How to cook with silken tofu

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links I may receive a small commission. But don’t worry, you won’t pay any extra. This commission is what keeps this website alive, so thank you in advance for your support! Read my affiliate disclaimer for more information.

Would this even be a vegan food blog if I didn’t talk about silken tofu at least once or twice…?

Probably not.

But that is no surprise, tofu is incredible. Most people’s complaints about tofu are my reasons for loving it. Yes, it is plain, but that means you can add your favourite flavourings to it. It is incredibly diverse and I am always discovering new ways to cook with it.

Firm tofu gets all the fun press, so we want to turn our sights to the mighty silken tofu. You’ll find it hidden away on a shelf somewhere in the supermarket (normally in the free-from or the world food aisles).

Because they are long-life you can stock up on loads of packets and work your way through all these fun and inventive ways of cooking silken tofu.

Do you have your own favourite silken tofu recipe that you’d like to share with me, or have you tried one of the ideas below? Well, I want to hear about it! Drop it in the comments at the bottom of this post.

What is the best silken tofu to buy?

There are quite a few silken tofu products available to buy and the best one to buy will always be the freshest, if possible. So if you have a local Asian supermarket nearby, make sure to check out the fridge section to see if they have any fresh silken tofu on offer.

If not, then my favourite silken tofu to buy is by Clearspring. It has a great consistency and works really well in all of the following silken tofu cooking ideas.

Here are the 8 inventive ways to cook with silken tofu

Have a browse of my favourite recipe ideas using silken tofu. All vegan and tasty!

Creamy vegan pasta made using silken tofu

1. Blend it into a creamy pasta sauce

This is probably one of my favourite recipes that I make. It is incredibly easy to rustle up in an evening and it tastes amazingly creamy.

Simply blend up a packet of silken tofu (including the water) with your choice of herbs, spices, and plenty of seasoning. I like adding a pinch of nutmeg, or some lemon zest.

Mix the blended silken tofu into your pasta base (e.g. onions, garlic, vegan chicken), heat through before stirring in the pasta, and then serve.

You could also use this mix as you would a béchamel in a lasagna, or as a creamy topping for your vegan enchiladas.

Check out the recipe

2. Bake it into a vegan cheesecake

Want to know how I get a perfectly baked vegan cheesecake? I use silken tofu. And it works a treat!

Silken tofu has a magic egg-like ability that allows you to make baked set foods like cheesecake. When you blend the silken tofu it turns into a liquid, which makes it really easy to add other flavours. And then when you bake it for some time it begins to set again.

In order to make this baked vegan cheesecake, simply blend the silken tofu in with vegan cream cheese and flavourings, pour it onto your cheesecake base and bake.

Check out the recipe

vegan quiche recipe made using silken tofu

3. Blend it into a vegan quiche

This was probably one of my best discoveries to date, silken tofu makes the most amazing vegan quiches.

You blend up the silken tofu with your choice of seasoning and flavourings, I pack mine full of nutritional yeast, a little bit of black salt (to imitate egg flavours), and turmeric.

Stir in a mix of veg, vegan meats substitutes (like This isn’t bacon), and top with some pretty foods like halved cherry tomatoes. Pour onto your quiche base and bake in the oven for at least 1 hour. Take it out, leave it to cool completely, and then cut yourself a generous slice.

Just like the baked vegan cheesecake, the blended silken tofu mix binds back together once cooked in the oven to make this eggless quiche.

Check out the recipe

4. Serve it as it is (Hiyayakko)

We couldn’t talk about silken tofu without mentioning one of the most traditional ways of eating it, simply as it comes.

This is a very popular Japanese dish called Hiyayakko and it essentially consists of a cold block of fresh silken tofu topped with soy sauce, onions, ginger and sesame seeds. It is often served with bonito flakes, which aren’t careful, so be careful of this if you are ordering this dish out in a Japanese restaurant!

The reason this dish is so incredible is because the silken tofu will be served fresh. But you can recreate it easily with the packaged stuff. Just make sure to buy that ticket to Japan so you can also try the real thing.

I first tried this dish at Fujifuku (浅草小料理バル藤福) in Tokyo where it was topped with soy sauce and crispy seaweed – yum.

Check out the recipe

Scrambled silken tofu being placed on to a plate from a frying pan

5. Scramble it

Okay, this vegan dish has been popular for quite some time now, but it is still a pretty inventive way of using silken tofu and is a firm favourite of mine to make.

I like to drain the silken tofu, fry off some onion and garlic, and then drop the whole block of tofu into the pan. I’ll gently break up the tofu using my spatula, keeping it quite chunky. Make sure to add plenty of seasoning and spices!

Top tip: if you like some texture in your scrambled tofu my vegan mum likes to mix in some chopped up firm tofu alongside the silken tofu.

Check out the recipe

silken tofu used as vegan feta cheese scaled 1

6. Make it into vegan feta cheese

Looking for a soft squidgy feta cheese alternative to stick into your favourite salads or to simply munch on throughout the day? Then you’ll love this vegan silken tofu feta hack.

Chop up the silken tofu very carefully into square chunks and add into a jar with apple cider vinegar, oil, fresh herbs, salt, lemon juice, and any of your favourite flavours. Get inventive!

