Freeze tofu? That’s fine! This not only keeps it longer, but also makes it particularly crispy or tasty. You can find out what you should consider here.
Freezing tofu has several advantages: Not only can you extend the shelf life, but you can also change the consistency. Tofu can be frozen for up to six months.
When does it make sense to freeze tofu?
Freezing tofu makes sense to prevent food waste – for example in these cases:
You don’t consume your tofu within its shelf life. Note: Most foods are still edible beyond the best-before date without any problems.
You opened the package and you have tofu left over. Tofu usually only lasts a few days in the refrigerator once opened.
Because it contains a lot of water, the tofu changes its consistency when it freezes. You can use this:
The pores get bigger. As a result, thawed tofu can absorb the marinade and spices better and tastes more intense. For particularly flavorful marinated tofu, it makes sense to freeze the tofu beforehand. However, be careful not to over-season – this can easily happen due to the larger pores.
Depending on the type, freezing the tofu makes it either firmer, softer or more crumbly. Natural tofu becomes firmer and easier to express. You can take advantage of this in dishes with crispy tofu, such as breaded tofu sticks. All other types of tofu, such as silken tofu, become softer and more crumbly and are then great for soy Bolognese or desserts such as vegan chocolate mousse or vegan cheesecake.
It is possible that some varieties will turn yellowish when frozen. However, the yellow tinge often disappears again when it is thawed.
Freezing tofu: what do you have to consider?
Pack the tofu airtight, for example in a tightly sealable box. Alternatively, you can leave it in the vacuum pack that you bought the tofu in. This is important to keep the tofu from drying out and freezer burn.
If you like, you can chop or portion the tofu before freezing.
The tofu should be in the freezer compartment or cupboard for at least half a day so that it is properly frozen. Then you can use the changes in consistency (see above).
Don’t marinate and season the tofu until it’s thawed.
The best way to thaw frozen tofu is to place it in the fridge the night before.
Which tofu is recommended
We recommend buying organic tofu. In particular, organic seals such as Bioland, Demeter or Naturland have strict guidelines and ban chemical-synthetic pesticides, among other things. In addition, organic tofu mostly consists of European soy.
Ask your supermarket or health food store about regional products and pay attention to the indications of origin. With shorter transport routes, you can save on CO2 emissions and thus reduce your ecological footprint. Here you can find out more about how you can eat regionally despite a vegan diet: Vegan regional: Soya and seitan are also available from Germany.
Tip: You can also make tofu yourself.
