What Is Tofu and How Do You Use It?
Tofu isn't just for vegans or certain cuisines — once you start cooking with it, tofu may very well find a permanent home in your fridge.
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Tofu is a soy product originating in China but is present in many cuisines worldwide. You might have had it alongside meat and other proteins or seen it offered as a vegan option at restaurants. Millions of people worldwide eat tofu every day and are in the know on how to make it the highlight of the meal — read on to become a part of that soy-savvy group.
Types of Tofu
Tofu can be categorized in two varieties: silken and cottony. Confusingly, both types are offered in the same varying firmness levels, from soft to firm and beyond. The difference between these two distinct types of tofu is how they're made.
Silken tofu is a hot liquid poured into the container you buy it in. As it cools, it firms up and takes on the shape of the container. It has a jiggly, custardy texture that can be used in sweet or savory recipes. Silken tofu will always be softer than cottony tofu, even “firm” silken tofu.
Silken tofu is an excellent smoothie addition and works great in vegan puddings and custards. On the sturdier end of the spectrum, firm silken tofu is the main ingredient in Tofu Hiyayakko, a dish where the block is served whole and adorned with many delicious condiments like soy sauce, green onion, and bonito flakes.
Related:Tempeh vs. Tofu: What's the Difference?
Cottony tofu is usually the variety people mean when they refer to tofu. If a recipe simply calls for "tofu," it likely means the cottony variety. It's much firmer and is made similarly to how cheese is produced. Solids from soy milk production are pressed, and the water is slowly pulled out. It's then packed in water and sealed in a plastic container. How much water is pressed out depends on the firmness of the tofu. “Soft” cottony tofu has the most water, while “firm” and “extra-firm” varieties are solid and have much less water.
Firm and extra-firm cottony tofu are incredibly versatile and can be added to stir-fries, soups, and curries, but are also just as delicious on their own, grilled, baked, or fried — the sky's the limit! You can even make vegan scrambled eggs and ricotta cheese with tofu. If you're new to the delicious world of tofu, pick up a few blocks of firm and extra-firm to start with; they're easy to use and can be seamlessly incorporated into so many recipes.
Related:How To Convert Even the Most Stubborn Tofu Haters Into Believers, According to a Vegetarian Chef
What Does Tofu Taste Like?
You may have heard tofu haters say that tofu has no flavor. And to a certain extent, that's kind of true. Tofu's inherent flavor is very mild, but so is chicken, and that's what people love about it — it's a blank canvas for building dynamic flavors. One of the biggest mistakes people make when cooking tofu is not seasoning it enough. Tofu is a sponge and can take on a lot of flavor and seasoning. When preparing tofu, it can be bland if you season it as you would the same amount of meat or vegetables. So don’t hold back when it comes to flavoring; you’ll thank yourself later.
Is Tofu Good for You?
Tofu is the most popular vegan protein for a reason, it's a highly nutritious form of plant-based protein. Tofu is also what's known as a complete protein, meaning it has all of the amino acids we need from food. Not only is tofu high in protein, it's loaded with fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals. Compared to animal products with the same amount of protein, it has much less cholesterol and fat, so many health experts laud it for its healthiness. Some studies even suggest consuming tofu can help prevent heart disease. Tofu is an excellent choice if you're looking to cut down on animal products or reduce the fat in your diet without compromising on protein.
How to Cook With Tofu
If you've never prepared tofu, there's one crucial piece of information to know: Cottony tofu needs to be pressed. The worst thing you can do is pop your tofu right out of the water in the plastic container and add it to your pan as-is. For the best flavor and texture, always press your tofu.
How to Press Tofu:
Remove the block of tofu from the water and pat it dry.
Wrap the block in several layers of paper towel or clean tea towels.
Place the block on a plate and set another plate on top, making a tofu sandwich.
Finally, weigh down your tofu. Use cans of tomatoes, cookbooks, or a cast iron skillet — really, anything that will fit on the top plate and help expel as much water as possible from the tofu.
After about 15 minutes, the towels will be saturated, and your tofu is ready to go! (If you eat tofu even semi-often, you might consider investing in a tofu press to streamline this process.)
Once you've pressed your tofu, you’re ready to cut it up for a stir-fry or saute. But here's the thing about tofu: the more surface area you have, the more flavor it will absorb and the better the texture will be. So for recipes where the recipe directs cutting the tofu into cubes, consider tearing it into bite-sized nuggets instead. You're craggy, crunchy factor will increase exponentially, and way more sauce will cling to your tofu.
Related:5 Common Mistakes When Cooking Tofu
Sauce vs. Seasoning
Once you've gone through the trouble of pressing and preparing your tofu for cooking, you’ll need to decide how to flavor it: sauce or seasoning? As we’ve established, this protein can handle plenty of bold flavor, so don’t skimp either way.
Because tofu naturally has a ton of water, if you want a crispy, crunchy, or dry exterior in your final dish, you don't want to introduce any extra water into the equation — at least not until the cooking is over. In this situation, flavor your tofu with dry spices before and during cooking. Then, if you want to add, say, BBQ sauce onto slabs of dry-rubbed baked tofu or teriyaki sauce onto little morsels of air-fried tofu, you won't lose all that pleasing texture you worked so hard on. Some dishes favor softer tofu without any exterior texture, so consider cooking your tofu right in the sauce to maximize the flavor absorption.
Tofu Recipes
If you’re ready for your tofu-cooking journey to begin, start by exploring our favorite collections of recipes featuring tofu:
For more inspirations, explore our entire collection of Vegetarian Tofu Main Dishes.
