How to Press Tofu

Tofu is full of moisture, which helps keep it fresh while shelved in stores. Too much water, however, can make tofu hard to work with, and you'll need to drain it of excess water for a firm enough texture to fry, bake, or grill tofu. Luckily, pressing tofu is simple and drains most of the tofu block's water within hours. Depending on your preferences, you can either hand press your tofu or use a tofu press to give your tofu a firm, dry texture.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Pressing Tofu By Hand

  1. Image titled Press Tofu Step 1
    1
    Drain the excess water out of the tofu package. Dump all of the water out over the sink and rinse off your tofu block over cool water. Pat your tofu dry with a paper towel afterward and set it down on the table.[1]
    • The water helps the tofu stay fresh in stores but is unnecessary once you open the tofu.
  2. Image titled Press Tofu Step 2
    2
    Wrap the tofu in paper or clean cloth towels. Cover the entire tofu block in paper or cloth towels to absorb excess water while it drains. After wrapping the tofu block, press it firmly with your hands over the sink to get rid of water dripping from the tofu.[2]
    • If you use paper towels, you will have to change the towels every 30 minutes while draining the tofu.[3]
    Advertisement
  3. 3
    Weigh the tofu down with a cutting board and heavy objects. Set the tofu down on a plate or shallow bowl and place the cutting board on top. Set a pot, book, or weighted object on top of the cutting board to slowly press water out of the tofu.[4]
    • Choose an object at least as long and wide as the tofu block to weigh it down evenly.
  4. Image titled Press Tofu Step 4
    4
    Let the tofu drain for about 2-3 hours. The longer you leave your tofu to drain, the drier and firmer it will be. For a firm enough texture to fry, grill, or bake your tofu, drain it for at least 2-3 hours.[5]
    • You can apply manual pressure to the object with your hands if you're in a hurry and drain the tofu in 15-30 minutes.[6]
    • If you wrapped the tofu in paper towels, remove the weighted object every 30 minutes and re-wrap the tofu to prevent water from leaking around the table.
    5. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using a Tofu Press

  1. Image titled Press Tofu Step 5
    1
    Place your tofu in the tofu press. Set the tofu int the designated compartment and secure it in place based on the tofu press design. For most tofu presses, you will need to slide it into the tofu slot and tighten it in place by twisting screws on the side.[7]
    • Drain the excess water from the tofu package and blot it dry with a paper towel before putting the tofu in the press.
    • Tofu presses are better for evenly draining the tofu block of moisture than hand pressing it.
  2. Image titled Press Tofu Step 6
    2
    Set a timer for 45-60 minutes and place it on the counter. Using a tofu press is quicker than hand pressing the tofu and takes up to 60 minutes for a firm texture. Set the tofu press on the counter and leave it to drain the excess water.[8]
    • If you are using an electric tofu press, you can leave the tofu press undisturbed for the full 45-60 minutes.
  3. 3
    Re-tighten manual tofu presses every 5-10 minutes. If you're using a manual tofu press instead of an electric one, you will need to tighten the screws one notch to the side to squeeze out more liquid. Tighten the tofu press screws about every 5-10 minutes for the duration of the 45-60 minutes.[9]
    • To speed up the draining time, re-tighten the screws more often. If you re-tighten the screws every 2-3 minutes, for example, you can press the tofu in 20-30 minutes.
  4. Image titled Press Tofu Step 8
    4
    Remove the tofu from the press and cook immediately. After you've finished draining the tofu, take it out of the tofu press and place it on a plate. From there, you can fry, grill, or cook it depending on what your recipe calls for.[10]
    5. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    What is tofu made of?
    Andy Winder
    Andy Winder
    Community Answer
    Tofu is made from soy milk curds in the same way that cheese is made from cheese curds. This gives tofu a natural moisture that, although it keeps tofu blocks fresh, must be drained before using in certain dishes.
Advertisement

Warnings

  • Some tofu recipes require unpressed tofu for its softer texture. Check your recipe before pressing the tofu to make sure firm, drier tofu will work.[14]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
Advertisement

Things You'll Need

Pressing Tofu By Hand

  • Paper or cloth towel
  • Plate or shallow bowl
  • Cutting board
  • Weighted object

Using a Tofu Press

  • Tofu press
  • Timer
  • Paper towels

You Might Also Like

Cook Tempeh
How to
Cook Tempeh
How to
Season Tofu
How to
Prepare Tofu
Crumble Tofu
How to
Crumble Tofu
Cook Smoked Tofu
How to
Cook Smoked Tofu
Cook Extra Firm Tofu
How to
Cook Extra Firm Tofu
How to
Make Tofu
Marinate Tofu
How to
Marinate Tofu
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://www.finecooking.com/article/how-to-press-tofu
  2. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/a18093/easy-tofu-cooking-tips-47012001/
  3. ↑ http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/common-tofu-cooking-mistakes/
  4. ↑ http://www.veggiebelly.com/2011/04/how-to-press-tofu.html
  5. ↑ http://www.veggiebelly.com/2011/04/how-to-press-tofu.html
  6. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/a18093/easy-tofu-cooking-tips-47012001/
  7. ↑ https://www.plantbasedrecipe.com/articles/how-to-use-a-tofu-press-to-make-delicious-dishes-baked/
  8. ↑ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/199046/how-to-press-tofu/
  9. ↑ https://www.plantbasedrecipe.com/articles/how-to-use-a-tofu-press-to-make-delicious-dishes-baked/
  1. ↑ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/199046/how-to-press-tofu/
  2. ↑ https://theliveinkitchen.com/how-to-press-tofu-without-a-press/
  3. ↑ http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/common-tofu-cooking-mistakes/
  4. ↑ http://www.veggiebelly.com/2011/04/how-to-press-tofu.html
  5. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/a18093/easy-tofu-cooking-tips-47012001/

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 23,092 times.
5 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 8
Updated: June 27, 2021
Views: 23,092
Categories: Tofu and Tempeh
Article SummaryX

To press tofu, start by draining the excess water out of the packaging and then patting the tofu dry with a paper towel. Then, wrap the tofu in a cloth towel and use your hands to squeeze it firmly over a sink to get rid of some of the water inside. Next, place something heavy on the wrapped tofu, like a book or a pot, and let it sit and drain for a few hours. If you're in a hurry, press down on the object to speed up the draining process. When it's finished draining, the tofu should have a dry, firm texture. To learn how to press tofu using a tofu press, scroll down!

Did this summary help you?
Advertisement