Tofu Buying Guide - Namely Marly

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Do you experience Tofu Confusion? It’s a condition defined by a lack of knowledge about what kinds of tofu to buy in various situations, not knowing where to buy tofu, and even how to pronounce it. A great start is to know the right kinds of tofu to buy. This Tofu Buying Guide will help.

An image of roasted tofu in a bowl with the text "The ultimate guide to tofu"

If you’ve seen recipes like Vegan Breakfast Biscuit Casserole and Vegan Lemon Bars that call for tofu, but you’re not sure how to find tofu in the supermarket, I’ve been there! Or maybe you want to add more plant-based ingredients to your keto diet and you’re wondering, is tofu keto-friendly? (The answer is…yes!).

Before becoming vegetarian, I did most of my cooking from neatly prepared boxes. I might have had to chop an onion, but that didn’t seem too difficult. There’s a yellow one, a white one, and a red one to choose from. Sure, they each have their subtle variations in taste, but they’re still onions.

But when I first tried a recipe that called for tofu, it didn’t come with instructions on what kind to buy. So when I headed to the store, I went to one of the grocery store attendants and mumbled through what to call it.

I think I asked if he had any Dooku (we had just recently watched Star Wars, so the error was understandable). He eventually figured it out and sent me to the correct aisle. And that’s when I learned that there are different varieties of tofu. Tofu comes in all shapes and sizes… and textures from marinated, silken, firm, and extra firm. What was I to do?

I did what I always did in those days. I bought the least expensive one and decided to make do. That recipe didn’t turn out too well, but I learned over the years. And some other things have changed since then. For example, I used to have to drive miles away to a health food store to find tofu. But now I can buy it at my local grocery store.

In This Post show

Tofu Buying Guide: Where to Buy Tofu
How Much Does Tofu Cost?
The Tofu Buying Guide: Types of Tofu
Storing Tofu
Pressing Tofu
Subscribe and Get a Free Easy Vegan Recipes eBook
Recipes with Tofu
Store-bought Marinated Tofu
Tofu Nutrition

Tofu Buying Guide: Where to Buy Tofu

You can now find tofu at Target, Wal-Mart, most grocery stores (either in the produce section or the health food section), Trader Joe’s, and health food stores like Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and others.

Of course, you may also wonder, what does tofu taste like? The good news is, tofu has a neutral flavor that allows it to take on the flavors of the things it’s cooked with.

Where to Find Tofu in the Grocery Store?

Once you’re in the store, head straight to the produce section. Wondering where tofu is in the grocery store? Well, that’s where many grocery stores keep things like firm and extra-firm tofu in plastic tubs. You can usually spot it somewhere near the mushrooms.

You may also find tofu in the refrigerated health food section. Non-refrigerated tofu (usually silken tofu) can be found in Asian or International sections of some grocery stores.

How Much Does Tofu Cost?

A typical 14-ounce tub of tofu will cost $3 or less. Marinated tofu can cost around $4. I love looking for sales, and when that happens, I stock up! Tofu can last a long time – look at the container’s expiration date. You can even freeze tofu, but it will change the consistency.

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The Tofu Buying Guide: Types of Tofu

There are basically three types of tofu: Silken, Regular, and Marinated. Each one works with different recipes. For example, silken tofu is great in puddings, baked goods, and sauces.

Regular tofu is great for making a breakfast scramble or stir-fry. Marinated tofu can be sliced, cubed, or served whole over salads, pasta, or with accompanying side dishes.

Silken Tofu

This is silken tofu. See? It says it right above the word tofu. This kind of tofu is more gelatinous. I use this most frequently as an egg replacer in cakes, pies, and even some breads. I also use it as a substitute for soft cheeses.

For example, add this tofu to your food processor along with some garlic, fresh basil, a little olive oil (and possibly a few pine nuts if you have them handy), and a pinch of salt to create a great “ricotta cheese” layer for lasagna.

Silken tofu comes in 3 different varieties: Soft, Firm, and Extra Firm. Honestly, I don’t see much of a difference between these, so I typically buy the extra-firm.

Some silken tofu will come tightly packed in a box, which may mean it doesn’t require refrigeration. If so, it probably has a limited amount of water. You can drain that if you choose before adding it to your recipes.

An image of the tofu section of a grocery store — Pressed tofu in the grocery store

Regular Tofu

The second kind of tofu is what I’ve heard referred to as Asian tofu, but I just call it regular tofu. It is firmer in texture.

This is the kind of tofu you’ll want to buy for things like stir-fries (like my Orange Crispy Tofu), Eggless Egg Salad, or other recipes that will require a more chunky tofu presence. (Yes, tofu can have a presence.)