Let the tofu absorb all the flavours for at least a few hours, but the longer the better!

Check out the recipe

7. Deep fry it (agedashi)

Deep fat frying is normally left to the firmer tofu blocks but I believe that if done right, silken tofu that has been deep fat fried is MUCH better. And the Japanese would definitely agree, since they use deep fried silken tofu in their Agedashi tofu recipe.

Drain the tofu and pat it down on a kitchen towel. You’ll then want to be extra careful when slicing the tofu into chunks, making sure it doesn’t break apart.

Lightly coat the tofu in flour, or use your favourite batter mix, and then plop them into the fryer (or lots of oil in a pan).

They’ll puff up and go nice and golden brown. Serve with a spicy mayo for extra perfection.

Check out the recipe

8. Cook it into a stew (sundubu jjigae)

I love a good soup. Whether it’s thick and creamy, like a Laksa, or thin and bold, like a Phở (pronounced ‘fuh-h’ for any of those wondering).

Adding cubed silken tofu into any Asian-esque soup is a must. You can either drop it into the soup a few minutes before serving so that it soaks up all the flavour, or you can add it straight into your serving bowl and pour the soup on top.

Discover my favourite ways to cook with vegan kimchi.

One of my favourite variations of this soup comes from Korea, in the form of sundubu jjigae, a soft tofu stew. It is flavoured with kimchi, so it packs a punch!

Check out the recipe

Vegan creamy mustard sauce made using silken tofu

9. Blend it into a creamy sauce

Making deliciously creamy sauces using plant-based ingredients can be a little tricky and sometimes the results just aren’t worth it. I personally have made many a bad vegan bechamel and find that it just doesn’t go as creamy as I would like.

Thankfully, silken tofu has saved the day. When you blend it up with a few tasty ingredients like garlic, lemon, mustard, herbs and seasoning, it turns into the most wonderfully creamy sauce.

You can serve it up alongside a vegan roast dinner, pie and mash, or even with this decadent vegan beef wellington.

Check out the recipe

Frequently asked questions

Here are some FAQs regarding silken tofu and cooking with it.

What is silken tofu?

Silken tofu is a type of tofu made from soy milk that has been coagulated without curdling the milk. It is much smoother and softer than firm tofu because it isn’t pressed, meaning it still contains all of the moisture inside the block.

It is very delicate and breaks apart very easily when you touch it. This is why it is much better suited to recipes that require blending or gentle cooking.

What is the difference between silken tofu and firm tofu?

The main difference between silken tofu and firm tofu is their texture and water content.
Silken tofu has a much softer and smoother texture than firm tofu due to its high water content. It is often compared to the texture of custard or pudding. Silken tofu is delicate and requires gentle handling.

On the other hand, firm tofu has a more solid texture and lower water content. It is denser and holds its shape better than silken tofu, making it suitable for grilling, frying, or baking. Firm tofu is available in different levels of firmness, including soft, medium, and extra firm.

In terms of cooking, silken tofu is best suited for recipes that require a smooth and creamy texture, such as smoothies, dips, dressings, and desserts. Although, if you are gentle it can be used for cooking into soups and stews as well as deep frying. Firm tofu, on the other hand, is better for recipes that require a firmer texture, such as stir-fries, curries, and soups.

Does silken tofu have to be cooked?

Silken tofu does not necessarily have to be cooked, as it is already cooked during the tofu-making process. However, it can be eaten as it is, cooked or heated up in a variety of ways depending on the recipe.

Silken tofu is often used in raw or uncooked recipes, such as smoothies, puddings, dips, and dressings. Moreover, it is very popular to eat uncooked silken tofu in Japanese recipes like Hiyayakko.

In many recipes using uncooked silken tofu, the tofu itself is usually blended with other ingredients until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency.

Silken tofu can also be cooked or heated up in recipes such as soups or stews, where it is added as a protein source or thickener. When cooked, silken tofu becomes firmer and holds its shape better. However, it is important not to overcook it as it can become mushy or fall apart.

Can you fry silken tofu?

Silken tofu is very fragile and breaks apart easily, making frying very difficult. But that doesn’t mean that it is impossible. If you are careful you can cut it into chunks and either shallow fry it or deep fat fry it. You will want to handle them really carefully when moving them from the chopping board to the fryer as well as when you are cooking them. The result is delicious, as the silken tofu will crisp up nicely outside whilst retaining its lovely silky smooth interior.

How to cook with silken tofu

What is the best silken tofu to buy?

Here are the 8 inventive ways to cook with silken tofu

1. Blend it into a creamy pasta sauce

2. Bake it into a vegan cheesecake

3. Blend it into a vegan quiche

4. Serve it as it is (Hiyayakko)

5. Scramble it

6. Make it into vegan feta cheese

7. Deep fry it (agedashi)

8. Cook it into a stew (sundubu jjigae)

9. Blend it into a creamy sauce

Frequently asked questions

What is silken tofu?

What is the difference between silken tofu and firm tofu?

Does silken tofu have to be cooked?

Can you fry silken tofu?

Related Posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply