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DIY Pumfu (High protein soy-free pumpkin seed tofu)

Pumpkin Seed Tofu is delicious, firm, high-protein, low-carb tofu that’s super luxurious. This DIY Pumfu is the EASIEST keto-friendly tofu to make since you don’t need a coagulant. This is 1-ingredient tofu! Unlike other pumpkin seed or pepita tofu recipes, it’s also low carb with fiber and starches removed as much as possible.

Video Tutorial for DIY Pumfu (Pumpkin Seed Tofu)

What Does Pumfu or Pumpkin Seed Tofu Taste Like?

This soy-free pumfu tofu has the mild nutty flavour of pumpkin seeds. The texture is firm but also creamy thanks to its high fat content. Plus, it makes an excellent snack on its own and is marvelous seasoned and air-fried. Salt and crumble it on salads or cube and crisp it up for your favourite bowls.

cube of plain air fried pumpkin seed tofu, one plain and one seasoned and airfried
What people are saying about this Pumpkin Seed Tofu Recipe

Since this video was posted, the amazing comments have been rolling in! I’m so happy you’re loving this pumfu recipe as much as I am!
Deborah leaves 5 stars
Linda reviewed with 5 stars
Whether you leave a comment, review on this blog, or share your experience on the youtube comments, I appreciate each of you!

Why Make “Pumfu”?

Pumfu is a the brand name of FoodiesVegan’s pumpkin seed tofu product but we can make it at home too. Pumpkin seed tofu is super unique and delicious; well worth the small effort to try it at home. It is:

  • high in protein,
  • high in fat making it super satiating,
  • creamy and luxurious,
  • easy to make with only one ingredient,
  • and comes with a side of delicious pumpkin seed milk!

 

one cube of homemade pumfu

 

After posting my first high protein soy-free tofu, I’ve been inundated with requests for a version using pumpkin seeds. I’ve been aware of the brand “Pumfu” for ages but have never had a chance to try it. That’s because it seems to be only available in the US; not here in Canada. Viewers and reader have also told me that they find it expensive (to be fair, many tell me it’s well worth it too!)

 

pot of pumpkin seed tofu curds and whey stirred by wooden spatula

All those lovely positives said, making pumpkin seed tofu at home will probably not save you much money if you already have access to buy Pumfu. One batch of this recipe makes a firm 370g (13oz) block and about 3 cups of pumpkin seed whey (which can be used as milk) and cost me almost $10 Canadian using the most affordable pumpkin seed that I could find. Homemade regular soy tofu, my soy-free fava bean tofu, or red lentil tofu is much more affordable.

How this Pumpkin Seed Tofu was developed

Since I love to give you what you want, I got some raw, hulled pumpkin seeds and went to work right away! I followed my traditional tofu-making process:

  • soak raw, hulled pumpkin seeds in water overnight,2 containers of soaking raw hulled pumpkin seeds
  • rinsed and drained the hydrated pumpkin seeds,
  • blended the seeds with double the amount of water (in two batches),
  • strained the fiber from the pumpkin seed milk, thenpumpkin seed milk being strained in a bag
  • heated the pumpkin seed milk with a target temperature of 180°F.

The next step would’ve been to add a coagulant. But as the temperature rose between 150°F and 160°, I saw the milk begin to separate into curds and whey. This is a tofu that does not need a coagulant!

First, I wondered if it was the high magnesium content that was responsible for this phenomena. Also, I was remembered that in the comments of my original lemon + soymilk tofu tutorial, some people reported their soymilk would start to coagulate even before they added the lemon. I was sure that it must be to do with the particular pot they might be using or the mineral content of their tap water but I’ve never been able to replicate this effect.

I wondered if the pumpkin seed milk’s self-coagulation was due to my Rocky Mountain-sourced tap water here in Calgary, Alberta rather than something to do with the pumpkin seeds themselves.

So after I completed the process of this first batch of pumpkin seed tofu, I tested with distilled water next. Distilled water has had the minerals removed, taking this variable out of the test. Happily, this round progressed just like the first; the pumpkin seed milk started to curdle upon reaching 150°F! pumpkin seed tofu curds being ladled into cloth-lined mold

In subsequent tests, I also discovered that it’s best to heat the milk all the way to 180°F. If you don’t, the pumpkin whey leftover gets clumpy and separated rather than staying an rich emulsified liquid which can be used as plant-based milk. You can use this for drinking (it tastes wonderful) or use it in plant-based creamy sauces or soups. On the other hand, if you do end up with clump separated whey afterwards, you can incorporate it into a smoothie or soup and not all is lost.

