Intro
Full disclosure, I was once a hardcore tofu hater. Why? Because I didn’t know how to cook it properly! A lot of the recipes you’ll see on the internet and in cookbooks say just chop it up, marinate it, and throw it in the oven. That will cook the tofu, but if you’re like me, it will also make you sad, because it just doesn’t taste great. Ever since I started giving tofu the second chance that it deserved, I realized how many different kinds of tofu there are and how versatile of an ingredient it actually is. I’m now a convert who firmly believes that tofu (and soy products in general) is the most underrated ingredient of all time. Hopefully this article will encourage you to try more tofu in your diet and help make cooking with tofu a little easier!
First things first – soy is actually a powerhouse of nutrition – it is a complete protein and one of the few complete proteins on the plant-based side of things – it’s definitely something you want to incorporate into your diet regularly (if you don’t have a soy intolerance) if you’re trying out plant-based as it will help you hit those protein goals! Tofu is also fairly low in fat, and the fats it does have are widely considered to be fairly heart healthy; it also has no cholesterol. Tofu also packs in fiber, potassium, and iron!
Ok, so now that we agree that tofu is awesome, let’s get into the specifics. There are several kinds of tofu – super firm, extra firm, firm, silken, and your shelf-stable silken tofu varieties – extra firm, firm, lite firm, soft. There are so many different kinds because they vary in texture and water content!
Super Firm Tofu
Typically Super Firm Tofu comes vacuum-packed and will not need to be pressed because the water has already been pressed out of it! Typically super firm tofu is about 43% protein. This is one of my favorite tofu types to use because you don’t need to remember to press it, so it’s better for last minute meal making!
Because this tofu is so firm, you can shred it, slice it, crumble it or of course cube it.
Shredding
Literally just use that vegetable/cheese grater you have laying around! I absolutely love shredding tofu because it takes in all the flavors so much better than cubing it. You can use shredded tofu in tacos, nachos, “crab” meat, etc. I feel like there are basically two different ways to use shredded tofu – you can either flavor it with a wet sauce or use dry spices to flavor it!
Flavoring with a wet sauce
For this method, I just cook the unflavored, shredded tofu in a pan for ~ 15 minutes. Once you’ve gotten it to the moisture you are happy with, you can add your sauce and mix everything together well and continue cooking. BBQ sauce is what I use most often; I love eating it in tacos and on nachos.
Flavoring with dry spices
For this method, I like to throw the shredded tofu in a bowl, mix with the spices/seasoning and toss it in the oven on a baking sheet. If you want the shredded tofu to be a little crispy, definitely throw in some corn starch in with your seasoning. You’ll also want to flip the tofu half-way through baking it so that it’s evenly cooked on all sides. If you’re looking for a recipe to try this out with, I highly recommend this Crab Rangoon Dip.
Slicing
This is such a cool way to use tofu. You’ll need an extra wide vegetable peeler like this one (affiliate link). You literally just peel the tofu and you will end up with super thin slices! Marinating your tofu works so well with the thin slices! You can try all different kinds of flavors of marinades, but my current favorite is soy sauce and maple syrup – easy to make and it gives you a nice subtle sweet and salty flavor! Once the sliced tofu is marinated, you can either spread it out on a baking sheet and cook in the oven or just cook it in a pan. I love eating it this way on sandwiches! If this sounds good to you, then you should definitely check out this Vegan Philly Cheese-steak recipe.
Crumbling
This is a great way to add flavor to tofu, is super easy and requires no tools – just your hands! There are two main ways to add flavor to crumbled tofu:
- Add dry spices after you crumble the tofu, and bake it in the oven on a baking sheet, flipping halfway through for even cooking. I like to use these for things like chili and salad.
- Throw the crumbles in a pan, and add spices and a bit of liquid to get even flavor distribution and cook! This works great for things like a tofu scramble.
Cubed or Chunked
This is what you’ll see most often in recipes. I rarely use this but it is good if you’re trying to make air-fryer chick’n nuggets or use it for a bowl or a stir fry. If you are trying to get crispy tofu this way, I highly recommend tearing it into chunks by hand. This creates more surface area which will get your tofu crispier. Also tossing it in corn starch will help with this as well! If you don’t have an air fryer and are still wanting crispy tofu, I highly recommend using a crisping tray!
- I do like to use cubed tofu in dishes where you already have a sauce like this BBQ Tofu Bowl.
- You can also add more flavor to cubed tofu by allowing it to hang out in a marinade for an hour or two before you go to cook it!
Food Processor
Another great way to use this kind of tofu is by throwing it in the food processor! It can be used to make some really great, high protein ricotta, like the one used in this Butternut Squash Lasagna.
