How To Press Tofu

Vegans and vegetarians can struggle to get the right nutrients, especially protein, so it must be incorporated into their diets. Actually how can we press tofu?

Tofu is a great source of protein and can be used in lots of different meals as it can be used as an alternative to meat and fish, but it needs to be cooked in the right way. 

The texture and taste of tofu can be off-putting for people, so it needs to be cooked well for people to want to eat it. If you are not a fan of tofu, pressing it can change the way that you feel about it (Also check out How To Make Crispy Tofu).

You can use lots of household objects, but what is the best way to press tofu?

This article will explain how to press tofu so that you can start enjoying it in your meals and not force yourself to eat it for protein! You can find out more below to change the way that you feel about tofu. 

How To Press Tofu

When you are preparing to press the tofu, you need to fold up paper towels and place them on either side of the tofu block. This will help to catch all of the moisture that comes out of the tofu and prevent it from spilling on your counter.

The paper towels will absorb the liquid, so they must be in place before you begin. 

Once the tofu is ready, apply a weight to one side of the block. The weight should be heavy enough so that it applies pressure to the tofu, but not so heavy that it breaks the tofu apart or damages the structure.

Some ideas of household weights to place on the tofu are a bowl, canned food, and a book. 

Leave the weighted object on top of the tofu block for around 30 minutes. If the tofu still feels very moist after 30 minutes, continue to let it sit for a little while longer.

Regularly check the tofu as you may find that you need to replace the paper towels a few times. Replace them when necessary to allow the paper towels to continue to absorb the moisture from the tofu. 

How Does It Improve The Taste?

When you marinate tofu without pressing it, you may find that the marinate doesn’t change the flavor and your tofu tastes the same. This is due to the high water content inside tofu.

It makes it very difficult for tofu to absorb any more liquid as it is already full of water, so marinating it can be very hard. 

When you press tofu, you remove the water from inside. This will allow your tofu to absorb more of the marinade, making it tastier and providing the tofu with more flavor.

Some people only enjoy eating marinated tofu, so pressing it will allow more flavors to be absorbed, causing more people to enjoy eating it! 

Freezing Pressed Tofu

Although pressed tofu helps to improve the texture of tofu, freezing it can make it chewier and firmer. Some people prefer this texture as they find tofu too soft and slimy, so freezing it is a good option for changing the normal texture altogether. 

To freeze the tofu, simply cut it into strips or cubes and then put it in the freezer! When you want to use the tofu, allow it to thaw and add it to your meals. You can bake, fry, or grill the tofu and it won’t lose its consistency or shape. 

Can You Press Silken Tofu?

You are not able to press silken tofu as it already has a liquid consistency. It has the highest water content of all of the types of tofu, so removing water from the inside would not leave it with a lot of substance.

If you want to press tofu, you will need to use firm or extra firm tofu as it will be beneficial to the taste and texture. 

When you press firm tofu, it still has a good structure, allowing you to use it in cooking.

You would not get this if you tried to press silken tofu. As silken tofu is delicate to hold, placing a weight on top of it would cause it to break and crumble, so you should avoid pressing silken tofu as it will not work. 

Using A Tofu Press

If you regularly use tofu, you might want to consider purchasing a tofu press. It is a contraption where the tofu is placed between two blocks and you can tighten it to move the blocks closer together, applying more pressure to the tofu.

This squeezes the moisture out of the tofu and removes the water ready for marinating.

Using a tofu press is very easy as you do not need to worry about finding items to place on top of the tofu to weigh it down.

If you enjoy using pressed tofu, it can be handy for you to have one of these machines in your kitchen as you can quickly and easily press tofu ready for your meals. 

Final Thoughts

To conclude, pressing tofu is very beneficial for people who dislike the flavor and texture of tofu. Pressing tofu releases the water inside to create a firmer texture.

Once you have pressed your tofu, you can either use it straight away or freeze it in blocks to create a chewier texture, which some people prefer. 

To press the tofu, simply place it between paper towels, find a weighted object, and leave it to rest on top of the tofu for a minimum of 30 minutes. The paper towels will absorb the moisture, leaving your tofu firmer and chewier.

You need to make sure that the object is not too heavy as this can cause your tofu to crumble or break apart. 

Buying a tofu press can be beneficial if you press tofu regularly as it is easy to use and allows you to apply the right amount of pressure to your tofu. It is up to you if you prefer manually pressing your tofu or using a tofu press, it is up to you!