You Should Freeze Leftover Tofu
I don’t know who, but a long time ago someone told me to never freeze tofu. “Freezing tofu ruins it!” “You’ll ruin the texture!” “Burn him!” Perhaps not the last, but it seemed so important – as if frozen tofu were poisonous. Well, I’m glad I stopped listening. It’s true that the texture changes, but not only is it intact, it’s a good option. So why not? Come on, weirdos, freeze your tofu.
Tofu has had quite a difficult journey to get onto the average American plate, and its supposed “failure” to freeze unused portions hasn’t helped. It’s unclear where this rumor came from, but I’m guessing someone tried it and was put off by the color change and pocketier texture. They must have thrown it out immediately because if they had ever gotten around to defrosting it and using it, that rumor would never have gotten to me.
What happens if you freeze tofu?
Tofu, packed in water, absorbs a lot of it. Even if you squeeze out the water before drinking, it is undoubtedly wet food. When you freeze tofu, like any other food, the areas with water pockets expand and the tofu solids seem to give way to this expansion. When frozen tofu is subsequently thawed, the tofu solids permanently retain their new shape once the ice melts. It may look like many more holes or pockets have formed, or it may have a flaky texture. That’s all. The taste is the same, and although the color turns yellowish when frozen, after thawing it returns to its original snow-white color. But now you have tofu that’s more sponge-like than ever. In my opinion, pre-frozen tofu is a marinade’s best friend.
How to freeze tofu
Technically, you could take a whole package of tofu, water and everything else, and just freeze it all. I’m more of a “prepare now and make your life easier later” type. To speed up freezing and make defrosting easier, open the package of tofu and drain the water. The water inside does not need to be squeezed or pressed out, just shake it out and place it on a cutting board. Cut the tofu into cubes, slices or sticks – whatever shape you need. I cut half of the tofu into slices and the other half into cubes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tofu at some distance from each other. Place it in the freezer to let it do its work. My one-inch cubes took about an hour to freeze, while the boards took between 90 minutes and two hours. You can then separate the pieces from the parchment and place them all in a freezer bag or resealable container. Store them in the freezer until you need them.
How to defrost frozen tofu
The easiest way to defrost tofu is to simply place the pieces in the pan along with the other ingredients while they fry. Then season it as you go. If you want to press the tofu for frying or marinating before cooking, the fastest way to defrost the tofu is to place the frozen pieces in a large bowl and cover them with hot water. Leave for 10-15 minutes and squeeze. If the centers still seem hard, you can replace the water to warm it up again. When they are soft to the very center, they are ready to use. Drain and squeeze out excess water in any way convenient for you. Cook as needed.
I decided to make crispy air fryer treats using freshly defrosted and pocketed tofu. This recipe for tofu nuggets coated with nutritional yeast was fantastic. While I didn’t take advantage of the marinating opportunity provided by my tofu, I did enjoy the slightly spongier internal texture. Plus, it only took a few minutes to flavor and “bread” the tofu with nutritional yeast, and you can’t beat a quick snack.
I’ve lost a lot of tofu over the years when I used half the block and “saved” the rest in a container. I will no longer grow watery graves in my refrigerator. Now I’ll chop up the rest and freeze it for a bright and spongy future.