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

Tempeh Think of tempeh as tofu’s ultra-fermented cousin. —Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 23 Feb. 2026

After that, choose four proteins to center meals around, including chicken, tofu, fish, beans and yogurt. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026

Cleaner homes start here—this natural tofu litter delivers powerful clumping, low dust and easy odor control for happier cats and happier humans. —Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026

Explore and feast on things like fried chicken, gua bao, bubble tea, and stinky tofu at over a dozen night markets scattered throughout the city. —Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 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