By Lisa Esile, MS,
Looking for recipes using silken tofu or just wondering what silken tofu is and when to use it? Read on for more info, or jump down to the recipes and get cooking.
What Is Silken Tofu?
As the name suggests, silken tofu is extra smooth and silky and has a soft, pudding-like texture. Like regular tofu, silken tofu has almost no taste and soaks up neighboring flavors like a sponge. When vegan sauces and dressings call for tofu, it’s almost always silken—think vegan mayo or sour cream or your favorite creamy, dairy-free cilantro dressing. That delicious vegan potato salad you had last week probably used silken tofu, so did that finger-lickin’ good egg-less quiche or the pizza with the spinach cream. Many creamy vegan desserts, such as chocolate mousse, cheesecake, and some ice creams, use silken tofu, as well, to achieve a smooth-as-silk, creamy texture.
3 Things to Know About Silken Tofu
- Where do I find silken tofu in the grocery store? While regular tofu can be found in the refrigerated section, silken tofu is usually shelf-stable (meaning you don’t have to keep it chilled), so you’re most likely to find it in the general section of the supermarket—usually in the Asian or international foods aisle. You can also buy it online. A common brand is Mori-Nu. (Silken tofu is sometimes found in the refrigerated section, but check the shelves first.)
- Types of silken tofu: Once you’ve found the silken tofu section of your supermarket (well done!), you’ll see it comes in soft, firm, extra firm, and lite firm (lower fat). That's right: Lite extra firm silken tofu is a thing! It gets less confusing once you start cooking with it. Trust us.
- Can you use regular tofu in place of silken? For some recipes, like a savory dressing, you can get away with subbing regular tofu for the silken kind, but it won’t be as drop-dead-silky delicious as if you used the silken variety. Bottom line, it’s worth making the effort to track down silken tofu—all those recipes you’ve been making with regular tofu when the recipe called for silken will get a major uplift! Don’t be surprised to find yourself becoming silken tofu-obsessed!
For more information about different types of tofu, check out our tofu guide.
Salads & Dressings

My Mama’s Potato Salad Recipe

Vegan Waldorf Salad

Potato and Artichoke Heart Pasta Salad

Almost Egg Salad

Creamy Cilantro-Garlic Dressing
Condiments with Silken Tofu

Vegan Mayo

Tofu Sour Cream

Creamy Red Pepper Coriander Sauce

Basil Pesto
Savory Dishes with Silken Tofu

Soft Tofu with Black Sesame and Wasabi Sauce

Mexican 10-Layer Dip

Pizza with Creamed Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Olives

Mexican Breakfast Hash with Lime Crema

Spinach Lasagna

Quiche Florentine with Artichoke Hearts and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Garlicky Bok Choy Noodle Soup
Desserts

Chocolate Raspberry Parfaits

The Best Vegan Strawberries and Cream

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Vanilla Bean Whip
About the Author

About the Author
Lisa Esile, MS
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