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

Animal products and meat typically supply sufficient amounts of all nine, and some plant sources, such as soybeans (used to make tofu and tempeh), are also considered complete proteins, supplying sufficient amounts of all nine. —Allison Aubrey, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026

Stinky tofu accounted for nearly 20% of the restaurant's revenue. —Alys Martinez, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026

Jenn Harris has a column about a battle over stinky tofu at Golden Leaf restaurant in San Gabriel. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026

Re-dredge tofu in flour mixture, gently pressing to adhere. —Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 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