What you Need to Make Homemade Pumfu

The only ingredient you need to make pumpkin seed tofu is pumpkin seed! Specifically for recipe, you’ll need one pound (454g) raw and hulled pumpkin seeds. 

You will also need a high speed blender, a good nut milk bag, large cooking pot, and a tofu making mold. I prefer using this inexpensive tofu press that doubles as a tofu mold which comes in a set with a lining cloth. Please note that these links are Amazon affiliate links. This means if you use them to make your purchases, I will receive a small commission but rest assured there is no extra cost to you.3 cubes of pumpkin seed tofu in seasoning

RELATED RECIPES

 

cubes of sunflower seed tofu stacked

Looking for a more affordable alternative? Try Sunflower Seed Tofu!

Troubleshooting Pumfu

Having trouble turning your pumpkin seeds into pumfu? See if any of the tips below apply to you!

My pumpkin seed milk isn’t curdling or there are only very few curds!

If your pumpkin milk is not curdling at the target temperature, keep heating to a boil. Let it cook at a hard boil for a minute to get the maximum curdling effect. For this method, please make sure there is lots of extra room in your pot to account for the extra volume caused by the rolling boil. Also, watch the pot carefully and be ready to stir or remove from heat in case of boiling over.

Keep in mind, your whey will probably become completely clear if you choose this method so you won’t be able to use it as a plant-based milk afterwards. However, you can use it instead of water in your next vegetable soup!

My pumpkin milk isn’t curdling even when I boiled it for a minute

This is probably because you didn’t get enough protein out of your pumpkin seeds. Put the pulp back in your blender along with your cooled pumpkin seed milk and blend again. You may need to break the seeds down farther. Then strain again until the pulp is quite dry. Your milk should be thicker now and you can try cooking it again.

Printable Recipe for Pumpkin Seed Tofu (DIY Pumfu)

Yield: 370g (13oz) block pumpkin seed tofu

DIY Pumfu (High protein soy-free pumpkin seed tofu)

stacked cubes of pale green pumpkin seed tofu

Pumpkin Seed Tofu is the easiest SOY-FREE high protein, low carb tofu recipe due to the fact that you only need ONE ingredient! No additional coagulant necessary.

Soak Time 8 hours
Active Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 8 hours
Total Time 16 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb raw hulled pumpkin seeds (454g)

Instructions

  1. Soak pumpkin seeds in plenty of water for 8 hours (up to 24 hours). The next day, rinse them well and drain completely.
  2. In high speed blender, combine HALF the seeds with about double their volume in water (about 600ml). Blend 30 seconds on high (until very fine, no chunks visible). Using nut milk bag, strain milk into a large bowl/jug. Be sure to squeeze pulp very dry; it should resemble play-doh. Pulp can be reserved for other uses such as making crackers; freeze to store for later. Repeat with the second half of the seeds.
  3. Let the milk sit for 15 minutes or more to let the starch settle to the bottom. Then gently pour the milk into your cooking pot. As you get to the end of the milk, pour even more slowly and hold back when you see the starchy sludge at the bottom.
  4. Heat the raw pumpkin seed milk with a target temperature of 180°F. Keep the milk from scorching by using a flat wooden spatula to keep it moving. The milk will start to curdle at 150-160°F. Continue to heat to 180°F.
  5. Dampen the liner of your tofu mold before placing it properly. Use a slotted spoon to ladle the curds in. Try to distribute them evenly. Use a mesh strainer to catch any smaller leftover curds. You may use the nut milk bag again when the milk is cooler to make sure no bits are left in the whey (save the whey! It makes delicious plant-based milk alternative).
  6. If using my preferred tofu mold, simply add the pressing plate and spring top. Twist the top knob to press the tofu further, then use the vents to pour off excess liquid (save it! It's delicious!). If using a traditional tofu mold, add 5lbs of weight (or as much as desired). Chill overnight then enjoy the next day!

Notes

For my Canadians: my preferred tofu mold.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

 

 

Showing 79 comments
  • Clay
    Reply

    Really appreciating all of these alternative tofu recipes lately! Thanks for doing all of the hard work experimenting with these.

