Silken tofu is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 48 recipes to get you started.

What is silken tofu?

Silken tofu is the soft, custardy end of the tofu family. It is set so gently that the curds never get pressed or drained.

The block holds together as one smooth, pudding-like mass with almost no grain to it. Scoop a spoonful and it wobbles like a set custard.

That texture is the whole point. Firm tofu is built to hold its shape in a stir-fry; silken tofu is built to disappear, blended smooth or slipped into broth where it barely needs cutting.

It is sold in grades from soft to firm. Even silken firm is far softer than a pressed block.

It comes from the same soy milk as any bean curd. The difference is the set, not the bean.

Ways to Use Silken Tofu

Reach for it when you want creaminess without dairy. Blended, it becomes a base for smoothies and salad dressings, and for dips you want to pour.

It carries chocolate beautifully in a no-bake filling like Chocolate Silken Tofu Pie, where a blender does all the work and the tofu sets up firm in the fridge.

It is just as at home in baking, standing in for some of the eggs or fat and keeping crumb moist. You will find it doing exactly that in Apricot-Walnut Cereal Bars and Chocolate Layer Cake No Guilt Low Fat.

It whirls into a glass too, as in the Morning Cocoa, Banana & Soy Smoothie.

On the savory side, cube it straight from the package and lower it into hot miso soup or a light broth off the heat. No browning, no pressing, just gentle warming so the cubes stay intact.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Silken tofu has a clean, faintly sweet flavor, so it takes on whatever you give it. It loves cocoa, maple, banana, and vanilla on the sweet side; soy, ginger, scallion, and sesame on the savory side.

The mistake almost everyone makes is treating it like firm tofu. Press it and it smears. Stir it hard into soup and it shatters into cloudy shreds.

The fix is gentle handling: add it last, fold rather than stir, and keep the heat low.

The second mistake is skipping the blender on a dessert or dressing. Silken tofu only turns smooth and creamy when it is fully pureed; mashed by hand it stays grainy and a little chalky.

Substitutes

For blended uses, the closest swap is plain Greek yogurt or whole-milk ricotta run smooth, though both bring tang and dairy that silken tofu does not. In a vegan dessert, blended soaked cashews give a similar richness.

For tofu floating in soup, soft or medium block tofu is the nearest stand-in. It is sturdier and a touch grainier, so cut it small and add it gently.

Avoid swapping in firm or extra-firm tofu. The springy, dense bite is wrong for anything silken tofu is meant to do.

Buying and Storing

You will find it two ways. Shelf-stable aseptic boxes sit on the dry-goods shelf and keep unopened for months. Water-packed tubs live in the refrigerated case near the firm tofu and other bean curd.

Both work. The boxed kind is the one to keep in the pantry for an impromptu smoothie.

Check the grade on the label. Soft is best for blending, firm-silken for cubing into soup.

Once opened, treat it like fresh dairy. Drain off any liquid, cover the tofu with fresh cold water in a sealed container, and change that water daily. Use it within three to four days, and toss it at a sour smell or slick surface.

One last note: silken tofu does not freeze well. Freezing turns its smooth set spongy and full of holes.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find silken tofu: Silken tofu is usually found in the asian section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Silken tofu is a member of the Legumes and Legume Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

嫩豆腐

British (UK) term

Silken tofu

en français

tofu soyeux

en español

tofu

How much does silken tofu weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 slice	84 grams

Related

Legumes and Legume Products

Recipes using silken tofu

There are 48 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 48 recipes