Lemon tofu and white bean skillet

A few mashed white beans thicken the pan liquid around golden tofu, giving this skillet a light, creamy sauce. Most beans remain whole, and spinach softens into the spaces between them. Lemon goes in off the heat, keeping its sharp flavor noticeable against the mild tofu and beans.

Give the tofu time against the pan

Drain and pat the tofu dry before cutting it into cubes. Surface water needs to evaporate before the first stage can produce much color. Spread the cubes across the skillet and turn them occasionally, leaving each face against the hot pan for a while between movements.

Use firm tofu that can hold its shape when the onion and beans are folded through it. Very soft tofu will break into the sauce, changing the finished texture. A wide skillet makes it easier to turn the cubes without piling them on top of one another.

Once the onion joins the tofu, stir gently with a broad spoon or spatula. Thin onion slices soften during the short cook and fit between the cubes. Have the minced garlic and the remaining ingredients ready before the next stage, so the garlic does not sit over the heat while you open or drain beans.

Mash a little bean into the sauce

Cannellini, navy and great northern beans all work here. Their sizes and firmness vary, so use a few of the softer ones for mashing and keep the rest whole. Press a small spoonful against the side of the skillet, then stir it into the water around the tofu.

Start with a small amount of mashing. You can always crush another spoonful if the liquid still looks thin, but a large amount of bean purée makes the skillet much heavier. Let the sauce simmer gently so it reaches the consistency you want without breaking up all the cubes.

Chop the spinach into manageable pieces and fold it in a handful at a time. Water clinging to washed leaves joins the sauce, so drain them well before adding. If using the kale substitution, give the leaves the additional simmer they need before the lemon finish.

A gentle reheating method

The dish makes two portions. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers, refrigerate within two hours, and use within three days. The bean sauce thickens as it stands, so add a small splash of water when reheating if it no longer moves easily around the tofu.

Stir gently and heat until steaming throughout. Taste the sauce after it has loosened rather than adding extra salt while it is still cold and thick. Drained bean weight is more useful than can count when shopping for another batch, because package sizes and the amount of packing liquid vary.