Homemade Japanese Tofu

Homemade Japanese Tofu is a medium Japanese recipe that serves 4. 70 calories per serving. Recipe by The Yellow Rice on YouTube.

Prep: 10 hrs 27 min | Cook: 1 hr 40 min | Total: 12 hrs 27 min

Cost: $3.20 total, $0.80 per serving

Ingredients

  • 250 g Yellow soybeans (To be soaked 8‑12 h before use)
  • 1 L Water (for blending) (Preferably filtered water)
  • 3 g Nigari (magnesium chloride) (Tofu coagulant)
  • 150 ml Warm water (to dissolve the nigari) (About 10 tablespoons)
  • 1 piece Cheesecloth (To filter soy milk and shape the tofu)
  • 1 kg 1 kg weight (For pressing the tofu)
  • 0.5 teaspoon Salt (optional) (To adjust tofu seasoning)

Instructions

  1. Soaking the soybeans

    Place the 250 g of yellow soybeans in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let soak for 8 to 12 hours (ideally overnight).

    Time: PT10H

  2. Draining and rinsing

    Drain the soaked beans and rinse them thoroughly under running water.

    Time: PT10M

  3. Blending with water

    In the blender, add the drained beans and 1 L of water. Blend in two or three batches according to the blender’s capacity until you obtain a smooth liquid.

    Time: PT5M

  4. Filtering the soy milk

    Pour the mixture into a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Press the cheesecloth well to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve the residue (okara) for other recipes.

    Time: PT5M

  5. Cooking the soy milk

    Transfer the filtered milk to the pot, bring to low heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: low heat

  6. Preparing the nigari

    In a small bowl, dissolve 3 g of nigari in 150 ml of warm water (about 10 tablespoons). Mix until fully dissolved.

    Time: PT2M

  7. Cooling the milk

    Remove the pot from the heat and let the soy milk cool to about 80 °C.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 80°C

  8. Coagulation

    Pour the dissolved nigari into a large mixing bowl, immediately add the cooled soy milk, stir gently, cover and let coagulate for 30 minutes.

    Time: PT30M

  9. Preparing the mold

    Place a clean cheesecloth in the tofu mold (or in the first box), making sure it covers the edges well.

    Time: PT5M

  10. Pressing the tofu

    Pour the curd into the mold, fold the cheesecloth over the top, place the 1 kg weight and let press for 1 hour.

    Time: PT1H

  11. Unmolding and storage

    Carefully remove the tofu from the mold, place it in a container filled with cold water and keep it in the refrigerator. Change the water daily for 5‑6 days.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
70
Protein
8 g
Carbohydrates
2 g
Fat
4 g
Fiber
1 g

Dietary info: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten‑free, Dairy‑free, low-carb, low-calorie, very-low-calorie, low-fat

Allergens: Soy

Last updated: April 6, 2026

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Homemade Japanese Tofu

Recipe by The Yellow Rice

Learn how to make your own firm tofu from yellow soybeans and nigari, exactly as the Japanese do. This detailed recipe guides you from soaking the beans to the final pressing, with tips for storage and reusing the soy residue (okara).

MediumJapaneseServes 4

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
12h 7m
Prep
5m
Cook
1h 28m
Cleanup
13h 40m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$3.20
Total cost
$0.80
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Soaking the soybeans (8‑12 h)
  • Cooking the soy milk without burning
  • Reaching 80 °C before adding the nigari
  • Coagulation for 30 minutes without stirring
  • Pressing for at least 1 hour with 1 kg weight

Safety Warnings

  • Soy milk is very hot (≈80 °C) – handle with care to avoid burns.
  • Nigari is magnesium chloride – do not inhale the powder and avoid prolonged contact with the eyes.

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