10 Min Chinese Silken Tofu (VIDEO)
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Chinese Silken Tofu is the perfect cold tofu dish that’s savory, spicy, and so delicious! I love how the tofu soaks up the dressing and the best part is that the dish comes together in 10 minutes!
Watch the Chinese Silken Tofu Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
Chinese Silken Tofu is SO good!
I usually prefer firm tofu recipes, like Mapo Tofu, Korean Braised Tofu, Spicy Honey Garlic Tofu , Salt and Pepper Tofu or Air Fryer Tofu — but Chinese Silken Tofu is the exception because of the incredible sauce! Every bite of the silken tofu is so delicious – if you have the time, I recommend letting the tofu sit in the marinade for a couple hours so the tofu can absorb the sauce even more!
This was amazing! Best sauce I’ve found for silken tofu – thank you!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- tofu – you need to use silken or soft tofu for this recipe. It’s silky and very pliable due to a high water content, similar to the consistency of a soft cheese.
- chili oil – I like to use my homemade chili oil! You can also use store bought.
- rice vinegar – if you do not have rice vinegar, you can substitute with mirin or apple cider vinegar
How to Make Chinese Silken Tofu
Drain and Cut Tofu – Remove the tofu from the package and drain any excess water with a paper towel. Cut the tofu horizontally into 1/2″ thick slabs. Place the tofu shingles on a plate.
Mix Sauce and Pour Over Tofu – In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, scallions, and sesame seeds. Pour the sauce over the tofu and enjoy!
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Recipe & Storage Tips
Drain the Tofu to Avoid the Sauce being Diluted – Peel the cover off the tofu package and place several layers of paper towel over the tofu package; flip over on to a plate to drain the liquid out of the package, which can take 1-2 minutes.
Storage – Chinese Silken Tofu can be stored up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This dish doesn’t require reheating unless you prefer it warm. You may find that the tofu continues to shed liquid; this is normal.
If you tried this Chinese Silken Tofu or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Chinese Silken Tofu (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 package of silken soft tofu, package size is 14oz
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp chili oil, try my homemade version!
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from the package and drain any excess water with a paper towel. Cut the tofu horizontally into 1/2" thick slabs. Place the tofu shingles on a plate.
- In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, scallions, and sesame seeds.
- Pour the sauce over the tofu and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- After draining, remove paper towels and place a plate on top of the tofu package. Flip the tofu package and plate so the tofu package is now upside down ON the plate.
- If needed, you can cut small openings in the corners of the package – this helps air get into the tofu package and makes it easier to remove the tofu.
- Gently lift the tofu package up and remove. The whole piece of silken tofu should now be on the plate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Chinese Silken Tofu recipe was originally published in June 2022, and updated in January 2026.
This was amazing! Best sauce I’ve found for silken tofu – thank you!
I really appreciate that! Thank you for the great review!
Never had this but excited to try!