Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or just eating less meat, beans, lentils and tofu are cheap, filling and full of fibre as well as protein. Here’s how to use them well.
The best plant proteins
Approximate protein per 100g as eaten (it varies by brand and how it’s cooked):
- Tempeh: about 18–20g
- Firm tofu: about 12–15g
- Edamame beans: about 11g
- Cooked lentils: about 9g
- Cooked chickpeas and most beans: about 7–8g
Nuts, seeds, peanut butter, oats, wholegrain bread and soya milk all add more through the day.
Eat a mix
Different plant foods contain different combinations of amino acids, so eating a variety over the day — beans with rice, hummus with pitta, lentils with bread — covers what you need. They don’t have to be in the same meal.
Cooking lentils
- Red lentils need no soaking and cook in 15–20 minutes, collapsing into a soft purée. They’re perfect for dhal and soups.
- Green and brown lentils hold their shape and take 20–30 minutes. Use them in salads and stews.
Cooking dried beans safely
Dried beans are cheaper than tins, but they need care. Soak them in plenty of cold water for at least 12 hours, then drain and rinse. Red kidney beans in particular must be boiled hard for at least 10 minutes before you simmer them until tender, because raw or undercooked kidney beans contain a natural toxin that can make you ill. Never cook dried kidney beans from raw in a slow cooker. Tinned beans are already cooked and safe to use straight away.
Making tofu taste good
- Press it. Wrap the block in a clean tea towel and put something heavy on top for 15–20 minutes. Less water means crispier tofu.
- Coat it in cornflour, salt and a little oil.
- Cook it hot — in a frying pan, the oven at 200°C, or an air fryer — until golden on all sides.
- Sauce it at the end: soy, garlic and maple syrup; sweet chilli; or a peanut sauce.
Easy plant-based dinners
- Red lentil dhal with rice.
- Chickpea and spinach curry.
- Three-bean chilli.
- Crispy tofu stir-fry with noodles.
- Falafel wraps with hummus and salad.
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