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Storing Tofu

Unopened tofu has a long shelf life. However, once it’s opened, you should be prepared to cook the tofu quickly.

Silken Tofu — This usually comes in an aseptic container and therefore has a long shelf life. Unopened packages do not need to be refrigerated. Once it’s opened, it should be used within a few days and should be kept refrigerated.
Firm Tofu — Most unopened containers will last for several months in the fridge. Once opened, the tofu should be used within a few days, and it should be kept in the fridge.
Frozen Tofu — You can freeze tofu to extend its life for even longer. It can be kept in the freezer for up to six months. However, freezing tofu does change the texture.

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Pressing Tofu

Regular tofu comes in variations of firmness. This is something that either a recipe will request or you will have to determine based on your personal preference (or what’s on sale).

This regular tofu usually requires pressing because it’s been stored in water. Why press tofu? Because you want to remove the excess water so you can replace it with flavors from a marinade. Besides, once pressed, the tofu will be firmer.

Most tofu comes packed in water, which means you’ll want to drain it and press some of the moisture out before cooking it.

You should also press the tofu before cooking to remove any excess liquid that is absorbed in the package. There’s nothing wrong with the liquid it was wrapped in, but tofu is relatively flavorless, and by pressing it and removing excess liquid, you can replace that liquid with something more flavorful, like a marinade.

To press tofu, remove it from its packaging. You can press tofu by wrapping it in a dish towel and placing something heavy on it for a few minutes, or use a tofu press (paid link). Simply place the tofu in the press and use the bands to tighten the press. Then refrigerate it for 30 minutes to an hour. Sometimes, I’ll put the tofu in the press in the morning so that it’s ready for our evening meal.

A hand holds a knife and is cutting tofu. It's sitting next to a tofu presser gadget. — A tofu press makes squeezing out all the water super easy

Alternatively, you can also wrap it with a kitchen towel and place something heavy on top. Then set it aside for 30 minutes up to an hour.

A stack of tofu has been wrapped in towels and a dish has been placed on top of it. — Placing a heavy weight on top of the tofu with towels to absorb the water

Tofu absorbs the flavors of its surroundings, so you’ll either want to marinate the tofu or ensure it’s cooked with flavorful spices. We will chop a block of tofu like this into 1″ cubes or rectangles and saute them in olive oil, add some curry, and stir-fry with other veggies.

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Recipes with Tofu

Here are some of my favorite recipes featuring, you guessed it, tofu!

A bowl of cooked tofu with steamed broccoli.

Miso Tofu

15 mins total

Savory Baked Tofu

45 mins total

Lemon Pepper Tofu

45 mins total

Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry

25 mins total

Fried Tofu Sandwich

25 mins total

Tofu casserole is in a white baking dish. It has vegan cheddar cheese melted on top.

Tofu Casserole with Cheesy Rice

95 mins total

Whatever way you slice it, paying between $2 and $5 is not too bad compared to the cost of meat.

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Store-bought Marinated Tofu

Now you can buy marinated tofu at some health food stores. It’s sometimes a little more expensive, but it’s nice to have the marinade so infused into the tofu. I also find the texture of marinated tofu to be much better. Sometimes I’ll slice marinated tofu and serve it on a salad or on tacos, etc.

Tofu Nutrition

Tofu can contribute nutrients to your diet. For example, tofu contains the following nutrients:

calcium
protein
copper
selenium
iron
magnesium
zinc.

I hope you’ve found this tofu buying guide helpful. Now, I’m off to the kitchen to make something to eat! Tofu stir-fry sounds good.

