We absolutely love cooking with tofu! Not only is it an excellent source of protein, it’s super versatile and easy to cook with. Plus, it takes on the flavor of anything you cook it with or marinate it in — win, win!
Before marinating or cooking tofu, it’s important to press out the water so the tofu can soak up all the yummy flavors. Plus, we think that pressed tofu (compared to not pressed) tastes better and has a better texture once cooked!
So, what does it mean to “press tofu”? Basically, you are pressing the excess water out of the tofu. You can purchase a tofu press or use simple tools that you already have in your home. All you need is thick absorbent towels (like these!) and a thick, heavy cutting board (like this). We like to cook with extra firm tofu and find that it is the easiest to press.
To press tofu on your own, first slice the tofu in about 1/2” slices like so (it works best to use extra firm as pictured!):
Place the tofu on half of an absorbent towel, fold the towel over on top of the tofu, and place a cutting board or something heavy on top. Let sit for at least an hour to let the towels absorb most of the moisture.
Check out some of our favorite tofu recipes (or just search “tofu” on our blog!):
Easy Crispy Tofu
Creamy Thai Peanut Tofu & Veggies
Baked Crispy Tofu Sammy
Crispy Tofu Parm Sandwich
Classic Tofu Scramble
How to Press Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 (14-16 oz [396-453 g]) block firm or extra firm tofu
Instructions
- Drain the water from the tofu package.
- Slice into desired sized pieces.
- Lay flat on a thick, absorbent towel.
- Place another thick, absorbent towel on top of the tofu.
- Find a heavy cutting board, skillet or something similar and lay it on top of the tofu.
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove tofu from the towels and pat with a towel to remove any excess water that remains.
- Marinate or cook tofu to your desire!
