Why I Recommend the EZ Tofu Press

If you’ve followed my recipe blog or explored my cookbooks, you know tofu is a regular protein in our home. We use it in everything from tofu tacos (a weekly favorite and my daughter’s top pick) to vegan spring rolls and even vegan cheesecake. Tofu’s versatility makes it easy to incorporate into many dishes.

Tofu can seem unfamiliar if you’re new to it, but it has been a staple in Asian cooking for centuries. At its simplest, tofu is curdled and pressed soy milk — a process similar to how dairy cheeses are made. In addition to being a versatile protein, tofu supplies all eight essential amino acids and contains minerals like iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, plus calcium and vitamin B1. It’s also associated with heart-healthy benefits, including reductions in LDL cholesterol in some studies.

One important step in preparing most tofu recipes is pressing out excess water. Tofu is packed in water to stay fresh, and removing that moisture is key to achieving a good texture and maximizing flavor absorption. Whether you want firm, beef-like crumbles for tacos or dense strips for spring rolls, pressing tofu before cooking dramatically improves both texture and the ability to hold marinades and spices.

For years I pressed tofu the old-fashioned way: wrap a block in paper towels, set it on a cutting board, and weigh it down with heavy plates. It works, but it’s slow, uneven, and honestly not very elegant. So when Ben from EZ Tofu Press asked if I’d try his press, I jumped at the chance to compare methods.

Using the EZ Tofu Press made pressing firm and extra-firm tofu faster and more consistent. The design squeezes out liquid evenly while maintaining the block’s structure, so cubes and strips hold up better during slicing and cooking. It’s especially helpful when I’m short on time; I don’t always plan ahead for dinner, and the press is a reliable way to get a meal on the table quickly.

The EZ Tofu Press presses a block of tofu quickly and uniformly to maintain the integrity of the block of tofu, while squeezing out excess water.

The unit is also simple to clean and dishwasher-safe. It uses stainless steel grommets instead of low-grade parts that could rust, and it avoids fragile springs that can fail over time. According to the maker, these features helped the EZ Tofu Press become a best-selling tofu press on Amazon for several years.

I tested the press for several weeks and put it through regular kitchen use. It quickly became one of those gadgets I don’t want to be without — no more paper towels or balancing plates on a cutting board. After just a few turns of the screws you can see water collect in the drip tray, and the finished tofu is noticeably firmer and more receptive to flavors.

You can see the water pooling in the plate below the press after only a few turns of the screws.

After pressing extra-firm tofu with the press, I made a gluten-free vegetarian pad Thai that absorbed ginger and other spices much better than my pressed-by-hand attempts. The cubes stayed intact and the textures were improved, enhancing the overall dish.

Gluten Free Vegetarian Pad Thai made with tofu. Click photo for recipe.

The press also made tofu easier to work with for spring rolls. Pressing allowed me to cut clean strips and removed enough liquid so the rolls looked and held together better.

Ingredients including pressed tofu, prepared for gluten free spring rolls. Click on photo for recipe.

If you’d like to try one for yourself, the original post included a giveaway entry. Check the post details for current opportunities. Many thanks to my friend Cindy at Vegetarian Mama for the introduction to Ben and the EZ Tofu Press.

*Note: EZ Tofu Press provided me with a press to review. This sponsored giveaway was created through my partnership with EZ Tofu Press. As always, all opinions are my own. Working with brands and products I trust helps me continue to bring you product reviews and recipes and keeps this website running. To read my full disclosure policy, see the terms and conditions on the site.