How long does cooked tofu last?

An unopened package of tofu can safely keep in your fridge for a few months, but once opened it will deteriorate much more quickly.

Often an entire package of tofu is too much for a single meal, so once cooked you may wonder how long you can keep leftovers before they go bad.

How long does cooked tofu last? If stored properly, cooked tofu will stay safe and delicious for 4-5 days. However, this figure can vary depending on whether you mixed the tofu with other foods, such as noodles or sauces. It is also possible to freeze cooked tofu for up to 3 months.

If you want to get the most out of your cooked tofu, this article will explain the best way to preserve tofu once it’s cooked, as well as how to tell if it’s just ok. We’ll even share tips and techniques for freezing cooked tofu!

How to preserve cooked tofu

It’s possible to find tofu outside of the refrigerated section of a grocery store, which can cause some confusion when it comes to storing tofu after you buy it, and especially after you’ve cooked it.

Tofu can be cooked in many different ways, and its shelf life may vary slightly depending on how you prepared it or how you plan to use it in the future.

There are some key questions that frequently arise around cooked tofu. Is it necessary to refrigerate it? If so, how long can it stay at room temperature before going bad? Below we will answer these two questions in depth.

Does cooked tofu need to be refrigerated?

Cooked tofu absolutely needs to be refrigerated if you are not going to consume it all within an hour or two of cooking.

If stored properly, cooked tofu will be safe and delicious for 4-5 days after cooking.

The best way to store any type of cooked tofu if you are going to eat it in the near future is to place it in an airtight container.

You want as little air in the container as possible, so choose a size that matches the amount of cooked tofu you’ll be storing.

If you’ve cooked the tofu with any other ingredients, the mixture will only last as long as the shortest-lived item in your meal.

For example, a scramble made with a variety of vegetables, tofu, and eggs will be limited to the shelf life of eggs, which is only 3 days on average. Similarly, if you’ve cooked the tofu with rice, you can limit storage to 2 days.

How long can cooked tofu stay at room temperature?

As with most foods, cooked tofu should be covered and refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking.

After 2 hours, the risk of bacterial contamination increases to a point where you should start to worry about possible food poisoning.

This 2-hour rule is not exclusive to cooked tofu, but also holds true for fresh tofu that has been exposed to air.

If you desperately want to bring a meal made with cooked tofu to work or on a road trip or other day-long adventure, there are ways to increase the safety of tofu beyond the 2-hour mark.

Here’s how to safely keep tofu at room temperature:

• After cooking the tofu, allow it to cool completely to room temperature.
• Without waiting too long after letting it cool, transfer it to an airtight container.
• If possible, refrigerate the tofu for at least a few hours before transferring the container to your lunch box or other form of transportation.
• Once cooled, do not break the seal on the container until you are ready to eat your food.
• If possible, store your food in an insulated lunch bag, like one of these cooler bags.
• Do your best not to expose your carefully stored cooked tofu meal to extreme temperature fluctuations, even if it remains sealed.

Remember that these practices do not completely guarantee the safety of your tofu, but they will decrease the likelihood of contamination.

How do you know if cooked tofu is bad?

It can be very difficult to tell if cooked tofu has gone bad, but there are some telltale signs to look out for.

If the cooked tofu is mixed with other ingredients, you will be able to better know if the other ingredients are still fresh and safe to eat. Judge based on the mix and your tofu should be safe.

Tofu doesn’t have much of a smell by itself. If you notice a sour smell coming from your container of stored cooked tofu, it may be best to get rid of it and cook a fresh meal.

Natural tofu has a whitish or cream color. If you have prepared it very simply, you may notice white or green/blue spots if your tofu is growing moldy.

This is a sure sign that you should throw it away. However, it can be more difficult to see signs of spoilage in cooked tofu, because most of the time it is seasoned, marinated, or fried, which alters the natural color.

If you’re up for a taste test, take a single bite of your tofu. If you notice any sour taste or hints of fermentation, it’s gone bad.

If you notice something moldy or something strange, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and stop eating before you regret the experience.

Can cooked tofu be frozen?

You can freeze tofu in any state, fresh or cooked. Regardless of the type of tofu or how you prepared it, it will freeze just fine.

Freezing the tofu will change the texture and consistency, but it’s usually in a good way.

We know this sounds like a pun, but pre-frozen tofu will be denser and chewier than when it was originally made, even if you pressed the tofu before cooking.

The best way to freeze cooked tofu is if it has been cooked in larger blocks, either baked or fried.

Here’s how to freeze cooked tofu:

• Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap all of your tofu chunks in a single layer.
• Cover that sheet with a layer of plastic wrap.
• Arrange the individual pieces of tofu in a single layer, side by side, on top of the plastic wrap.
• Wrap the entire tofu collection in the plastic wrap.
• Complete the preparation by sealing the plastic-wrapped tofu inside the aluminum foil.
• Place the wrapped tofu on a cookie sheet or flat surface and place in the freezer.
• After 1-2 hours, you can remove the baking sheet.

When you are ready to thaw and use your frozen cooked tofu, you may still be able to press a large amount of water out of the tofu, which is recommended.

Once thawed, it will absorb even more flavor into whatever dish you add it to.

How long can tofu be frozen?

Fresh tofu will last in your freezer at its best quality for up to 6 months. Cooked tofu must be thawed and used within 3 months of freezing.

It’s always a good idea to date-label the container or package of tofu before transferring it to the freezer, so you know how long it’s been in there.

If you’re freezing cooked tofu, it’s always a good idea to write down how it was prepared so you know exactly what you’re thawing when you use it.

Related questions

Can the tofu scramble be frozen?

You can freeze the tofu scramble, but the quality will depend on the additional ingredients you cooked the tofu with.

Wait for the tofu scramble to cool completely to room temperature and transfer to a freezer-safe Ziploc brand bag. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it and placing it in the freezer.

Can you eat cold cooked tofu?

You can eat cooked tofu cold, although depending on how it was cooked, it may not taste as good cold as it would if reheated . As long as it has been stored safely and has not been left on the counter for too long, it is safe to eat.

The texture of cooked tofu can be different when hot or cold, which can be an interesting way to enjoy a greater variety of tofu.

Is the tofu already cooked?

The soybeans used to make tofu are cooked as part of the process to create the final product.

Soybeans are soaked and then boiled so that they can be made into soy milk. The soy milk is re-cooked and, with the help of thickening agents, a solid brick is formed. Basically, tofu is like tofu.

Unless you’re buying smoked or otherwise prepared tofu, the brick itself isn’t cooked, but the ingredients are, so it’s not technically a raw food. It is allowed on some raw food diets, but not strictly adherent.

Can you eat tofu without cooking?

As long as the tofu has been stored properly, you can eat it raw or uncooked. As already stated, the ingredients used to make tofu have been cooked, so they can be eaten without further preparation.

However, once the container is opened, the sterility seal of the product is broken.

To avoid food poisoning from exposure to airborne bacteria or any type of mold growth, you should cook your tofu or ensure that it remains well sealed and protected at all times before eating, as befits any raw food.