    • Mary
      Reply

      You’re most welcome, Clay! I’m so happy they are helpful 🙂
      Cheers,
      Mary

      • CeCe
        Reply

        Do you think using toasted pumpkin seeds might work or does it have to be raw?

        • Chanalea
          Reply

          This recipe came out amazing even without a tofu press (just a cast iron frying pan to do the work).

          I really appreciate this recipe, I can’t eat any dairy or legumes. Which means I can’t make anything with any kind of bean or lentil or peanut. And I’m always looking for alternatives. Please send us more options for making high protein substitutes without beans! Thanks for your easy to follow, clear instructions and useful videos

          • Mary

            Aren’t cast iron pans just amazing 😉 I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Chanalea. I’ll definitely keep your request in mind!
            Cheers,
            Mary

      • Emily
        Reply

        Hi I made your tofu…it came out fantastic…thank you for your recioe… I used oven roasted pumpkin seeds…the only thing i did not do was let the milk sit for 15 minutes before I put it in the pan….next time i will thanks

    • Clay
      Reply

      Hey Mary, Made the pumpkin seed tofu yesterday. Wow it is amazing. When I airfryed it the tofu sizzled in the airfryer. I also used the pulp for nuttyparm using the recipe from the “how not to die cookbook” and subbing in the dried pulp. Yum. My whey is not milky maybe it got closer to 200, I’m planning to use it as veggie broth in an upcoming soup. I’m happy to report, I have the same tofu press you do, it is the best.

      • Katrina
        Reply

        You said this is high in protein and fat. Do you have a breakdown of the nutrition facts for this tofu?

        • Betsy
          Reply

          It’s probably similar to pumfu if you just google that

  • Denise
    Reply

    I was so excited to try this recipe that I ordered myself a tofu press and have my first batch of pumpkin tofu in there right now. I can hardly wait to try it. If you’re looking for cheaper pumpkin seeds here in Canada, you can get 2 kilos at Costco for $21 (around $5 per pound), or 4 kilos of organic at $68 (around $8.50 per pound). Not exactly cheap, but totally worth it since we can’t get our hands on Pumpfu anyway.

    Thank you sooooo much for this.

    • Mary
      Reply

      Such a good tip, Denise! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Mary

      • David
        Reply

        Any idea why mine never curdled? I did leave it in the fridge a couple days…

        • Mary
          Reply

          You left the pumpkin seeds in the fridge a few days? That should be fine. I’ve done the same.

          Provided that you’re using good quality raw pumpkin seeds that are still fresh (aka not rancid), the number one reason of not curdling is not getting the milk hot enough. When it doubt, just let it go to a full boil.

          The number two reason would be not extracting the milk well enough. This can be not blending the seeds fine enough or just not squeezing the pulp dry enough.

          • Juliya

            I am boiling my pumpkin seed milk as I type this. Unfortunately, it has been on the stove top for 30+ min and has reached over 206°F. I have only gotten it to curdle just a little bit but no large clumps whatsoever. I’m not sure if the nuts I used are rancid. They seemed fine. I also know that I squeezed out all of the milk possible and my pulp is extremely dry. I did order a pound of pumpkin seeds off Amazon so I will try using those since I’m hoping they are the freshest. Hopefully my second batch will be successful.

  • Dorothy
    Reply

    I couldn’t believe that it worked, the pumpkin seed milk looks thinner than yours. Love the tofu it makes. Great job.

    • Mary
      Reply

      Yay! I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Dorothy!
      Just FYI: a couple comments on YouTube reported that they heat their pumpkin seed milk all the way to 200°F and that fully coagulates the milk, leaving the whey clear. So I think the higher the temperatures, the more tofu is produced and less “milk”. I’ll have to try it myself and share 🙂

  • Dorothy
    Reply

    Thanks, Could you use sunflower seeds raw for tofu? Just wondering?

    • Mary
      Reply

      Please stay tuned 🙂 That experiment is coming very soon!
      Cheers,
      Mary

      • Billy
        Reply

        I had absolutely a bad experience.
        I did everything in the instructions.
        I even double blended the seeds to pretty much dust.
        I was unable to achieve coagulation.
        Simmered the mixture for over an hour and ended up with a mushy paste.
        But I haven’t given up.
        I’m going to try with pistachios this time.

