Tofu is essential to every plant-based eater’s diet. You can make it into almost anything, cook it with a variety of seasonings and make plenty of it for leftovers the next day. Anybody can make good tofu, but it takes practice and research and a few tools to truly master the craft of tofu cooking. When people first discover the wonders of tofu, they don’t realize that you can use a tofu press to make things ten times simpler.

So, how do you know which tofu press to use? It depends on how you like your tofu cooked.

What is a tofu press?

A tofu press is a kitchen contraption that removes the water from your tofu, resulting in a denser block with added texture. By removing water, it can be replaced with marinades and dressings of your choosing. Tofu presses come in two different styles; plate style or box style.

Plate Style Tofu Press

The tofu is placed between two plastic or metal slabs, which are tightened using 2-4 adjustable screws. Plate-style tofu presses are simple, easy to use and don’t take up much space in your kitchen. They also tend to be the most economical option as far as tofu presses go. This EZ Tofu Press is very highly rated and easy to figure out! You can use this to press in under 15 minutes for quick dinners and lunches.

The upsides to this type are its affordability, and it can be used to make homemade tofu. The downsides are the fact that it has to be readjusted and tightened pretty often. Carl Cox prefers this kind. He left a review saying, ” To my surprise, it’s not simply as good as the spring version, it’s distinctly better. This one removes more water, works faster, and produces a better tofu block that’s denser and a slightly chewy.” Purchase one for $20.99!

Box Style Tofu Press

In this press type, tofu is placed into a plastic or metal container, where a spring-loaded or heavily weighted plate pushes down on the block of tofu, pressing the water out and creating a dense and chewy protein that you’re sure to enjoy. This Gourmet Tofu Press is a fan favorite, and allows for significant marination to occur! 

The downsides are that these box models can only handle a standard size block of tofu, so they don’t have much flexibility for different kinds of tofu creations. The upsides are that these are very convenient and will continue to press your tofu without you having to do it. So, you don’t have to hover over your creations.

Amazon reviewer Tanya enjoys using a box style press and said, “This is an amazing product! It’s easy to clean and it works well as a press and a marinating tub. The surfaces and material don’t hold the smell of soaps!” Get one for $45.90!

What kind of tofu can you make using these?

Stick to firm and extra firm. You can make SO MANY tofu recipes from our Food Monster App with either of these, as all of these recipes work best with firmer tofu options. Get ready to make tofu your main meal go-to! Make this Orange Sesame Tofu Salad, which is packed full of seasonal vegetables and a sweet and citrusy marinated tofu.

Or, try these Fresh Almond Butter Tofu Lettuce Boats for summertime. For even more options, try these Baked Basil and Almond-Crusted Tofu, Tandoori Tofu, Buffalo-Style Tofu and this Crispy Peanutty Tofu and Trumpet Mushrooms recipe.

Make sure you check out these 6 Cooking Tips That Will Make You Love Tofu!

If you enjoy recipes like this, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App, it’s available for both Android and iPhone and has free and paid versions. The app is loaded with thousands of allergy-friendly & vegan recipes/cooking tips, has hundreds of search filters and features like bookmarking, meal plans and more! The app shows you how having diet/health/food preferences can be full of delicious abundance rather than restrictions!

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