About the Author

Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›

marly leaning over a butcher block surface in her kitchen

22 Responses to Tofu Buying Guide

Kathryn Gannon March 30, 2024 at 1:15 pm Reply
What about the vacuum packed extra firm tofu?
krystal February 18, 2023 at 7:16 pm Reply
Thank you for the information. I’m new to being vegan and gluten free. All the information has been overwhelming. Thank you for taking the time to explain
- Marly February 19, 2023 at 9:19 am
  Hi Krystal. I’m so glad you liked this guide. Let me know if you have questions. I’m happy to help!
Kenny December 21, 2020 at 9:33 pm Reply
Isn’t organic the type to buy, only because most soybeans grown in the US is GMO
Ariel June 18, 2019 at 10:45 am Reply
This was extremely helpful! I’ve been living in Vietnam for 2 years and have become addicted to tofu. Now stateside I was lost at what to buy. Thank you! I will be looking at your recipes!
Vera Hambley December 3, 2017 at 8:27 am Reply
I want to make a spinach & cheese quiche which tofu do i use?
- Marly December 3, 2017 at 12:18 pm
  Hi Vera! I love this question because I’ve been thinking about adding a vegan quiche recipe and now you’re comment has cinched the deal! 🙂 So, if you want to hold out to January, then I will get you a recipe, but if you want to go ahead and try it on your own, here’s how I plan on doing it: 1) Make my fail-proof pie crust, 2) Cook some mushrooms and onions in a skillet, 3) wring out al the moisture you can from a package of thawed frozen spinach (I do this over the sink), 4) In a food processor combine a package of firm tofu with probably about a cup (or more) of plain plant-based milk. I’d probably add some miso paste to this as well and some nutritional yeast flakes. Then pulse until smooth. 5) Place the pie crust in a pie pan, lay out the mushrooms, onions and spinach over that, and then pour the tofu mixture over all of that. Then top it with some vegan cheese and bake in the oven heated at 350F for about an hour. Oh, and I would probably pre-bake that pie shell for 5 – 10 minutes too, to keep it from getting soggy with the quiche. This is pretty rough draft here, and I haven’t tested it yet, but hopefully this will give you something to go on. If you try it, send me a photo using #namelymarly and let know how it goes!
angela September 22, 2014 at 2:07 pm Reply
How can i get some of your recipes i love this post it was very helpful…now tofo is made from soy i though soy was not good for women…i may b very wrong
Betsy June 23, 2014 at 8:33 am Reply
I have a friend with a child with many food allergies. Is soy the same as tofu. I know little about vegan cooking, but I want to try to make vegan potatoe salad.
- Marly June 23, 2014 at 10:13 am
  Tofu is made from soybeans so you could make vegan potato salad and just leave out the soy. The tricky part would be finding soy-free, dairy-free mayo. Earth Balance makes an Olive Oil Mayo that might work. You should check into it to see if meets your dietary restrictions. I hope this helps!
Mehul Teli June 13, 2014 at 3:15 am Reply
When buying Silken tofu, keep in mind it has a creamier texture than soft tofu. This can be used to thicken up a smoothie or soup, or as a substitute for mayonnaise. In Japanese culture, silken tofu is typically eaten plain or with a splash of soy sauce.
ralu May 27, 2014 at 6:29 am Reply
hi, do you know from where I can buy fresh tofu in Montreal? Thanks
Brandi March 3, 2014 at 8:29 pm Reply
Wonderful article! Very quickly and to-the-point, clarified for me exactly what I was confused about. Thank you!
- Marly March 4, 2014 at 8:47 am
  Great! I’m so glad you liked it!
Janie January 11, 2014 at 3:54 pm Reply
I am very new to the world of vegetarianism. I have recently found out I have really high cholesterol and doc recommends a vegetarian diet along with my pill. I have no clue as to what to look for as far as tofu goes. Or how much to buy, or how to cook it. I am at a complete loss. Can you possibly help me? I might also add that i am on a budget of about $140 a month for groceries.
- Marly January 16, 2014 at 10:37 am
  Welcome to my world, Janie! I’m so impressed with your doctor to talk about your diet in addition to medications. I have lots of great recipes that work great on a budget. Some of my favorites are: Lentil Sloppy Joes, Easy Vegan Chili, and Cajun Inspired Red Beans and Rice. It can seem tough to do a vegan diet on a limited budget, but keeping some rice and beans on hand is a great way to start!
Tatiana May 13, 2010 at 2:08 pm Reply
I read about a shop in Montreal that makes fresh tofu once, and have had a desire to try that. Apparently it’s a totally different taste experience, and I can imagine it goes from a rather tasteless cube to something that has hints of nuts and milk in it (according to the article). So that’s my new tofu to try.
- Marly May 13, 2010 at 6:45 pm
  I have an idea. Let’s head up to Montreal and give it a try!
Monet May 12, 2010 at 12:24 pm Reply
Yes! Even though Ryan and I are vegetarians…we don’t eat tofu very much…mostly because I’m kind of intimidated about the variety of options. This was an excellent and informative post. Thank you!
- Marly May 12, 2010 at 3:13 pm
  It can be very intimidating. And usually the attendants in a typical grocery store don’t know how to answer questions about tofu. Half of the time I have to tell them what veggie I’m buying so they can ring it up. Tofu really is delicious to cook with. Glad you found the post helpful!
citronetvanille May 12, 2010 at 12:12 am Reply
I love all tofu and this is a great post! the silken tofu makes wonderful dips! and desserts! yum
- Marly May 12, 2010 at 6:43 am
  Yes – dips! I knew I was forgetting something. I’ve also added whipped tofu to some soups as a “milky” thickener. It’s very versatile. Glad you liked the post.