine hard, then loosen tahini with lemon and water until it pours instead of clumps.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber with chilli oil
Keep the chilli oil off the skillet so it stays fragrant, then spoon it over the tofu and cucumber at the table.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with crispy chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas bring salt and crunch to a juicy peach-and-tomato panzanella that is substantial enough for dinner.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad for the freezer
Tomatoes and corn can be frozen after roasting; peaches and herbs cannot. Freeze the cooked base, then finish it with fresh fruit when you need dinner.
Weeknight dinners
Roasted squash with lentils with toasted seeds
Toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds add the crunch that soft squash and lentils need, without turning the dinner into a salad.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala with warm flatbread
Keep the masala thick enough to sit on warm flatbread, then let everyone tear and scoop at the table.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber with lemon and herbs
Press the tofu dry, leave it alone in the pan and finish it with lemon so the crisp coating survives the fresh cucumber.
Weeknight dinners
Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with lemon and herbs
Roast the aubergine until collapsed at the edges, then add the chickpeas so they stay crisp rather than turning to pebbles.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber with pickled onions
Pickle the onions while the tofu presses, then keep their brine away from the crust until the bowls are ready.
Weeknight dinners
Okra and tomato masala with tahini dressing
Lemon tahini softens the spice and adds richness to the tomato masala without turning the okra into a heavy stew.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with chilli oil
Chilli oil gives ripe peaches and tomatoes a sharp edge, while charred corn adds the savoury part. Keep the oil warm, not smoking.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with toasted seeds
A simple corn, tomato and peach salad with two kinds of toasted seeds for crunch. The seeds are seasoned while warm so they taste of more than oil.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber with crispy beans
Brown the tofu and beans separately so the beans dry out instead of steaming in the tofu's moisture.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber with toasted seeds
Toast the seeds first and keep them dry, then use them to finish the tofu and cucumber bowl after the soy glaze.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with pickled onions
A quick pickle turns a red onion into the sharp, crunchy thing that ripe corn, tomatoes and peaches need. The onions do double duty as dressing.
Weeknight dinners
Crispy tofu with cucumber with tahini dressing
Keep the tahini dressing loose and cold, then spoon it around the tofu instead of softening the crisp coating.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with crispy chickpeas
Sweet late-summer produce with chickpeas roasted until their edges crackle. The salad stays fresh while the chickpeas bring the substance.