How to Make Tofu at Home
We know making food from scratch is often more nutrient dense and better tasting. The challenging part is that it takes more time. Perhaps, rather than looking at this negatively, one can appreciate that the quality of our food stems from patience, diligence, and the desire to make food from wholesome ingredients.
My daughter and I checked out the book Tofu Takes Time by Helen Wu and illustrated by Julie Jarema from our local library. This book is about a little girl who makes tofu with her grandmother. This children’s story is what inspired us to try making our own tofu at home. We enjoy cooking and eating extra firm tofu from the store but making it from scratch allowed us to appreciate this food even more.
Ingredients:
500 g soybeans (~2.5 cups)
Lemon juice (fresh squeezed from 1 lemon)
4 tbsp water
1500 ml water for blending (~6 1/3 cups)
1500 ml water for adding to soybeans (~6 1/3 cups)
Materials:
Cheesecloths
Large pots
Strainer
Colander
Slotted spoon
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Lemon juice manual hand squeezer (optional)
Vitamix (or high-speed blender)
Tofu mold (or see video for makeshift tofu mold)
Directions:
Cover the soybeans with clean water and soak for 12 hours.
After soaking, pour the soybeans into a colander to drain the water.
Rinse the soybeans with clean water.
Add 2-3 cups of pre-soaked soybeans and 2-2.5 cups of water to a Vitamix and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
Repeat this step until all the soybeans have been used.
Squeeze the soy milk through a cheesecloth, collecting the soy milk in a pot, and discarding the pulp in a separate bowl.
You will repeat the above step until the entire blended mixture has been squeezed through a cheesecloth. Bring the soy milk to a boil, remove from the heat and strain through a cheesecloth again.*
After straining the soy milk a second time, pour it into a large pot, along with approximately 6.5 cups of water.
Simmer it for 15 min, stirring periodically, removing and discarding the foam. Do not let the pot boil. Simmer for 10 more minutes.
After simmering and removing all the foam, transfer the soy milk to another pot, and heat it up to about a boil, then shut off the heat.
Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon into a small bowl and combine with 4 tablespoons of water.
Pour the lemon water mixture into the hot soy milk slowly and gently stir. Do not over stir.
Wait 15 minutes for the curds to form.
Using a tofu mold (see video for a makeshift tofu mold).
Line a square-shaped glass dish with a cheesecloth.
Have another square-shaped glass dish of the same size nearby.
Strain the tofu curds and water through a strainer and carefully pour the tofu curds into the glass dish with the cheesecloth.
Cover the tofu curds with the rest of the cheesecloth.
Place the other square-shaped dish on top of the dish with the tofu curds wrapped in the cheesecloth.
Put a couple canned goods on top or something heavy to allow the tofu to set for 1 hour.
After an hour has passed, keep the tofu wrapped in the cheesecloth and soak it in clean water for 30 minutes.
This gives the tofu a firmer composition.
After 30 minutes of soaking, carefully remove the cheesecloth.
You may use the tofu now.
Keep the tofu block in a glass dish with water and store it in the refrigerator.
Change the water frequently and consume within 2-3 days.
Cooking ideas: Cut the tofu block into cubes, sauté it in a skillet, and eat it by itself or add to a stir fry. You may also try a tofu scramble.
*Note the video instructions slightly vary from the written directions.
Here is the book that inspired us to make our own tofu. Thank you Helen Wu and Julie Jarema for creating a wonderful book.
Click the following link to learn more about the book Tofu Takes Time here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVoRBKnb8DE
Works Cited:
Moon Lai | Food Passionical. (2025, February 15). How to Make Tofu (Homemade Tofu Recipe). Best of Vegan | Food & Lifestyle. https://bestofvegan.com/how-to-make-homemade-tofu/#recipe
Wu, H. H. (2022). Tofu takes time. Augsburg Fortress Publishers.