Homemade Tofu (How to Make Tofu)
How to make homemade tofu from scratch, starting with dried soybeans. A straightforward guide to the process.
Print
Pin
Equipment
- large bowl for soaking
- 2 large stock pots or Dutch ovens
- high powered blender
- fine mesh sieve or colander
- nut milk bag or cheesecloth
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
Homemade Soy Milk
- 1 cup dried soybeans
- 8 cups water divided
Homemade Tofu
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons nigari
Instructions
Soak & Blend Soybeans
- Add dried soybeans to a fine mesh sieve and thoroughly rinse.
- Transfer soybeans to a large bowl and add enough cool water to cover by at least 2-3 inches. Cover and allow to soak at room temperature for 8+ hours, or overnight. The beans should be soft enough to split in half when gently squeezed.
- Drain the beans, give them a good rinse, and add them to a high-powered blender. Add in 3 cups of fresh water and blend until completely smooth.
- In the meantime, bring 4 additional cups of water to a gentle boil in a very large, heavy-bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven.
Cook the Soy Milk
- Pour the blended soybeans into the water that's already begun boiling. Add another 1 cup fresh water into the blender and blend to pick up any soybean remnants. Then pour this into the pot. (You should now have used all 8 cups of water total.)
- Heat the raw soy milk over medium-high heat. Keep a very careful watch and stir regularly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Stir and scrape along the bottom of the pot as soy milk has a tendency to form a film there which can scorch.
- **IMPORTANT** As it approaches boiling, soy milk will start to foam and expand very rapidly. To avoid it bubbling over, make sure you are using a pot with plenty of extra room, and be ready to turn off the heat and/or remove the pot from the burner IMMEDIATELY once it starts to expand. It's at this point that we're ready to move to the next step.
- Take a second stockpot and use either a colander or fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, muslin, or a nut milk bag to strain the soy milk into it. Allow the mixture to cool for several minutes.
- When the mixture is cool enough for you to handle, wring out the soybean pulp to extract as much soy milk as possible. The pulp (also known as okara) can be saved and utilized in a variety of dishes.
- Bring the soy milk back up to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. (Longer removes more of the beany flavor.) The soy milk is now cooked.
Make the Tofu
- Turn the heat off and allow the soy milk to cool for about 5 minutes. (If you have a thermometer, we want it to cool to around 180°F.)
- During this time, prepare your nigari solution. Whisk 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered nigari into water until dissolved.
- Now is also the time to prepare your tofu mold. See the blog post for more details if needed. I like to line a wooden mold with reusable cheesecloth, which I have wet and thoroughly rung out first.
- Pour 1/3 of the nigari solution into the soy milk and gently stir 3-4 times. The mixture should begin to curdle slightly.
- Pour another 1/3 of the nigari on top, gently stir again, and then cover the mixture and set a timer for 2 minutes to let it coagulate.
- Pour the remaining nigari solution on top of the soy milk and gently stir again. You should clearly see the tofu curds separating from the liquid. Avoid over-stirring and breaking up the curds. If it isn't curdling, reheat the mixture over low and after a few minutes you should see the separation occurring.
Shape the Tofu
- Once the curds have formed, we will transfer them to our prepared mold for shaping. It's very helpful to remove some of the excess liquid first. I like to use a fine mesh sieve for this. Use it to press down the soy curds and isolate some of the liquid, which can then be ladled out and discarded. (You can see the images in the blog post or watch the video to see what I mean.)
- After you've removed a few cups of the extra liquid, you can now ladle the soybean curds into your prepared tofu mold. Level out the top gently with a spatula or a spoon, then fold the overhanging cheesecloth neatly over the top and place the top on the mold.
- Next you will weigh the tofu down with a heavy object. I like to use a can of beans or tomatoes for about 30 minutes to yield a medium-firm block of tofu. You can add more weight and time for a firmer tofu, or less for a softer tofu.
- Once the tofu is done pressing, unwrap it from the cheesecloth and transfer it to a bowl of cold water. This will help it to firm up and will also remove any residual bitterness or sourness from the coagulant.
Notes
Can I use store-bought soy milk? Most store-bought soy milk contains additives which will interfere with coagulation, so I cannot guarantee the results. If you want to try the recipe with store-bought soy milk, try to find one with the fewest ingredients possible (ideally just soybeans and water). Don't use a light soy milk, as we need all the protein and fat for the tofu.
Alternative coagulants. You can try this recipe with 1 1/2 teaspoons food grade gypsum (calcium sulfate) whisked into 1/2 cup water, or with 2 tablespoons lemon juice mixed into 1/2 cup water, but please note that the texture and flavor will differ. Both these options yield a softer tofu than nigari. Nigari is my preference for medium-firm to firm tofu.
Troubleshooting. Please consult the recipe FAQ in the blog post, as well as the instructional video, if you have any uncertainties. Feel free to leave a comment if there are any questions I've yet to address.
Did you make this recipe?We’d love for you to leave a review on the website! You can also share a photo on IG and tag @sarahsvegankitchen_ or #sarahsvegankitchen.