🏋️♂️ To press or not to press, that is the question:
Many beginner tofu cooks think that tofu always needs to be pressed before cooking, but that’s not true! Whether or not you should press tofu depends on the type of tofu you’re using and the recipe you’re making.
When You Should Press Tofu:
Pressing extra-firm or firm tofu removes excess water, allowing it to absorb more flavor. It’s best to press tofu when you want to marinate it and soak up those extra flavors. Note that I will always include pressing tofu as a step in my recipes if it’s needed. Pressing tofu is simple and can be done with just a kitchen towel and something heavy, or you can pick up my favorite tofu press. Check out my tofu pressing guide to learn more.
When You Don’t Need to Press Tofu:
Many of my recipes don’t require pressing, and in some cases, pressing could actually ruin the texture! In many of my baked tofu recipes, for example, I skip the pressing since any extra water in the tofu will dry out in the oven anyway. In this case, pressing tofu just adds unnecessary time to your recipe. Thirty minutes of pressing could be avoided by just a few extra minutes in the oven! Never press silken, soft, or medium tofu, as they will be too tender and will just mush.
