Tillie Doyle
Tofu is a staple in many vegan and healthy diets, but it often contains a lot of water, which can cause it to crumble during cooking. Pressing tofu removes excess moisture, giving it a chewier, firmer texture that holds its shape and is super satisfying to eat. Pressed tofu also absorbs flavour from sauces and marinades more easily and gets crispier when cooked. While you can buy a tofu press, it's easy to press tofu with items you already have at home, such as a pan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for pressing tofu | To remove excess moisture and make it easier to cook with |
| Tools | Pan, plate, paper towels, kitchen towel, weights |
| Time | 30 minutes or up to 1 hour |
| Weight | Heavy enough to press down evenly but not too heavy that it causes the tofu to crumble |
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What You'll Learn
Wrap tofu in a clean tea towel and place on a plate
Wrapping tofu in a clean tea towel and placing it on a plate is one of the steps in pressing tofu with a pan. Tofu has a high moisture content and usually needs to be pressed to remove excess moisture before it is used in most recipes. Pressing tofu is a technique used to remove some of the moisture and make it easier to cook with. Commercial tofu manufacturing leaves a great deal of moisture content in the tofu, and this excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when cooked.
To press tofu with a pan, you will need a pan, a clean tea towel, a plate, and something heavy to weigh down the tofu. First, wrap the block of tofu in the clean tea towel and place it on the plate. Then, place the pan on top of the wrapped tofu and weigh it down with something heavy, such as cans or jars. Leave the tofu to press for 30 minutes to an hour. During this time, the weight will gradually squeeze the moisture out of the tofu, and it will be absorbed by the tea towel.
It is important to note that not all tofu types are suitable for pressing. Softer forms of tofu, such as silken tofu, are too soft and will crumble under pressure. For pressing, always buy firm or extra-firm tofu.
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Place a heavy pan on top of the tofu
Place the block of tofu on a flat surface. You can use a plate or a baking sheet, but some sources recommend a cooling rack within a sheet pan to allow excess liquid to drain and collect in the bottom of the pan. If you're using a plate, it's a good idea to put a lipped plate on a flat surface to avoid spillage.
Next, wrap the tofu in an absorbent material such as paper towels, a dishcloth, or a clean kitchen towel. This will help to draw out the moisture.
Now, place a heavy pan on top of the wrapped tofu block. A cast-iron skillet or a frying pan is ideal, but any heavy pan will do. If you don't have a heavy pan, you can use a small cutting board and top it with a heavy book or canned goods.
Finally, press down gently with your hands. Be careful not to press too hard, as this may cause the tofu block to crumble or split. You should feel a steady weight pressing down evenly across the top of the tofu.
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Weight the pan down with cans or jars
Wrap the tofu block in paper towels, a dishcloth, or a clean tea towel and place it on a flat surface or a plate with a lip. Place a heavy pan, such as a cast-iron pan, on top of the wrapped tofu block. Place a few cans or jars inside the pan and gently press down with your hands. Be careful not to press too hard, as the block may split or break. Allow the tofu to sit for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, until the liquid is mostly pressed out. You can switch out the paper towels as needed to absorb more moisture.
The weight of the pan and the cans or jars will help to squeeze out the moisture from the tofu block. The amount of weight you use should be enough to press down evenly across the top of the tofu, but not so heavy that it causes the tofu block to crumble. You can gradually increase the weight by adding more cans or jars as the tofu compresses.
The process of pressing tofu helps to remove excess moisture, which can cause the tofu to crumble during cooking. By removing this moisture, the tofu takes on a chewier, firmer texture, making it less likely to fall apart. Pressed tofu also absorbs flavours better and gets crispier when cooked.
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Press for 30 minutes
Pressing tofu is a crucial step in preparing almost any tofu recipe. It helps to remove excess moisture, which can cause the tofu to crumble during cooking. Pressing gives tofu a chewier, firmer texture, and improves its ability to absorb flavour from sauces and marinades.
To press tofu with a pan, first, drain and remove the block of tofu from its packaging. This method is best suited for firm and extra-firm tofu. Next, place a densely-welded cooling rack inside a sheet pan. Put the tofu block on the rack and cover with a folded, clean kitchen linen, which will help absorb moisture. Then, place a second sheet pan directly on top, ensuring the edges line up with the bottom pan. If you don't have another sheet pan, you can use a large cutting board.
Now, for the pressing: place heavy-weighted objects on the top sheet pan. You can use 28-ounce cans or a heavy bowl filled with onions, evenly spaced across the surface for even pressing. Press the tofu for 30 minutes. Halfway through, replace the kitchen linen with a new dry one, as it will become saturated with moisture.
After pressing for 30 minutes, the tofu block should be visibly thinner. A significant amount of water will have collected in the sheet pan below, which you can discard. Now, your pressed tofu is ready to be prepared as directed in your recipe!
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Unwrap the tofu and cut into desired shape
Unwrap the tofu and cut it into your desired shape. If you are preparing a dish that requires the tofu to hold its shape, it is best to use firm or extra-firm tofu. Softer tofu is not well-suited for pressing as it can easily fall apart.
Pressing the tofu will condense it into a denser block, which will hold its shape during cooking. You can cut the tofu into cubes or slices. For example, if you are making a stir-fry, you might want to cut the tofu into one-inch cubes. If you are making a soup, you might want to cut the tofu into smaller pieces.
If you are not sure what shape to cut the tofu into, you can always cut it into cubes or slices, as these are the most common shapes used in recipes. You can also leave the tofu whole if you are planning on frying it or baking it.
Once you have cut the tofu into your desired shape, you can proceed to the next step of the recipe.
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Frequently asked questions
Pressing is a technique used to remove some of the moisture from tofu and make it easier to cook with. This is because tofu has a high moisture content and usually needs to have some of the liquid removed before being used in recipes.
Tofu that is too wet can break up during cooking, which may not be desirable. Pressing the tofu will condense it into a more densely grained block that holds its shape when preparing and throughout cooking. Pressed tofu is also better at absorbing flavour from sauces or marinades.
You will need a heavy pan, a few cans, and some paper towels or a clean tea towel. You will also need a plate or cutting board to place the tofu on.
First, wrap the tofu block in paper towels or a tea towel and place it on a plate or cutting board. Then, place a heavy pan on top of the wrapped tofu and press down gently with your hands. Be careful not to press too hard, as the tofu block may split or break. Allow the tofu to sit for at least 30 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly pressed out.
Tofu should be pressed for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour. Halfway through, you may need to replace the paper towels or tea towel with a new dry one, as it will quickly become saturated with moisture. After pressing, the tofu block should be visibly thinner and feel significantly drier.
