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

Look for mock-meat dishes built around tofu and seitan — including bánh mì chay made with tofu — along with fresh spring rolls and phở chay, typically made with mushrooms in place of beef or chicken. —Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026

Make a tofu scramble in place of eggs. —Maxine Lipner, Verywell Health, 7 June 2026

Filled with your choice of meat or tofu, radish, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, and jalapeno, the sandwiches are served on French bread that’s chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. —Julekha Dash, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2026

Chongqing-style chicken rustling with red chiles, mapo tofu and gentle Hainan chicken rice check boxes for mass appeal. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 4 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