In today’s post, I’m going to teach you how to make frozen tofu. Tofu (or bean curd) comes in many different forms, and it’s really all about texture. You’d be surprised at how much tofu’s texture can change just by freezing it solid!
What Is Frozen Tofu?
Frozen tofu is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It is regular firm tofu, that is steamed and then frozen. Frozen raw tofu tends to crumble, so we cook it beforehand to shore it up for the freezing process.
Frozen tofu is popular in Northern China. In the days before central heating, homes were often heated with wood burning stoves, and anything left out in the kitchen could freeze on a particularly cold night.
Home cooks realized that when it came to tofu, freezing would change its structure and texture.
Why Freeze Tofu?
This is not the first time we at The Woks of Life have asked you to purposefully freeze an ingredient to change its structure by relying on the fact that water expands when it freezes. Just look at our quick 20 Minute Congee recipe. Washing and freezing rice grains breaks them up, causing them to cook down faster.
But why do this with tofu?
- It becomes less delicate and doesn’t fall apart as easily. This means you can put it into soups or hot pots, and it stays intact rather than falling apart.
- It takes on a firmer, almost sponge-like texture (similar to soy puffs), making it chewier and bouncier.
- With the large holes that form in the tofu, it absorbs sauces and flavors more readily than fresh firm tofu, which tends to only cling to flavor on its surface.
Like many soybean products, it is slightly chewy, but also fluffy and soft. If I had to compare it to something else, it would be wheat gluten, also known as seitan. But it’s gluten-free!
How to Use Frozen Tofu
You can braise frozen tofu like in our Braised Wheat Gluten (红烧烤麸), but people most often use it in soups and hot pots.
Just be careful, as frozen tofu can soak up a lot of hot liquid! When you’re eating it, make sure it’s cool enough before biting into it!
Recipe Instructions
Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch thick rectangles.
Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a heat-proof plate that will fit in your steamer.
Place the tofu in the steamer, cover, and steam for 20 minutes over medium high heat.
Let the tofu cool. Pat each piece dry with a clean towel, and place in a container lined with parchment paper in one layer.
Place another layer of parchment paper on top, and add another layer of tofu.
Freeze overnight. You’ll see that the tofu may have changed color, turning a little more yellow than white.
The next day, it’s ready to thaw and use!
How to Make Frozen Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 pound firm tofu (any tofu ranging from medium to very firm will work)
Instructions
- Cut the tofu into ½-inch thick rectangles. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a heat-proof plate that will fit in your steamer. Place the tofu in the steamer, cover, and steam for 20 minutes over medium high heat.
- Let the tofu cool. Pat each piece dry with a clean towel, and place in a container lined with parchment paper in one layer. Place another layer of parchment paper on top, and add another layer of tofu. Freeze overnight.
- The next day, it’s ready to thaw and use!
What steaming does to tofu?
Ho Sofja, steaming tofu changes the texture of the tofu :-)
I didn’t notice a huge change in texture when I plopped a few pieces in a basic soup, but this method is ideal for me because… *deep breath* I’ve left a lot of tofu to spoil in neglect.
I’ll open a package, use some, then the rest gets shoved back in the fridge and forgotten as I wait for inspiration for the ‘perfect’ use. My worst offenses are 1-2 serving korean soups like kimchi or doenjang jigae, which simply demand tofu. And forget whipping up miso soup, or adding tofu to instant noodles…
This method really spares me the drama of leftovers and food waste. I love opening the freezer and seeing those little cubes waiting patiently, ready for anything that needs just a ‘touch’ of tofu.
You are so right. This is a great way to avoid wasting fresh tofu :-)
This tastes awesome in Mala Xiangguo – thanks for the recipe!
After having it in the dish I kept looking for firm tofu in supermarkets in my country, only to find out that the tofu they used was firm tofu that had actually been frozen and thawed haha.
Not too bad if you are buying tofu to make frozen tofu :-)
I have had this frozen tofu in my freezer for some time–always forgotten. Then I saw this recipe for Tofu Pickles. https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dubu-jangajji It doesn’t call for frozen tofu, but I tried it and It is awesome!
We love Maangchi and her recipes too :-)
cannot wait to try. have always wondered how this was made. Its easy to find in the store but double the price of tofu..With the moisture content about how long till freezer burn or just make for next day use?
You can keep them in the freezer for at least 1 – 2 months if you keep them in a well-sealed container.
Thanks for this. I’m newly vegan and this expands what I can do with tofu. Have a great day.
You are very welcome, Emily.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have been trying to recreate this texture at home for years and never got it right. It was the steaming! I had no idea I should cook it before freezing. I got so excited, that I worked up 3 packages of Trader Joe’s sprouted tofu. I cannot wait to put them to use.
Hi Channon, try one pack of tofu first :-) Hope you will enjoy this recipe.
Do you have to press the tofu to drain it of excess water at any time during this whole process? For example after thawing it?
Also, can frozen tofu pieces be used without thawing them first?
Many thanks in advance!
Hi Lucia, you don’t need to defrost the frozen tofu before cooking, but you can.