Good tofu comes down to four things. Buy the right type for the job, press the water out, cook it hot enough to brown, and add most of the flavour after cooking instead of hoping a marinade will soak in. For reliably crispy tofu, press a 400 g block of firm or extra-firm tofu for 20 minutes and tear it into bite-sized pieces. Toss the pieces with 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce, oil and cornflour, then bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 25–30 minutes, turning once. Finish by tossing it in a glossy sauce. Everything else in this guide is a variation on those four ideas.
Choose the right tofu
Tofu is made by curdling soya milk and pressing the curds. How much water is left in decides everything about how it behaves in the pan.
| Type | Texture | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Silken | Custard-soft, falls apart easily | Desserts, creamy sauces and dressings, smoothies; served chilled with soy and chilli |
| Soft or medium | Tender, holds its shape loosely | Miso soup, mapo tofu, gentle braises |
| Firm | Holds its shape, slightly springy | Baking, frying, scrambles, stir-fries |
| Extra-firm | Dense, low in moisture | Crispy tofu, skewers, grilling, thick "steaks" |
Smoked and ready-marinated tofu are both firm styles that can be eaten straight from the pack, sliced into salads or sandwiches. As a rough guide, firm tofu contains about 12–15 g of protein per 100 g, which is why it features so heavily in our vegan protein guide.
Step one: get the water out
Block tofu is packed in water, and water stops browning. Drain the tofu, wrap it in a clean tea towel or a few sheets of kitchen paper, and set it on a plate. Weigh it down with a heavy pan or a couple of tins for 15–30 minutes. A tofu press does the same job more tidily. Extra-firm tofu needs less time, and silken tofu shouldn't be pressed at all.
Three tricks for better texture
- Tear, don't cut. Ragged, craggy edges catch oil and crisp up far more than neat cubes.
- Freeze it first. Freeze the whole block in its pack, then thaw it overnight in the fridge. The ice leaves tiny pockets behind, so the tofu becomes spongier and chewier. Water squeezes out easily and sauce soaks in well.
- Simmer it in salted water. A few minutes in gently simmering salted water seasons the tofu and firms the surface before frying. Drain it well and pat it dry afterwards.
Four ways to cook firm tofu
Baked: the easiest
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a large tray with baking paper.
- Tear a pressed 400 g block into 2–3 cm pieces. Toss with 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp oil, then sprinkle over 1 tbsp cornflour and toss again until coated.
- Spread the pieces out with space between them. Crowded tofu steams instead of crisping.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway, until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
- Toss in your sauce straight away and serve.
This is essentially the method behind the Crispy Baked Tofu in The Vegan Kitchen, and it's the one to learn first.
Pan-fried
Cut the pressed tofu into 1.5 cm slabs or cubes and dust them lightly with cornflour. Heat 2–3 tbsp of neutral oil in a non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and leave it alone for 3–4 minutes, until it releases easily and is golden underneath. Turn and repeat, allowing 8–12 minutes in total. The Salt & Pepper Tofu in The Vegan Kitchen starts exactly like this, then gets tossed with garlic, chilli and spring onion at the end.
Air-fried
Prepare the tofu as for baking and cook it at 200°C for 12–15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. Keep it to a single layer, working in batches if you need to. Air fryers vary, so check it a little early the first time.
Grilled or on skewers
Use extra-firm tofu in thick pieces so it doesn't break on the grill. Brush it with oil, or with a marinade containing a little sugar, which chars nicely. Cook on a very hot griddle pan or barbecue for 3–4 minutes a side, and resist moving it until the grill marks have formed.
Flavour: marinades versus sauces
Tofu is dense, and even after hours a marinade only seasons the outer few millimetres. That's fine for grilling, where the surface is what you taste. For most dishes a better approach is to season lightly before cooking, get the tofu properly crisp, then toss it in sauce at the end. Frozen-and-thawed tofu is the exception: it drinks up a marinade.
A quick all-purpose glaze for one 400 g block:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 garlic clove and 1 tsp fresh ginger, both finely grated
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp water
Simmer everything in a pan for 1–2 minutes, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, then add the hot tofu and toss.
Keep the crunch. Add sticky sauces at the very end and serve at once. Sugar burns if it goes on too early, and a wet sauce left to sit will soften even the crispest tofu within minutes.
Scrambled tofu
Crumble firm tofu into a hot, lightly oiled pan. Add a pinch of ground turmeric for colour, salt, pepper and a splash of plant milk, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then. A pinch of kala namak (Indian black salt) gives it a distinctly eggy note. The Classic Tofu Scramble in The Vegan Kitchen builds on this with onion, spinach and herbs. It's a quick breakfast that holds you until lunch.
Silken tofu: the other half of the story
Silken tofu isn't for frying. Think of it as a dairy-free cream. Blend it with melted chocolate for a mousse, like the Silken Tofu Chocolate Mousse in The Vegan Kitchen. Or blend it with lemon, garlic and salt for a creamy dressing, or whisk it into sauces for body. It's also lovely just as it is, chilled, with soy sauce, chilli oil and sliced spring onion spooned over. Slide it out of the pack gently, because it breaks easily.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the press. Wet tofu steams, spits and never goes golden.
- Crowding the tray or pan. Leave space around every piece.
- Moving it too soon. Tofu sticks until a crust forms, then releases by itself.
- Cooking too gently. Browning needs a properly hot pan or oven.
- Using the wrong type. Silken tofu collapses in a stir-fry, and extra-firm makes a grainy mousse.
- Under-seasoning. Tofu is a blank canvas, so it needs salt and a confident sauce.
Once you've got the basics, the recipe finder has plenty more ideas. Try searching for tofu to see curries, bowls, tacos and skewers.
Questions people ask
Do you have to press tofu?
For firm tofu you want to brown, yes, or at least blot it very well. Some extra-firm tofu is vacuum-packed with little water and needs only a quick pat dry. Silken tofu should never be pressed.
Can you eat tofu without cooking it?
Yes. The soya milk is heated when tofu is made, so shop-bought tofu is commonly eaten straight from the pack, as in chilled silken tofu dishes. Keep it refrigerated and use it within the date on the pack.
Why won't my tofu go crispy?
Usually it's too much water, too little heat or too little space. Press it for longer, tear it rather than cut it, use a light coating of cornflour, spread it out, and add the sauce only at the end.
How do I store leftover tofu?
Put an opened block of raw tofu in a container, cover it with fresh cold water, and refrigerate. Change the water daily and use it within a few days. Cooked tofu re-crisps well in a hot oven or air fryer for about 5 minutes.