7 Kitchen Tools That Actually Make Tofu Worth Cooking
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Tofu gets a bad reputation from people using the wrong tools. Soggy, bland, falling apart in the pan, that’s usually a technique problem, not a tofu problem.
These seven tools fixed that for me. None of them are expensive, and most earn their keep after the first use.
1. A Tofu Press
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The press that made me stop stacking books on a chopping board
Spring loaded, so you close it and walk away rather than coming back to tighten screws. The whole thing goes in the dishwasher, which is the real reason it stays on the counter instead of in a drawer. It fits a standard block, so halve the big catering ones first.
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This is the one that matters most. Pressing tofu properly is the difference between crispy edges and a soggy mess. A dedicated press does it in 15 minutes with zero books stacked on a cutting board.
2. A Cast Iron Skillet
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Best for a deep, even crust
Cast iron holds its heat when cold tofu hits the pan, which is the whole trick. Thin pans drop temperature on contact and the tofu steams instead of searing. Pre-seasoned, lasts decades, and it is the cheapest pan here.
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Nothing gets tofu crispier than cast iron. It holds heat evenly and gives you that golden crust without needing a ton of oil.
3. An Air Fryer
Buy Now → The fastest way to crispy tofu
Twelve minutes at 200C and the edges come out crisper than the oven manages in twenty five, without heating the kitchen. A standard basket holds about 350g in one layer, so it is a weeknight tool rather than a meal prep one.
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If you only cook tofu one way, this might be it. Cubed, tossed in a little cornstarch and oil, twelve minutes, done. Works well alongside baked tofu recipes too if you want to skip the oven step.
4. A Sharp Chef’s Knife
Buy Now → Keeps every cube clean and even
A 20cm chef’s knife is the one size that handles a block of tofu in a single clean pass. What matters is that it is sharp, not that it is expensive. A cheap knife you hone beats a costly one you never sharpen.
Tofu falls apart under a dull blade. A sharp knife keeps your cubes clean, which matters more than you’d think for even cooking.
5. Cornstarch (Or A Cornstarch Shaker)
The secret to restaurant-style crispy tofu. A light dusting before cooking creates a crust that a marinade alone can’t.
What to buy: plain cornstarch, or cornflour if you are in the UK, and that is genuinely it. Potato starch works slightly better if you can find it, and arrowroot is the one to use if you need it grain free.
The ratio that works: one tablespoon per standard block, tossed on after pressing and before any oil. A small shaker is a two pound purchase that stops you dumping half the tub on in one go, which is the usual mistake.
6. Silicone-Tipped Tongs
Regular tongs shred delicate tofu, especially silken or soft varieties. Silicone tips grip without crushing.
What to look for: 23cm to 30cm length, a locking mechanism so they store flat, and silicone rated to at least 200C so they survive a hot cast iron pan. Avoid the very wide salad-style heads, which crush more than they grip.
7. A Wide, Shallow Marinating Dish
More surface area means more flavour contact. A wide dish beats a deep bowl every time for marinating cubed tofu.
What to buy: a glass dish around 20cm by 20cm with a lid, which holds one block in a single layer with the marinade actually touching every side. Glass over plastic, because garlic and sesame smells stay in plastic permanently.
If you already own a lidded glass baking dish, you own this. Do not buy a second one.
Final Thoughts
None of this requires a full kitchen overhaul. Start with the press and the skillet, the rest can wait. For more ways to use them once you’ve got them, check out this tofu 101 guide.
