How many calories are in tofu?
100 g (3.5 oz) of firm tofu is about 145 kcal, with roughly 16 g of protein and 9 g of fat. Silken tofu of the same weight is about 60 kcal. Same bean, same aisle — the difference is water.
Per portion
| Portion | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g (3.5 oz) silken tofu | ~60 kcal | 5 g | 2 g | 3 g |
| 100 g soft tofu | ~80 kcal | 8 g | 2 g | 5 g |
| 100 g firm tofu | ~145 kcal | 16 g | 3 g | 9 g |
| 100 g extra-firm tofu | 150–180 kcal | 17–20 g | 3 g | 10 g |
| 150 g firm tofu, one main-meal serving | ~215 kcal | 24 g | 4 g | 13 g |
| 100 g firm tofu pan-fried in 1 tbsp oil | ~250 kcal | 16 g | 3 g | 21 g |
| 100 g deep-fried tofu puffs | ~270 kcal | 17 g | 9 g | 20 g |
What changes the number
Firmness, which is water. Tofu is curdled soy milk pressed into a block. The harder it is pressed, the less water and the more soy per gram. Silken is barely pressed and roughly 90% water; extra-firm can be a quarter solids. That is a near-threefold calorie gap between the two ends of one shelf, with nothing added or taken away but liquid.
Pressing it yourself. Half an hour under a weight drives more water out, so the block loses 10–15% of its weight while its calories stay put. Weigh after pressing, if you weigh at all.
Oil, which usually decides the total. Plain tofu is bland and pale, so it nearly always meets a pan — and it is porous. A tablespoon of oil is about 120 kcal and most of it ends up in the cubes rather than left behind. Deep-fried puffs are roughly double the block they came from. Glazes finish the job: two tablespoons of teriyaki or hoisin add 60–90 kcal, mostly sugar.
Where it fits in a deficit
Firm tofu gives about 11 g of protein per 100 kcal — ahead of eggs and most cheese, behind only very lean meat, white fish and prawns. That ratio is what matters when you are eating less than you burn, because protein is the thing to protect while the total comes down.
Silken tofu is the low-calorie option but not the efficient one, at roughly 8 g of protein per 100 kcal. It earns its place blended into sauces and puddings, where it buys volume for very little. For a protein target, buy firm.
The practical caution: bake, grill, air-fry or dry-fry it and 150 g is a 215 kcal protein serving. Shallow-fry the same tofu and it is 350 kcal.
If you are switching from paneer
Per 100 kcal, firm tofu sits close to toned-milk paneer and well ahead of the full-fat block. Paneer at about 290 kcal per 100 g buys roughly 6 g of protein per 100 kcal; tofu buys 11. On a fixed budget that is the largest single swap available to a vegetarian kitchen.
One claim worth correcting: tofu is often said to lack paneer’s calcium. Most firm tofu is set with calcium sulphate and is a solid calcium source — check the coagulant in the ingredients, because nigari-set blocks are not. B12 is the real gap, and no soy product reliably fills it.
Tofu will not brown or hold together like cheese until it has been pressed dry. Reach for tempeh when the texture must survive frying; keep tofu for marinades and anything braised.
Figures are typical values and vary by variety, size and preparation. General information, not medical advice.