How to Freeze Tofu

Frozen tofu is one of the best kept secrets of tofu cuisine. Once you discover how to freeze sliced tofu, you may never use fresh tofu again.

Makes 4 Servings

Can you Freeze Tofu? Yes you can!

I have a confession to make. Since I am a vegetarian, I am always on the lookout for a good source of protein like tofu. But I do not like fresh, uncooked tofu. I never have and probably never will. Sometimes I use it cubed in salad. But that’s it. Notice that I said “fresh” tofu. I prefer tofu when it is cooked such as in Crumbled Tofu or Ground Beef Tofu. For me, fresh tofu tastes raw. But there is one variation of tofu that is frequently overlooked. That is frozen tofu.

Why frozen tofu.

Sliced frozen tofu is probably the best kept secret in the world of tofu cuisine. There are some tofu cookbooks that never even mention frozen tofu at all. I have even seen some posts on the internet that advise their readers to NEVER freeze their tofu. This is hard to understand because the Japanese have been freezing tofu for almost a thousand years. So be aware that not everyone agrees with me.

I first learned about frozen tofu when reading The Book of Tofu by William Shurtleff back in the 1970s. Freezing tofu changes the flavor and gives it a meatier texture. When you freeze tofu, the water in the tofu (which is 86 percent by weight) becomes ice and separates from the soybean protein fibers creating a lacy sort of micro-sponge. After it has been frozen for at least eight hours, then it is allowed to thaw on a counter or defrost in the microwave. Once it has been thawed, then it can be pressed to remove most of the water. For detailed instructions on how to press thawed tofu, please read this post on how to press frozen sliced tofu.

The Benefits of frozen tofu:

• Frozen tofu will keep much longer in the freezer than fresh tofu in the refrigerator. Frozen tofu will keep up to six months without spoiling.
• Once thawed, the frozen tofu has a meatier texture and does not fall apart as easily as fresh tofu. This allows it to be used as a substitute for chicken or fish.
• It only takes 5 to 10 seconds to press a slice of thawed tofu between the palms of you hands to remove the water. This means that you can press an entire block of sliced tofu in about a minute and a half, as opposed to 30 minutes for fresh tofu.
• Because of its sponge-like texture, it absorbs more marinade or sauce in much less time than fresh tofu.
• Frozen tofu turns crispy when fried.

The only drawback is that once the tofu is frozen, it can’t be used to make Crumbled Tofu or Ground Beef Tofu.

It is best to slice the tofu before you freeze it rather than freezing the block of tofu as a whole. Fresh tofu is easier to slice than a frozen block of tofu. This also makes it possible to thaw and use a small portion of tofu without defrosting the whole block.

Please note: The frozen tofu will change color. It turns to the amber color of the soybeans that it was originally made from. This does not mean that the tofu is spoiled or has freezer burn. It is completely normal. Then when you defrost the frozen tofu, it turns to a light tan color similar to the original creamy white color of fresh tofu.

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) tub extra firm tofu

Instructions:

1. Drain the tub of extra firm tofu and place on a cutting board. Cut the tofu in half across its width so that you have two pieces of the same size. Then cut those two pieces in half and repeat the cutting procedure one more time. When done, you should have eight slices of tofu about one-half inch in thickness.
2. Place the tofu slices on a baking sheet so that they do not touch.
3. Place the baking sheet in the freezer. The tofu should stay in the freezer overnight or for at least 8 hours. You want to make sure that the tofu slices are frozen all of the way through. Once the tofu is frozen, the slices can be stored in a plastic Ziploc bag until needed.
4. To thaw, place all of the sliced tofu on a paper towel in the middle of a microwave safe plate.  Microwave the tofu on high for 6 to 8 minutes. Gently press the tofu with a finger to see if any ice crystals remain. If there is still some ice, then microwave for another 30 seconds. The general rule is to microwave for 45 seconds to one minute for each slice of tofu that you defrost at the same time. Once thawed, press each slice between the palms of your hands over the sink. This should remove most of the water in the tofu. You can also use a tofu press to remove water from your frozen tofu. For detailed instructions, please read this post on how to press frozen sliced tofu.

If you look closely at the thawed tofu on the right, you can see the tiny air pockets created by the ice crystals when the tofu was frozen and then thawed.

How to use frozen tofu:

There are many ways to use frozen tofu. It can be fried in a little oil to give it a crispier texture. It can be marinated and fried just like fresh tofu. Either one of these can be added to your favorite stir fry vegetables. You can also use it to make the Tofu Fish Sticks shown below. Our recipe for Tofu Fish Sticks is probably one of the most popular ways that we use frozen tofu. If you have the tofu frozen ahead of time, then the fish sticks can be prepared in about half an hour.

 

Notes:

The best practice for frozen tofu is to keep some in the freezer at all times. I usually keep at least one pound of frozen sliced tofu in the freezer. This makes it possible to plan a meal  that requires frozen tofu, on the spur of the moment. All I have to do is defrost the tofu and it is ready to prepare.

Here are two more ways that you can use your frozen sliced tofu.