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Gray bowl filled with a pile of cooked tofu chunks
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5 from 1 vote

How to Cook Tofu

How to cook tofu- showing you five ways to cook tofu for the best texture and flavor! Plus, recipes to make with tofu, and how to store it for meal prep!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
pressing time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Japanese
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 46kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 oz block extra firm tofu 350 g
  • other ingredients as needed for each recipe

Instructions

Pan Fried Tofu

  • Prepare the tofu - remove from package, drain all water, and sandwich between two paper towels and two plates. Place a heavy item like a can on the top plate. Press for at least 30 minutes.
    tofu pressed between plates with can on top
  • Cube - Cut the pressed tofu horizontally into three slabs, then cut into ½ inch cubes.
    tofu cubes on blue plate
  • Cook - Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add the tofu cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides. This takes around 15 minutes.
    Toss in a stir fry sauce like this Peanut Ginger Sauce
    tofu in a frying pan

Oven Baked Tofu

  • Press tofu - sandwich between paper towels and two plates. Place a heavy object (like a 28 oz can) on the top plate. Press for 30 minutes or more.
    tofu pressed between plates with can on top
  • Prepare - Heat oven to 350°F. Cut tofu into ½ inch or ¾ inch cubes.
    tofu cubes on blue plate
  • Combine - Toss tofu in olive oil, then in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time.
    Toss tofu in a spice blend for extra flavor, then arrange on a large baking sheet.
    tofu cubes tossed in seasoning and spread out on baking sheet
  • Bake - Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until cooked to your liking. Find a great spice blend in this Easy Baked Tofu recipe.
    close up view of crispy baked tofu

Grilled Tofu

  • Press tofu - sandwich between paper towels and two plates. Place a heavy object (like a 28 oz can) on the top plate. Press for 30 minutes or more
    tofu pressed between plates with can on top
  • Slice - When the time is up, discard the paper towels and cut the tofu into ¾ x 3 inch sticks.
  • Prepare the grill - Before grilling the tofu, be sure to grease the grill with a bit of oil (you can brush it on or carefully spray some oil on from a distance- flames will flare up)
  • Grill - Grill the tofu sticks for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing with barbecue sauce several times while cooking.
    close up shot of vegan barbecue tofu bowls with pineapple slices

Air Fryer Tofu

  • Press tofu - sandwich between paper towels and two plates. Place a heavy object (like a 28 oz can) on the top plate. Press for 30 minutes or more.
    tofu pressed between plates with can on top
  • Prepare - Heat air fryer to 200°C/ 390°F. Cut tofu into ½ inch or ¾ inch cubes.
  • Combine - Toss tofu in avocado oil, then in 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Toss tofu in a spice blend for extra flavor (we like this spice blend!), then place in the air fryer basket.
  • Air Fry - Cook for 13 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
    overhead shot of tofu cubes in air fryer
  • Serve - Tofu is ready when it is firm on the outside. It should still be soft on the inside, as it hardens as it cools. Enjoy immediately!
    A blue bowl filled with crispy air fryer tofu and dipping sauce

Crumbled Tofu

  • Mash - mash tofu in a bowl with a potato masher or fork.
  • Sautee - sautée with ½ cup water for a creamy soft scramble. Find a tasty spice mixture that makes your tofu taste similar to scrambled eggs in this Tofu Scramble recipe!
    overhead shot of a large skillet filled with tofu scramble

Notes

  1. firm tofu may work in place of extra firm for most of these recipes; however soft or silken tofu must not be used.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of block | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg