There's no need for a special gadget—you can press tofu with tools that are already in your kitchen! Once you press it, check out our step-by-step guide to cooking tofu, along with our favorite tofu recipes.
Photography by Jonathan Melendez
Whether you're looking for crispy edges or just want a meatier texture to your tofu, pressing it can make a big difference. Remove excess moisture by following our simple steps.
Store-bought tofu is usually packaged with some extra liquid. Carefully cut open the package (it will spill easily, so it's best to do this over the sink), and drain out that liquid.
Using a soft towel or paper towel, pat the surface of the tofu dry.
Place two paper towels on a sheet pan or large plate and put the tofu on top.
Cover the top of the tofu with more paper towel and place something heavy on top. We like using our trusty cast iron skillet, but you can use anything that's heavy enough to put some pressure on the tofu. Let it sit like this for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in your fridge.
Remove the skillet (or whatever heavy object you used) and the paper towels.
Now that you've removed the excess moisture from your tofu, it is ready to cook! Check out our guide to cooking the best tofu below along with all of our top tofu recipes.
