John Myers
Can tofu actually be frozen? Of course – after all, it consists mainly of curdled soy milk. Freezing tofu actually has two advantages. These are our tips.
Tofu is made from soybeans. The resulting white blocks are a high-quality source of protein and provide many other nutrients, making tofu a healthy food. It is not for nothing that bean quark is popular with vegetarians and vegans as a versatile meat substitute that can be smoked, marinated, grilled, or fried, for example.
If the tofu in your fridge is nearing its sell-by date, or you haven’t used up all of the tofu when cooking or grilling, we have good news for you: tofu is safe to freeze. At sub-zero temperatures, the soy product can be stored for up to six months.
Freeze tofu: How to do it
If you want to freeze tofu, we recommend the following procedure:
- If you bought the tofu loose or if the package has already been opened, it is best to pack the tofu airtight before freezing it. This will prevent freezer burn and keep the tofu from drying out.
- If you break up or slice the tofu block beforehand, it will freeze a little faster.
- If the vacuum pack is still closed, you can simply put the whole tofu in the freezer.
- To defrost frozen tofu, it is best to place it in the fridge on a covered plate the night before.
Frozen tofu? A speciality!
When you freeze tofu, you’re not only helping to fight food waste, you’re also enjoying a culinary benefit – freezing tofu is a doubly good idea. “Frozen” tofu is considered a gastronomic specialty in parts of Asia, for which (silicone) tofu is intentionally frozen and only thawed before consumption.
The advantage: freezing causes ice crystals to form inside the bean quark, which in turn leave small holes. As a result, the tofu appears more fine-pored after defrosting than before. This has the advantage that the soy product can absorb more sauce or marinade during preparation and when eating.
