How to press tofu (and when you don't need to)
Why you press tofu, three easy ways to do it without a tofu press, and how long it really takes.
Pressing squeezes water out of tofu. Less water means the outside crisps up faster in the pan, and the inside soaks up more of your marinade.
Do you need to press tofu?
It depends on the tofu. Soft and silken tofu are meant to be wet; don't press them. Shop-bought firm tofu packed in lots of water usually benefits from 15–30 minutes of pressing.
Dense, firm blocks like ours need very little. Drain the pack, pat the block dry with a clean tea towel and you're ready to fry. Press it for 10 minutes if you want it extra crispy.
Three ways to press tofu without a press
- Tea towel and a heavy pan. Wrap the block in a clean tea towel, set it on a plate and put a heavy pan or a couple of tins on top. Leave it for 15–30 minutes.
- Chopping board stack. Sandwich the wrapped tofu between two chopping boards and weigh the top board down with a few books or a full kettle.
- Tear it. For stir-fries and salt and pepper tofu, tear the block into chunks and squeeze each piece gently between kitchen paper. Torn edges get crispier than cut ones, too.
Tips
- Press, then cut. A whole block holds its shape better under weight.
- Don't overdo the weight. Too much and firm tofu cracks; you want gentle, even pressure.
- Marinate after pressing, not before, so the tofu soaks up flavour instead of water.
Want to put it into practice? Try our crispy salt & pepper tofu.