What Is Pressing Tofu (And Why Should You Do It)?

To press or not to press, that is the question — at least where tofu is concerned. Tofu not only has a naturally high water content (about 80%) but it's also packed with water to maintain freshness. The tofu absorbs this excess water, making it almost sponge-like when you take it out of the container. Pressing it removes all of that excess water, giving you a firmer and drier texture. That's why for New York Times best-selling cookbook author Nisha Vora, whose second cookbook, "Big Vegan Flavor," released in September 2024, the answer to whether or not you should press your tofu is undoubtedly yes.

According to Vora, pressing tofu is a must if you want it to absorb a marinade properly. "Pressing removes excess water, allowing the tofu to soak up more of the flavors," she told us, adding, "If you skip this step, the water in the tofu will dilute the marinade, leaving you with bland tofu that won't crisp up as nicely when cooked."

Not pressing your tofu before you cook it is one of the many mistakes you can make when cooking tofu. We even recommend pressing tofu before immersing it in a liquid, like in a soup. You'll also want to remove the extra moisture before making a scramble since the excess water could prevent browning.

Tofu has an ancient history, so you might think you need some old-fashioned device or even a newly manufactured press to squeeze the water out of it. But there are some more straightforward ways to accomplish this task. One of the simplest is to place the tofu on a towel with a plate underneath, then place a sheet pan on top of the tofu, and then place a heavy object on top of the sheet pan. You can leave it that way for several hours or remove it when the towel is wet. Another method is to wrap the tofu in a clean dish towel, microwave it on high for one minute, replace the towel with a fresh one, microwave it again for another minute, and so on until you've achieved your desired texture. You can also cut up the tofu and leave it on top of (or wrapped in) a towel, which will absorb the liquid. Salting the tofu before any of these methods will also help draw the water out.

As an alternative to pressing, Nisha Vora suggests freezing and defrosting the tofu, then using your palms to squeeze out any excess water from the defrosted block. If you don't want your tofu dish to end up a soggy soybean mess, then any one of these methods is definitely the way to go.