tofu

noun

to·​fu ˈtō-(ˌ)fü 

: a soft food product prepared by treating soybean milk with coagulants (such as magnesium chloride or diluted acids) : bean curd

… tofu is our most versatile form of nonanimal concentrated protein, as well as the least processed and the most traditional.

—Mark Bittman

The tofu … was sliced uniformly and stacked neatly in the bowl of clear, seafood-flavored broth.

—Karen Hayes

Vegetarian cooking has never been so simple. Supermarkets carry packaged convenience foods like tofu hot dogs …

—Norine Dworkin

Examples of tofu in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Elsewhere, drivers encountered a very different kind of mess when a tractor-trailer hauling 40,000 pounds of extra-firm tofu crashed off a highway into a ravine in Missouri in March, The New York Times reported. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026

Thankfully, there are plenty of egg-free high-protein breakfast ideas, such as Greek yogurt bowls, protein shakes and smoothies, tofu scramble, or dishes containing skyr or cottage cheese. — Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 23 June 2026

This fiber content is higher than that of tofu, as it's made from the whole bean rather than soybean milk. — Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026

Look for firm tofu that’s made with calcium sulfate. — Kelly Burch, Verywell Health, 17 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese tōfu

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tofu

noun

to·​fu ˈtō-fü 

: a soft food product prepared by coagulating soybean milk

called also bean curd