        • Mary
          Reply

          I’m sorry to hear that, Billy. I don’t recommend blending your pumpkin seeds to dust though. It must have been incredibly difficult to strain out the milk in that case.

      • Constance E
        Reply

        I tried this recipe twice now and just love it! Thank you for all your kitchen savvy! I have to ask if pure pumpkin seed powder would work?

        • Mary
          Reply

          Hi Constance,
          Thanks for giving this recipe a try and I’m so happy you’re enjoying it. Sorry I can’t really answer your question since I haven’t tried it myself.
          Please let me know if you do.
          Cheers,
          Mary

          • Sally

            I’ve tried this twice and it didn’t work either time. I blend the pumpkin seeds to the consistency of quinoa and squeeze out the milk and then cook it. It does curdle into microscopic curds and the whey is clear. I certainly don’t yield enough to make even a bite of pumfu! Really disappointed! I’m not sure how to fix my problem…

          • Mary

            Hi Sally,
            You just need to blend more. Quinoa sized particles are not nearly small enough. You’re looking for particles that are much finer. The pulp should have the consistency of play-doh.
            Hope that helps!
            Mary

  • Rich
    Reply

    Could you use the pulp as flour to make pumpkin bread? Also using any liquid from pressing or cooking?

    • Mary
      Reply

      Hi Rich,
      That’s a good question but I haven’t tried. I’m sure you can add the pulp to an regular pumpkin bread recipe by switching out some of the flour for pulp. And I’m sure the leftover whey will be fine to replace the liquid too.
      Cheers,
      Mary

  • Kathryn Fourie
    Reply

    This is awesome, thank you. We’re in South Africa and the cheapest pumpkin seeds I can get are $7 a kilogram, but will certainly try it once. Wondering if this can be done with sunflower seeds as they are a third of the price of pumpkin seeds – may have to give it a whirl. Thank you for all the experimenting!

    • Mary
      Reply

      Hi Kathryn,
      Thanks for the comment. $7 a kilogram sounds pretty good to me! Please stay tuned…the sunflower seed experiment is coming soon 🙂
      Cheers,
      Mary

  • Michael
    Reply

    I made this and the tofu was delicious, but there was no starchy residue in the bottom of my bowl and the whey was clear…not milky like yours. Any idea why? Also, thank you SO MUCH for these recipes.

  • Elaine
    Reply

    New to your channel and loving your recipes and easy clear instructions! So excited to find recipes for no-soy tofu! What kind of recipes would use the leftover pulp? Is the tofu freezable? How long is it good for in the refrig? Thank you!!

  • Becky
    Reply

    I have just given this a go, and it was AMAZING! Thank you so much so bringing this recipe to us 🙂
    I have also dehydrated the left over pulp, and mixed with salt and nooch to make some delicious vegan parmesan. These pumpkin seeds just keep on giving!

    • Mary
      Reply

      Way to go, Becky! I love your idea for pumpkin seed pulp parm!
      Cheers,
      Mar

  • Jen
    Reply

    I ordered the tofu press you recommended and made Pumfu last night. The Pumfu is delicious! I ate some plain with a tiny bit of salt and it was very tasty with a surprisingly delicious aftertaste. I also lightly coated some in nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, kala namak, and pepper then pan-seared until golden/brown and that was super delicious! When I was letting the just blended seeds and water sit, very little starch accumulated on the bottom after 25 minutes, not at all the amount your video showed. I let the whey/milk chill and then tasted it but I didn’t care for the flavor, unfortunately. But the PumFu was delicious in fact I like it better than soy tofu! We used the pulp as playdough (I posted my pumpkin pulp snowman on your fb page) then off he went to the compost bin! This recipe was a lot of fun to make!

    • Mary
      Reply

      Yay! Thanks for trying my recipe, Jen. I’m so happy you enjoyed it and had fun with the “play-doh” too 😉 I appreciate you sharing the experience
      Cheers,
      Mary

  • Kerri
    Reply

    I tried this yesterday and it worked amazingly well. The only thing I changed was I did a quick soak with boiling water rather than an overnight soak and did a smaller batch but my goodness it was so good. I dare say it turned out better than the commercial one because once I brushed them with soy sauce and browned them in a pan the little strips of protein were a little chewy on the outside but rich and fatty on the inside, amazing.

