Beans and soy

Tofu nutrition, before and after the heat.

For 1/2 cup of tofu, count 98 calories. The protein in that portion is 11 g. Specifically, this is the USDA record “Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride (nigari)”. How it reaches the plate decides the rest, with 100 g measured at 78 calories one way and 270 another. Choose how much you are eating and the panel does the arithmetic from there.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Source data is USDA FoodData Central (172448, 174304, 174303). The sums run on your device and nothing leaves it.

How many calories does tofu have?

Count 98 calories for 1/2 cup of tofu, or 78 for every 100 g. The portion weights in the table are USDA’s own measurements.

Protein in tofu, measured

Expect 11 g of protein from 1/2 cup of tofu, roughly 23 percent of a 50 g day. Measured by calories, tofu is 46 percent protein: enough to build a meal on.

Divide its calories by source and you get 42 percent from protein, 44 percent from fat and 13 percent from carbohydrate.

How preparation changes tofu

Go from raw to fried and 100 g of tofu climbs from 78 to 270 calories. That 246 percent rise is down to oil or butter taken up during cooking.

Every row below is the same 126 g of tofu, so the only thing that differs is the method.

Treat the fried figure as an average. Nobody’s database knows how much fat your pan left behind, a point our piece on AI calorie accuracy goes into.

Choosing and cooking tofu

Tofu is coagulated soya milk pressed into blocks. It is sold in silken, firm, and extra-firm varieties. Silken tofu is smooth and fragile, while firm blocks hold their shape. Choose silken for blending. Choose firm varieties for frying. Avoid packages with sour smells or bloated plastic film, which indicate spoilage.

High heat browns the exterior of firm tofu, creating a crisp skin, while the interior remains dense. The most common mistake is failing to press out excess water from firm blocks before cooking. Wet tofu will steam rather than fry, resulting in a soggy texture. Gentle simmering allows tofu to absorb surrounding flavours.

In East Asian cuisines, tofu is often paired with pungent ingredients. It absorbs soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and chilli paste. Cold silken tofu is eaten raw with spring onions. Firm tofu is cubed and added to stir-fries or simmered in curries. It pairs well with earthy mushrooms and green vegetables.

The complete tofu breakdown

The figures worth noticing in 1/2 cup of tofu are 23 percent of a day’s selenium, 19 percent of a day’s calcium. The full list follows and tracks your selected portion.

How far tofu goes in a day

Budget-wise, 1/2 cup of tofu costs 5 percent of a 2,000 calorie day and pays back 23 percent of the day’s protein. The TDEE calculator and macro calculator will tell you what those percentages look like against your own targets.

Recipes that start with tofu

The Calorie Counter Team wrote these. Under every recipe the numbers are added up from the USDA record for each ingredient and split across the servings.

Dinner · East Asian

Baked Sesame Tofu Cubes

Oven-baked tofu cubes coated in sesame oil, soy sauce, and cornflour.

35 min · serves 2

209kcal

15gprotein

13gfat

12gcarbs

Ingredients

• Firm tofu 300 g
• Soy sauce 20 g
• Sesame oil 10 g
• Cornflour 15 g
• Sesame seeds 5 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Cut the tofu into two-centimetre cubes and pat them dry.
3. Toss the tofu cubes in a bowl with the soy sauce and sesame oil.
4. Dust the tofu cubes with cornflour and stir until coated.
5. Spread the cubes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, turning once, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Figures are per serving and come from 5 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Lunch · Japanese

Silken Tofu and Miso Soup

A hot broth made with miso paste, silken tofu, wakame, and sliced spring onions.

15 min · serves 2

95kcal

9.3gprotein

4.7gfat

5.8gcarbs

Ingredients

• Silken tofu 200 g
• Water 500 g
• Miso paste 30 g
• Spring onions 20 g
• Dried wakame seaweed 5 g

Method

1. Rehydrate the wakame seaweed in cold water for five minutes, then drain.
2. Heat the water in a saucepan until it reaches a gentle simmer.
3. Cut the silken tofu into one-centimetre cubes and add them to the saucepan.
4. Whisk the miso paste with three tablespoons of warm water in a small bowl until smooth.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the miso mixture, rehydrated wakame, and sliced spring onions.

5 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Breakfast · British

Scrambled Tofu with Spinach

A warm breakfast scramble made with crumbled firm tofu, spinach, and turmeric.

15 min · serves 2

149kcal

12gprotein

10gfat

4.8gcarbs

Ingredients

• Firm tofu 250 g
• Olive oil 10 g
• Table salt 2 g
• Ground turmeric 1 g
• Raw spinach 50 g

Method

1. Crumble the tofu into pieces of approximately 1 centimetre.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes.
3. Add the crumbled tofu, salt, and turmeric to the pan.
4. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to distribute the colour.
5. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.

Nutrition per serving, calculated across 5 USDA ingredient records. Expect small differences once cooked.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Putting tofu on a plate

A worked example, every line from the same USDA data as the table above. Swap any of it; the arithmetic is the point, not the menu.

How tofu compares with similar foods

Same weight for every row, 100 g, so differences are not portion effects. The form column shows whether a row is raw, cooked or as sold.

Questions about tofu

How many calories does 1/2 cup of tofu have?

The USDA figure is 98 calories, or 78 per 100 g. It is taken from the record “Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride (nigari)”, FDC 172448.

How much protein does tofu have?

9 g per 100 g, so 1/2 cup of tofu supplies 11 g. Against the Daily Value that is 23 percent.

Is tofu higher in calories once it is prepared?

Yes, by a measurable amount: 126 g goes from 98 calories (raw) to 340 (fried), depending on preparation.

Is tofu good for weight loss?

That depends on the rest of the day, not on tofu. For planning: 1/2 cup of tofu is 98 calories and 11 g of protein, 46 percent protein by energy, which is a favourable trade when calories are tight.

How do you press firm tofu without a dedicated press?

Wrap the tofu block in a clean tea towel. Place it on a flat plate, then set a heavy chopping board on top. Weigh the board down with heavy tins to squeeze out the liquid.

Can you freeze tofu to change its texture?

Yes, freezing changes the structure of firm tofu. The ice crystals create small pockets inside the block. This makes the defrosted tofu much more spongy, chewy, and far better at absorbing marinades and sauces.

Sources

• Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride (nigari) — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 172448
• Tofu, fried, prepared with calcium sulfate — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174304
• Tofu, dried-frozen (koyadofu), prepared with calcium sulfate — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174303
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9