Extra Firm Tofu
Extra Firm Tofu comes water-packed so you will need to press it! If you don’t have an actual tofu press, I have wrapped it in a towel, set a cutting board on top of it and a heavy book or two on top of the cutting board, and it works about the same. If you’re looking for an easier route, I would recommend trying out one of the tofu presses below:
- Plastic Tofu Press (affiliate link)
- Tofuture Tofu Press (affiliate link)
You usually want to press the tofu for at least 20 minutes, but I like to press it the day before to get as much water out as possible, and then you’re also not waiting around for it when you’re ready to cook!
Typically extra firm tofu is about 40% protein. This tofu can be prepared pretty much the same as the super firm tofu; you will just need to press it first. It may still have slightly higher water content even after pressing it but is, for all intents and purposes, about the same as super firm.
Firm Tofu
Firm Tofu comes water-packed so it will also need to be pressed. I’m not sure how many other people do this, but for firm tofu, I often just use a large cheesecloth to get the water out of it before using it.
Firm Tofu is typically about 40% protein, and works great for things like cream cheese! These are some of my favorite uses of it:
You could also use it in similar ways to how you would use Super Firm or Extra Firm, but I prefer using those more because they are more firm overall, even after pressing, and tend to be easier to work with when cooking, shredding, etc.
Silken Tofu
Silken tofu is a little lesser known than the other types of tofu that we have already covered. Basically it’s made very similarly to the other types of tofu, except that the milk is not coagulated when it’s made which gives it a very silky and smooth texture, making it great for sauces, mousses, smoothies, etc.!
There are two main types of silken tofu you’ll find in the grocery store – the first, in the image shown above, can be found in the refrigerated section alongside the other tofu types. This kind is typically around 40% protein.
The second kind of silken tofu you’ll run into is my personal favorite – this is the shelf-stable kind – typically it can be found in the international cuisine section of the grocery store (assuming you’re in the US). Mori-Nu is the brand that I see most often and they have four firmness levels of silken tofu as listed below:
- Extra Firm Silken Tofu – ~60.5% protein; stir-frying and sauteing
- Firm Silken Tofu – 48% protein; entrees, salads and desserts
- Lite-Firm Silken Tofu – 80% protein; smoothies, salads and desserts
- Soft Silken Tofu – 35.5% protein; appetizers, dips and sauces
I prefer to use the shelf stable ones because they stay fresh longer and they have better protein macros. The one I find most at my grocery stores is the extra firm silken tofu so I tend to use that in everything!
For the Extra Firm Silken Tofu, you could use it in stir-fry or saute it like you would the other tofu types. Do not press silken tofu; it is much too soft and you will end up crushing it. If you’re looking for a firmer, meatier texture, I would recommend using one of the other tofu types, because silken tends to be much softer and will not work that great as a meat substitute in dishes.
Ways I love to use Silken Tofu:
- Sauces – Silken tofu works amazingly well in any creamy sauces, like an Alfredo or a cheese sauce. You just blend it with your spices, and a splash of your favorite milk and the possibilities are endless. These are some of my favorite sauce recipes:
- Condiments – Silken tofu is great to make your own creamy condiments with and way more healthy and with higher protein than anything you’ll find in the stores! Below are the ones we make regularly. It should be noted that since some of these, like the sour cream and mayo, are very thick, you’ll want to make sure you have a good, high-powered blender, and even with a blender as awesome as a Vitamix, you may need to stir several times in the blending process to keep it going.
- Smoothies – silken tofu is an excellent way to add some extra protein to your fruit/veggie smoothie; it also adds a nice creaminess – think of it like a Greek Yogurt substitute! Here’s an example of how to use it in a smoothie, but honestly it would really work in any smoothie – you just need the silken tofu, a liquid (favorite milk, etc.), some fruits/veggies, and something to sweeten it with – this could be fruit or maybe a scoop of your favorite protein powder!
- Puddings/Mousses – just like silken tofu works great in smoothies, it’s also perfect for puddings and mousses. As long as you flavor them well, you can add the creamy pudding and mousse texture along with a ton of protein, by simply adding silken tofu to your recipe! Here are some of our favorites:
- Cheesecakes/Pies – last, but definitely not least, on my favorite ways to use silken tofu is in Cheesecakes and Pies! You will get a super great creaminess and also a bunch of extra protein! Here are some of my current favorites:
As you can see, I’m slightly obsessed with silken tofu and use it in virtually everything. If you’re looking for more ideas of creative ways to use it, you should check out our article on the 20 best silken tofu recipes.
If you have any tofu-related questions or thoughts, feel free to reach out to us!
Author
Protein Deficient Vegan