    I’ve been looking for a recipe for doing this homemade for a while so I cannot tell you how happy I am that you offer this to us. Thank you thank you thank you.

  • Edna Gerrans
    Reply

    Mary,Thank-you for this recipe. I got organic pumpkin seeds here in New Hampshire, US, for $8.92 a pound. My pumfu is pressing right now so haven’t tasted it. I did taste the left over pulp. That is now “feta” I added 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 1/4 teasp salt, 1 Tbsp of garlic powder, and a tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs. It made just over a pound. I plan to have cucumber sandwiches with my “feta” for supper! So if I get a pound of tofu and one of “feta”, it’s not too expensive. Thanks again! I’ll have to try some of your other recipes.

  • Mandy
    Reply

    Oh man, this looks amazing! This is so much like how animal milks behave… I wonder if you could add cultures and flavoring and make it more cheese-like? Definitely going to try this, and also looking forward to seeing your sunflower seed experimentation! I do seed cycling and eat large amounts of both pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, and it can get tiring thinking of new ways to eat them, but this looks perfect! Thanks so much!

    • Mary
      Reply

      My thoughts exactly. We are 100% on the same page!! <3
      -Mary

  • Katrina
    Reply

    You said this tofu is high in protein and fat. Can you post the nutritional breakdown?

    • Mary
      Reply

      Hi Katrina,
      It’s impossible for me to tell you the exact composition of the pumpkin seed tofu. However, you can make an estimate of the total value of fat and protein in both the tofu and leftover milky whey by subtracting the fiber and perhaps the starch content from the nutritional value of one pound of raw, hulless pumpkin seeds.
      Hope that helps!
      Cheers,
      Mary

  • Christopher Scott
    Reply

    how long can it be stored, and do you need to keep it in water like other tofu says on the packaging?

    • Mary
      Reply

      A week in the fridge; do not submerge in water like regular tofu.

  • David
    Reply

    Any idea why mine didbt curdle? I did leave it in the fridge a couple days before heating it.

  • Nat
    Reply

    Hi Mary! I love your videos and ideas! Have you tried making this PumFu with pumpkin protein? I wonder if Sunflower seeds could be used,too…
    Thank you so much for testing things and sharing the results, that is such a huge gift for everyone who doesn’t have enough time or skills to experiment!
    Greetings from France!

  • Albertina
    Reply

    Hi Mary, I made the pumfu and just LOVE it! I put it in brine, then cubed it and air-fried it. Lovely salty crunchy cubes for on my salad – wow!

  • Alyssa S
    Reply

    Hi Mary, I made this tofu and it was wonderful! I am wanting to batch cook multiple at a time, but since I only have one tofu press I was thinking of storing the extra curds and pressing them one after another. Do you know if the curds can be stored and pressed at a later time?

  • Natashs
    Reply

    Oh my gosh, this is so good!! And so easy! I am going to try and juice the seeds in my slow juicer next time, as the nut bag and I had a little argument resulting in spurts of liquidy pumpkin pulp getting all over my kitchen wall. *sigh*

    I initially thought I was doing it wrong cos it didn’t form curds for what seemed the longest time. And then suddenly there were curds! And you’re right – squeaky is the only way to describe it! I have the tofu press you do, and it worked beautifully (mine also came with the cheesecloth).

    Long story short, thank you so much for this amazing recipe that is going to be included regularly in my meal plans!!!

    • Mary
      Reply

      hahaha oh no! So very much relating to nut milk bags squirting all over the walls! But at least you made wonderful pumpkin seed tofu! Thanks so much for sharing your experience <3
      Cheers,
      Mary

  • grayRook
    Reply

    Anyone interested in a natural tofu-press, to avoid plastics coming in contact with their food, there’s a great alternative on amazon called
    “aleawol Tofu Press Made of Pine Wood with Pressure Lever”

  • Lisa
    Reply

    Hello! The 1st time I made this it turned out great but way less than what you show. The 2nd time even less & this time I used more pumpkin seeds… Not sure what I’m doing wrong. I’m using purified water.
    thank you for the info!!

    • Mary
      Reply

      Hi Lisa,
      Please check out the troubleshooting section above. It sounds to me like you just need to blend your pumpkin seeds a bit more to extract more protein and fat from them. The amount of curds depends on what you can get out of the seeds and into the milk.
      I hope that helps! Good luck!
      Mary

  • Rachel
    Reply

    I made this yesterday. It coagulated at a higher temperature than suggested and I didn’t get a great deal of tofu – I will try blending for longer next time. It is really good, though. I would happily just snack on it as it is, without further embellishment!

