Tofu is processed soybean curd. If that sounds weird, it’s not that different than cheese…let me explain! The three ingredients behind tofu are soybeans, water, and a coagulant—usually nigari (magnesium chloride) or gypsum (calcium sulfate).

After soaking raw, dried soybeans overnight and then blending those soybeans to make soymilk, the coagulant is added. From there, the soymilk forms curds, which are drained and pressed into blocks to create tofu! That tofu can be further pressed to remove moisture, creating medium, firm, or extra firm textures.

1. We know that tofu was first made in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), and the oldest evidence of tofu making has been dated back to 25-220 AD (depicted in a Chinese mural). The word “tofu” is derived from the Mandarin word, “doufu,” which literally translates to “curdled bean.” However, “tofu” is a Japanese word and is closely tied to Buddhism.
2. The earliest written record of tofu’s existence by any American comes from Benjamin Franklin in 1770. It was in a letter written from Franklin to John Bartram with a description of a “cheese” made from soy curds and seawater. He also sent Bartram a parcel of soybeans to try it for himself.
3. Henry Ford believed that soybeans were the future, so he had his engineers develop a plastic made from soybeans. And in 1935, he used soybean plastic for the frames of Ford cars.