Is Tofu High in Protein?

Yes. Firm tofu carries about 17g of protein per 100 grams, which puts it in the same neighborhood as chicken thigh meat and ahead of most other plant-based whole foods.

The actual numbers

A standard 14 oz block of firm tofu (about 397g total) works out to roughly 68g of protein across the whole block. Half a block, a typical single-recipe portion, lands around 21g of protein. That’s real, meaningful protein, not a rounding error.

Why tofu sometimes gets dismissed

Tofu has a reputation as a “diet food” filler rather than a real protein source, which isn’t accurate. The confusion usually comes from silken tofu, a softer, higher-water-content variety used in smoothies and desserts, which has a noticeably lower protein density than firm or extra-firm tofu. If a recipe calls for firm tofu and delivers a real protein number, that’s not an accident, it’s the right variety doing the job it’s built for.

How it compares

Per 100 grams, firm tofu’s protein is close to chicken thigh meat and ahead of most beans or lentils by weight, though beans and lentils bring more fiber to the trade. It’s a genuine protein source on its own, not something that needs meat added to “count.”

Where it shows up in real cooking

The high-protein tofu scramble on this site uses a full 14 oz block for exactly this reason: pressed and crumbled, it holds its own as the main protein source in a dish with no eggs or dairy at all. For more, browse High-Protein Vegan Meals or the full High-Protein Foods reference list.