  • Jav
    Reply

    Can I sprout the Pumpkin seeds first before making the Pumfu? I want to decrease the phytic acid which has been shown to inhibit absorption of some nutrients.

    • Mary
      Reply

      I’m not sure as I didn’t try that. But soaking the pumpkin seeds overnight does the job too.

      • John
        Reply

        I tried it with sprouted pumpkin seeds tonight. Tasted great with the curry dish that I made. It just wasn’t as green as the raw pumpkin seed made tofu. I don’t know why that is but it still tasted good. Another thing I didn’t do was soak them in the refrigerator which may have made a difference too. But overall I am thankful to you, Mary for creating this website and the video. I’ll never buy pumfu from stores again because you get way more for less. And the home made pumfu mold is bigger than the pumfu bought in stores. Thanks again!

  • Din
    Reply

    This is so amazing! How much gypsum do you add to the liquid?

    D.

    • Mary
      Reply

      none at all!

      • Abby
        Reply

        I’m a bit confused; in the above video, you are using the gypsum. Did you change this since recording the video? I was about to order some, and then I saw this comment. Thank You

        • Mary
          Reply

          TLdr: just follow the printable recipe.

          In the beginning of the video, I tell you that you are watching the first time I tried to “tofu” pumpkin seeds. So I got the gypsum ready. But it never makes it into the pumpkin seed milk.

          Hope that clears things up for you 🙂

          Cheers,
          Mary

  • Marie
    Reply

    Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! For 1 pound of pumpkin seeds how many blocks of pumfu does it yield? I would like to make 2 or 3 blocks at a time so I can freeze some for later or to cook multiple dishes the same week. Thanks

    • Paolo
      Reply

      Awesome recipe! Very easy to do and kids love it! Ever tried making a similar kind of tofu with flax seeds??

  • Tara
    Reply

    I made this last night and it was a magical process!

    I used a tiny strainer to dip into the liquid in the blender to see how it was looking before pouring it into my nut milk bag. It took about 2 minutes on the “smoothie” setting on my not very powerful blender. At 1 minute it still looked like finely ground nuts, but at 2 minutes it looked just like the pulp in the video.

    The curds appeared at about 155F, just as little wisps at first but then suddenly forming into massive clumps. Very cool!

  • Natalija
    Reply

    Hi Mary! Thank you for this! I’ve made it a few times and it is fabulous!

    However I am struggling with the squeezing part. Is the approx 600 ml water for the whole batch or half the batch? I have tried a nut milk bag and a cotton cheesecloth for straining and with the first, I can’t get the pulp dry enough and it squirts through when I really squeeze hard. With the cheesecloth straining cloth, no pulp remains in the cloth! It is a big challenge in that regard. I wonder if I have the wrong consistency/ratio of water to seeds. Or it may be the bag or cloth.

    Other than that, it is easy! I guess I should get the nut milk bag you use, despite having two of my own and the cheesecloth straining cloths. I try to use only organic cotton so it makes choices limited.

    Thank you for any help help!

  • Natalija
    Reply

    PS- I just made another batch and found, it worked much better squeezing using a double layer cheesecloth/straining cloth.

  • Linda Scott
    Reply

    This has rapidly become our favorite recipe. We use EVERYTHING: the okara makes the absolute most indulgent veggie patties EVER and we use the milk for soup. Thank you so much.

    I’d love to know if anyone knows how to calculate nutritional values for the okara… we could extrapolate by doing math on pumfu stats to make them relate to the amount we get and then subtract that out from the nutritional values of the pumpkin seeds themselves to get what’s in the milk/okara… I don’t know. 🙂 Any pioneers know the answer?

  • Sandra
    Reply

    Hi. Will def make this. Can I freeze it ? I don’t have a thermometer so how long should I boil it ? A hard boil or simmer ?

    • Mary
      Reply

      Go for a simmer and it will start to curdle. If you go for a hard boil, you’ll get the most pumpfu yield but the whey will be clear and not milky like I got in my original video.
      Hope that helps!

