15 Silken Tofu Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can you use silken tofu for? ›

To make an egg replacement out of silken tofu, just take 1/4 cup of tofu per 1 whole egg and pulse it in a blender or food processor until it's broken up.

If you purchased the silken tofu in the refrigerated section, refrigerate and use by the date stamped on the package. If you purchased a shelf stable silken tofu that does not require refrigeration, store it in a cool, dry place like your pantry and use by the date indicated.

Silken tofu is the next most common tofu style. It's made in a similar process to block tofu, except that the soy milk is coagulated without curdling the milk. It's also left unpressed, so every cake retains all of its moisture while cooling.

Tofu can be eaten raw, and so cooking it is completely optional and is mostly done for texture or to bind the sauce to the tofu. You can pan-sear the sides and add it to a colorful stir-fry or deep-fry it and coat it in a savory and sweet sauce.

How to safely eat raw tofu. While tofu comes in a variety of textures — silken, firm, and extra firm — technically any of them can be eaten raw. Before enjoying raw tofu, drain off any excess liquid from the packaging. It's also important to store tofu properly to prevent germs from growing on any unused portions.

To replace 1 egg, substitute 1/4 cup (about 60 g) of puréed, silken tofu. Silken tofu is relatively flavorless, but it can make baked goods dense and heavy, so it's best used in brownies, cookies, quick breads, and cakes.

Frying silken tofu adds a golden crispy exterior while maintaining its soft and silky interior. This cooking method enhances the tofu's flavor and gives it a delightful texture. It also allows you to create a variety of dishes, from stir-fries to tofu nuggets or even crispy tofu sandwiches.

Similarly, the American Cancer Society sees no dangers from eating soy. "For the vast majority of people, it should be reasonable to incorporate tofu in their daily diet without any issues," Sun said.

So, the big question: “Can tofu be frozen?” Yes, you can freeze tofu. More specifically, you can freeze tofu that is uncooked, removed from the package and drained of liquid. Tofu is made from a simple ingredient — soybeans — that can be safely frozen when uncooked, so it's actually a really safe food for freezing.

Do you need to wash silken tofu? ›

PREPARING YOUR SILKEN/SOFT TOFU

You can run your tofu through some water to wash out any sliminess. If your tofu is a bit slimy to the touch, continue to rinse this through water and carefully rub with your hands.Do note that your tofu shouldn't have any sour/off-putting smell after washing.

Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan or deep fryer. Deep fry the silken tofu in cooking oil for about 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain off the excess oil and transfer the tofu to a plate. Add more salt on top when it's still crispy and garnish with cilantro.

Use a food processor or blender to make the silken tofu as creamy as possible, add flavor enhancers, and mix it into any sauce. Stir it into your quick tomato sauce recipe, or use your classic penne alla vodka recipe with tofu instead of cream and butter. Don't forget to top it all off with fresh basil!

You should be able to guess the textures in between. Silken tofu, also known as Japanese-style tofu, is silky, creamy and has the highest water content.

Puddings, mousses, and cream pies typically rely on eggs for their richness and silky texture. Silken tofu can replicate that super smooth, decadent experience you get with any good butterscotch pudding, New York-style cheesecake, or chocolate cream pie.

Tofu Nutrition

For relatively similar serving sizes, the nutrition differences between silken and firm tofu are pretty big. Silken tofu contains only about half the calories and fat, while firm tofu contains over twice the protein. The reason for this is water content.

The texture is determined by the water content in the tofu. The more water, the softer or 'silkier' the tofu; with less water, the tofu is firmer. Tofu is categorized as silken, regular, firm, extra-firm and super-firm. Silken, the softest type of tofu, can be compared to a young white cheese.

Just be sure to get the oil nice and hot before adding the tofu; this will prevent the tofu from excessively sticking to the pan and help develop a nicely crisp sear! A simple Chinese-style dish featuring pan-seared silken tofu served with a garlic scallion soy sauce.