- Skills
- Ingredients
- Tofu
Emily Han
Emily Han
Emily Han is a Los Angeles-based recipe developer, educator, herbalist, and author of Wild Drinks & co*cktails and co-author of Wild Remedies. For recipes and classes, check out her personal site.
updated Aug 17, 2022
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Firm, extra firm, soft, silken — the vast array of fresh tofu varieties can seem daunting. What’s the difference between the varieties of tofu, and how do you choose which kind to use in a dish? It’s all about water (how much or how little it contains) and texture. To learn more about the different types of tofu, I asked a couple of experts.
The Difference Between Types of Fresh Tofu
From least firm to most firm, the most common types of tofu are silken, soft, medium, firm, extra firm, and super firm. Non-silken tofu is also known as regular tofu.
To find out what makes these tofus different, I spoke to Tim Kenny, VP of Marketing at Nasoya, a company that makes organic, non-GMO tofu. Kenny explains: “The difference is in how much water is pressed out of the tofu. The more water you press out of it, the firmer it gets. As we make it firmer, with less water content, both the fat and protein go up.”
Kenny notes that as you move up in firmness, it takes additional time to bake or fry out extra water. “It really becomes personal preference how firm a texture you like to eat, and how much time you have,” he says.
I also questioned Andrea Nguyen, author of the Asian Tofu cookbook. Nguyen compares picking tofu to picking a clothing brand that you like. “There is a wide variety of tofu textures,” she says.
“Just like you have to try different brands of jeans to see what will look best, you need to try different kinds of tofu and see what you like. Fortunately, it’s not as hard as choosing denim and it won’t cost you so much!”
More About Silken Tofu
This undrained, unpressed Japanese-style tofu has the highest water content and a custardy texture. Silken tofu can have different consistencies depending on how much soy protein it contains. It is often labeled soft, firm, or extra firm.
Silken tofu works well in creamy and blended foods like smoothies, desserts, puddings, salad dressings, sauces, and dips. It can also be used as an egg substitute in baking.
Nguyen recommends buying silken tofu in plastic tubs rather than boxes. “The boxed stuff is emergency tofu,” she says. “Though it doesn’t need to be refrigerated and is handy for camping, it doesn’t taste as good as the others.”
Recipes with Silken Tofu
- Vegan Mixed Berry and Chia Protein Shake
- How To Make Easy Vegan Mayonnaise
- Creamy Tofu and Green Pea Dip
Regular Tofu
Regular tofu is pressed and has a somewhat spongy texture, and comes in several varieties distinguished by how much water is pressed out. Soft tofu has the least amount of water pressed out, while super-firm has a low moisture content and a dense texture.
- Soft tofu: Soft tofu is the Chinese-style equivalent of silken tofu. It is slightly less smooth but can be used in the same way as silken tofu.
- Medium tofu: This tofu is denser than silken and soft but still fairly delicate. It can work well in gently simmered miso soup and served cold like hiya yakko. Depending on the brand, it may be interchangeable with firm tofu.
- Firm tofu: This tofu absorbs flavors well and can be stir-fried and pan-fried (how well it will hold together depends on the brand). It’s also great crumbled and used in tofu scramble and as a substitute for ricotta cheese. Nguyen suggests using it in simmered dishes and braises like ma po tofu. “It will fall apart, but that’s okay,” she says.
- Extra-firm tofu: This tofu holds its shape well and is excellent for slicing, cubing, and all kinds of frying: pan-frying, a quick stir fry, deep-frying. It can also be baked, grilled, and crumbled and used like ground meat. Nguyen notes that the more solid the tofu is, the more difficult it can be to infuse with flavor, “so choose your brand and texture based on that,” she says.
- Super-firm tofu: This tofu is very dense with a high protein content. It won’t fall apart on you and there is less water to cook out, so it can be a good choice when you’re in a hurry. However, it can also dry out more quickly if you’re baking or grilling with high heat. This tofu is often vacuum-packed rather than sold in a tub. The reason why? Kenny says it’s less intimidating to tofu newbies — “it looks more like a package of cheese, you can see what it looks like and even squeeze it.”
Recipes with Regular Tofu
- How To Make Miso Soup
- Weeknight General Tso’s Tofu
- How To Scramble Tofu
- Bryant Terry’s Grilled Vegetable and Tofu Kebabs
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