How to DIY a Tofu Press

Interested in giving tofu a try?

Feeling a little overwhelmed with learning how to cook a new food?

Not sure if you want to invest in a tofu press if you’ve never cooked it before?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then keep reading about this easy kitchen hack for a DIY tofu press!

But first - what is a tofu press and why do you need one?

A tofu press is a kitchen gadget that removes the extra liquid from tofu. This can be helpful for several reasons, including:

• creating a tofu block that is more dense with more flavor

• helping the tofu to become more crisp when cooking, and

• absorbing more flavor from whatever marinade or cooking method you choose.

Let’s backup even further. What exactly is tofu?

Good question! Tofu is basically soybean curds that have been pressed into a block. It is a plant-based protein food and has many uses in vegan or vegetarian cooking. For those with egg or dairy allergies, tofu can be used as an allergy-free alternative in many recipes (as long as soy is not included in your allergen list).

Here are the four most common categories of tofu that you can find in a store:

1. silken: undrained, unpressed, and highest water content

2. regular: pressed with a somewhat spongey texture

3. firm: pressed but still moist and has a consistency like feta cheese when cooked

4. extra-firm: pressed but still moist and has a consistency like meat when cooked

Ready to give cooking with tofu a chance?

I hope you are! Experimenting with new foods in the kitchen can be so much fun.

Do you know what is not fun? Wasting money on a kitchen gadget you may only use once. Try this easy kitchen hack to DIY a tofu press to save some money and avoid more clutter in your kitchen.

If you find yourself enjoying tofu and decide to start eating it more often, then a tofu press is a handy and inexpensive kitchen gadget that you can add to your collection of cooking supplies.

Ready to give a DIY tofu press a try?

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Step 1: Wash your hands with soap and warm water. Gather your supplies:

• block of tofu

• cutting board

• chef’s knife

• 2-4 kitchen towels

• Stack of textbooks or cast iron skillet with bag of flour

Step 2: Cut tofu block in half or thirds, depending on the size of cube or stick needed for your recipe.

Step 3: Fold a towel and place under one of the tofu blocks.

Step 4: Place a second towel over the first tofu block, then stack the second tofu block on top. Make sure to line up the edges of the tofu blocks as closely as possible.

Step 5: Place another folded towel on top of the tower of tofu blocks.

Step 6: Place a stack of textbooks (or cast iron pan with bag of flour) on top of the tower of tofu blocks. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the weight to squeeze out the liquid from the tofu blocks.

Step 7: Carefully remove textbooks and towels; set the pressed tofu blocks back on the cutting board.

Step 8: Cut the tofu blocks into cubes or sticks, depending on the instructions in your recipe.

Enjoy! Let me know how you enjoy cooking tofu in the comments below.