The New $2.49 Trader Joe's Find I Buy Every Time I Go

If you’re a tofu novice, it’s good to know what makes silken tofu so special. Unlike the sturdy, porous-textured firm tofu used for stir fries, silken tofu is delicate and soft. That’s because it’s made by thickening and setting soy milk into a sliceable pudding. 

Until recently, Trader Joe’s only offered firm tofu. If I needed silken tofu for a recipe, I’d have to go to another grocery store. Not anymore! The grocery store has introduced a new Organic Silken Tofu, and it’s as silky and melt-in-your-mouth tender as the best fresh tofu.

How To Use Trader Joe’s Organic Silken Tofu

The tofu is easy to unmold—just remove the plastic and run a paring knife around the edges to release the block. Cover with a towel and a cutting board, then flip to gently drop the tofu on the towel. 

I tried carefully sliding the block into simmering, salted water and letting it bubble gently for about 10 minutes, then carefully transferring it to a clean towel and patting it dry. This method firms the tofu up slightly while also heating it through. It broke up a bit, but was delicious and creamy piled on a bowl of saucy noodles and drizzled with soy sauce and chili crisp. Use the warm tofu as a topping for bowls, or just eat it with a sauce.

This tofu is delicate, but versatile. The Japanese tradition is to simply serve the tofu chilled, topped with soy sauce, minced scallions, chili oil or chili sauce, and sesame seeds. Other great uses for silken tofu include soups, like miso or hot and sour, where you make the soup and drop the delicate tofu in at the end. A soft curd tofu scramble is easy and nutritious, with turmeric and nutritional yeast sprinkled in.

My earliest experiments with silken tofu all involved purées, employing the silky tofu in place of dairy in creamy pies and puddings. I like to make a pudding of this tofu and melted dark chocolate by blending the two until smooth. You can also throw the tofu in a blender with herbs and vinegar to make a creamy salad dressing. Green Goddess, Thousand Island, and Caesar are just a few directions you can go.  

You can even make a mayonnaise with this creamy tofu by puréeing it with lemon and drizzling in olive oil as it blends. Use the smooth tofu as a base for dips, mixing in roasted peppers or caramelized onions, tahini, or olives to make it flavorful.

Trader Joe’s Silken Tofu is a great new product and belongs in your fridge when you need an easy, inexpensive protein boost. You don’t even have to cook it!

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