How to Press Tofu

Keep the firm texture of your tofu by pressing it with this simple technique.

Step 1: Place tofu on dinner plate
Put your tofu on a flat dinner plate.

Step 2: Place plate on tofu
Place another plate, right side up, on top of the tofu.

Step 3: Place a book on top
Place a book that weighs between 2 to 3 pounds on top of the top plate.

Tip
Make sure the top plate stays flat to prevent breakage or crumbling.

Step 4: Remove book
Remove the book and the top plate after 30 to 40 minutes of pressing. Discard the liquid.

Step 5: Start preparing
Start preparing your tofu. Think about all the great soy recipes you'll make, right at home.

Did You Know?
Tofu is a good source of protein, B vitamins, iron, and calcium, and contains no cholesterol.

[soarrefly]

Thanks for telling us how long to press it. For some reason a bunch of tutorials won't bother to tell you how long it should be pressed!! Thumbs up.

[Robertoni]

I love how they list tofu as one of the things you will need to press tofu. HAHA!

[Kalliopita]

Thank you so much Howcast. ^.^ I'm going to make myself some tofu scramble now. :D

[mijaxfn]

LOL oh, what a process. I fully admit that sometimes when I'm in a rush I put a dictionary on top of the plate instead of a smaller book. Don't know if it makes a huge difference but it puts my mind at ease. I also sometimes use paper towels to absorb the water, but that's pretty wasteful. I think I'm going to save up and buy a tofu press.

[nonamesite]

All this time I’ve been squeezing them with my hands 😂

[NadrianATRS]

you can actually just press out the water by hand, I do it all the time

[elliottonyt]

i think when mentioning measurements in your Howcast videos it would be a good idea to put on the screen the measurement converted in the metric system. It would be more helpful for viewers not in america and make the video seem a little more professional.

[lizol]

Me too lol...howcast is everywhere :-D

[ItsEryk]

Tofu has no taste, but I still like it ;).

[Rick-pizn]

40 addistional min is a pretty dramatic additional side fact when cooking

[RdCrestdBreegull]

@ambuurrMONET whatever you make it with. if you're making a tofu scramble, you cook it with lots of spices for a good while and it'll taste amazing. you can also marinate it for a long time.

[paraIIIax]

The human brain is the same consistency as tofu, terrifying rewatch with this info

[digtimebit]

you need paper towels or blotting paper under the tofu. nice try how cast

[lulugodzilla]

Well, I'll be . . . So this is how it's done.

[poodlestyle]

You don't have to press it for tofu scramble. :) (Yum.)

[supermanxevan]

@ambuurrMONET pretty bland until its cooked in something

[katherineXOXO]

wow. tofu sold in america is so discusting

[zakeibc]

The tofu in this video looks spoilt, imo. In my country (Asia, yes), tofu packed in those kinda boxes are usually completely smooth, like a jelly/pudding/custard. The only kinds you find with a slightly tougher texture are those fresh made, and are usually stored in water/brine. And even then, those are no where near as curd-like as the one in the video. In fact, the tofu here looks like frozen-thawed tofu.