      Cheers,
      Mary

  • Beth
    Reply

    As someone who hasn’t been able to eat tofu in 25 years due to a gnarly soy allergy, you have no idea how much joy this recipe has given me!! I am thrilled to FINALLY have excuses to forego meat again. And with low carbs, at that!

    Going to try the chickpea tofu next. They’re soaking as I type. I’m so excited!!

    Thank you SO SO much for doing these kitchen experiments, Mary. You’re awesome.

    • Mary
      Reply

      I’m so happy that this series is helping you, Beth!! Thanks so much for sharing the love 🙂
      Mary

  • Lindsey
    Reply

    Do you think this will be doable with self-harvested Pumpkin seeds?

    We have about eight cups of pumpkin seeds from carving pumpkins. I’m assuming we would have to hull the seeds first… but it should work, right?!?

    If I get a chance, I’ll try it. This could be a far cheaper way of doing things (though more work), especially with Halloween ending shortly.

    Go Pumpkins!

  • Ian
    Reply

    So happy with how this turned out. And how surprisingly easy it was to make. I can’t wait to try many of the others now too!

    • Mary
      Reply

      Yay! I’m so glad for you Ian! Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂 Have fun with the others too!
      Cheers,
      Mary

  • Peter
    Reply

    My daughter made the pumpfu according to your recipe and it was fantastic. Being lazy, I wanted to just make the curds as faux eggs (with turmeric, nutr yeast, onion powder), SKIPPING the filtering step entirely. The “eggs” came out fantastic– the curds were a bit smaller than those in the full recipe, but the total prep time was 10-15 minutes from scratch to breakfast eggs (plus soaking overnight). Have you tried this? WHat do you think?

    Now, today I tried making the full pressed PUMPFU blocks, again skipping the “nut bag” filtering step. So far, they’ve been great: when cutting, they’re a tad more crumbly than yours, but I think that may be remedied by a bit more blending. I’m baking (oven frying) the cubes now, so hope to have the verdict soon on the lazy/quick PUMPFU method for stir fry.

    >>> In Summary, as faux eggs, the lazy method is perfect– my wife can’t stop raving about (and taking pictures of) them. More investigation under way.

    • Mary
      Reply

      Hi Peter,
      I have heard this is like Egusi, an Nigerian dish! So happy you are enjoying it this way.

      For me, I actually have to filter to remove the starch (for medical reasons, the starch will negatively affect me). As well, as you noticed, your “pumfu” was more crumbly with the starch and fiber included. However, I have used this technique to make “vegan eggs.” The taste and texture was great but if you watch the short that I linked…there was a catch. lol

      Thanks for the comment!
      Mary

  • Karen
    Reply

    Making this for the second time. So simple so tasty. This series is a real boon for a vegan that soya doesn’t agree with

    • Mary
      Reply

      Yay! I’m so happy to hear that, Karen!
      -Mary

  • Jack
    Reply

    Thank you Mary, for all the effort you go to, making the steps for the recipe very clear. Followed your instructions to the letter and was so stoked when it worked like a champ.
    The best part was tasting the completed “Pumfu” with your recommended coating, absolutely delicious.
    The remainder is now soaking in Soy Sauce in sealed containers in the fridge, can’t wait to try that out tomorrow!

    • Mary
      Reply

      Awesome to hear that, Jack! 🙂

  • Barb
    Reply

    Hello, hello! I can’t tell how much fun I have had this past week. Made the pumpkin tofu first and I could hear/ feel the squeak when stirring just as it coagulated….Magic, I got the giggles. Tasted terrific. The next was the Chickpea tofu which I blew big time, but I added some of it to soups so no loss. The problem when I reviewed your video, I did not let it sit for 1 hr or more, it was 1/2 hr. So no wonder it failed made it again and it was Great.
    now a curious thing that happened yesterday. I made the pumpkin tofu again and after separating the milk from the starch, I put the remaining starch/milk in a jar(a pint sized jar) the contents just under half a pint, I put it in the fridge, wondering if the starch would settle out. Meanwhile I made the tofu and put it in the press. I still had the whey in the pot and thought why not cook the milky stuff in the jar. Nothing had separated whilst in the fridge. I poured the contents into the pot when the whey, cooked it, it squeaked and curdled. Making half a batch. Is this going to be too starchy? There was quite a layer on the bottom of my pot when going to clean it post soaking. Just curious

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side view vegan keto pizza crust topped with onion and plant-based sausage