Hiyayakko (Japanese Chilly Tofu) 冷奴 • Simply One Cookbook

July 23, 2026

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A hand pours soy sauce over Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu) topped with green onions and bonito flakes, served on a blue glass plate with a green shiso leaf, on a rustic wooden table.

Recipe Highlights

Hiyayakko (Japanese Chilly Tofu) takes me again to summer time evenings at my grandpa’s desk. He at all times began the meal with a chilly beer subsequent to a plate of chilled tofu and edamame. I’ve saved that custom stepping into my own residence.

Right here’s why I maintain coming again to this recipe:

A no-cook starter you may pull collectively final minute
A protein-rich dish that cools you down on scorching days
Endlessly adaptable with toppings and sauces you have already got

In case you love chilled dishes, attempt my Japanese Chilly Somen Noodles, Chilly Miso Soup, and Zaru Soba recipes subsequent!

A block of chilled Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu) topped with green onions, grated ginger, bonito flakes, and soy sauce sits on a shiso leaf in a blue glass dish, with chopsticks and sauce nearby.

What’s Hiyayakko?

Hiyayakko (冷奴) means chilled tofu, combining hiya (chilled) and yakko—a time period for Edo-period servants whose vests bore a squre crest, whose form lent its identify to cubed tofu.

Dwelling cooks have made this dish for generations, a approach to get pleasure from soybeans with out heating the kitchen.

In the present day, it stays a summer time staple at izakaya (gastropubs) and residential tables throughout Japan.

Elements for Hiyayakko (Japanese Chilly Tofu)

Mushy/silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu)
Inexperienced onion/scallion
Ginger
Shiso (perilla) leaves – elective
Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) – skip for vegan/vegetarian
Soy sauce

Discover the printable recipe with measurements beneath.

Leap to Recipe

Find out how to Make Hiyayakko (Japanese Chilly Tofu)

Drain the tofu. Wrap it in a paper towel and let it drain on a plate for 10 minutes on the countertop.

Prep the toppings. Thinly slice the inexperienced onion and grate the ginger.

Lower and plate. Lower the tofu into 4 smaller blocks and set each bit on a plate.

Prime. Add sliced inexperienced onion and grated ginger on prime. In case you don’t serve straight away, chill within the fridge till able to serve.

Serve. Pour off any water launched whereas chilling. Prime with katsuobushi (elective), and drizzle with soy sauce on the desk.

A block of tofu wrapped in a white paper towel rests on a rectangular metal tray atop a wooden surface.

A person’s hands slice green onions on a wooden cutting board with a knife. Thin onion rings are neatly cut and pile up beside the blade.

Nami’s Recipe Ideas

Listed below are a couple of ideas to assist this recipe end up proper each time.

Don’t press the tofu – I wrap it gently in a paper towel as an alternative to soak up moisture. Silken tofu is fragile and can crumble underneath strain.

Alter the draining time based mostly on the feel you’re after – I drain for 10–quarter-hour, which is simply sufficient to maintain the tofu’s pure silkiness and moisture intact.

Use a ceramic grater for the ginger – It grates the ginger finely. This pulls out extra juice and taste. Discover Japanese ceramic graters on-line at JOC Items.

Hands wrapping a block of tofu in a paper towel on a wooden surface, with a small rectangular metal tray placed beside it, preparing for Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu).

Close-up of hands grating ginger on a white ceramic grater, with grated ginger collecting in the dish, on a wooden surface.

Chill it – Preserve the prepped tofu plate within the fridge till simply earlier than serving. The colder the tofu, the extra refreshing it’s, particularly on a scorching day!

Examine the plate earlier than serving – Silken tofu releases water because it sits and chills. Tilt the plate and pour it off so the sauce doesn’t get diluted.

Drizzle the soy sauce on the desk – I add it proper earlier than consuming. This retains the tofu from sitting in a pool of sauce.

Make Forward Ideas

Prep the toppings forward – Slice the inexperienced onion and grate the ginger as much as a day forward. Retailer them individually in hermetic containers within the fridge.

Drain the tofu early – Wrap and drain it as much as 2 hours forward. Preserve it chilled till you’re able to serve.

Storage Ideas

To retailer: Preserve leftover tofu in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 1 day. Skip the freezer, since freezing and thawing lose the creamy texture of the tofu.

A block of tofu, served as Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu), is topped with sliced green onions and ginger, resting on a green leaf in a blue glass bowl. Chopsticks and soy sauce are set nearby on a wooden table.

A block of Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu) topped with green onions, ginger, and bonito flakes sits on a blue glass plate with sauce. A pair of chopsticks and a small soy sauce bottle are nearby.

Variations

This recipe is good for mixing and matching based mostly on what you’ve got readily available.

Use veggie toppings. Skip the katsuobushi and prime with sliced cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, candy corn, myoga (Japanese ginger), or natto as an alternative.

Add seaweed. Strive wakame seaweed, shredded dried seaweed, or furikake rice seasoning.

Strive it scorching. Serve Sizzling Tofu (yudofu) when the climate turns chilly.

A block of Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu) topped with corn, crab sticks, shredded herbs, and served with cherry tomato halves on a glass plate, with black chopsticks to the side.

What to Serve with Hiyayakko (Japanese Chilly Tofu)

Add these colourful and nourishing sides to make a whole meal.

A miso salmon in foil fillet topped with sliced mushrooms, shredded carrots, lemon, and green onions, served on a decorative plate with red chopsticks and a bowl of rice nearby.

A white ceramic bowl containing eggplant agebitashi.

FAQ

Can I take advantage of agency tofu as an alternative of silken tofu?

I don’t suggest agency tofu for this hiyayakko recipe. Agency tofu has a denser, drier texture that misses the graceful, custardy mouthfeel this dish is understood for. Search for tofu labeled “comfortable” or kinugoshi at a Japanese or Asian grocery retailer.

Why does my tofu launch a lot water?

This chilly tofu dish makes use of silken tofu, which holds further liquid from the packaging. That’s regular, and it retains releasing small quantities because it chills. Tilt the plate and pour off the water proper earlier than serving so the toppings and sauce keep in place.

Is hiyayakko historically served with rice?

Most cooks serve it as a facet dish or appetizer slightly than over rice, not like donburi-style tofu dishes. In an izakaya, it usually arrives as one of many first small plates alongside drinks.

Can I make hiyayakko forward of time?

You may prep the toppings and sauce a day forward, and drain the tofu as much as 2 hours forward for those who maintain it chilled. I like to recommend assembling the dish proper earlier than serving—pour off any extra water first, because the tofu tastes greatest freshly topped and chilly.

I’d love to listen to how yours turned out! 💛 Please depart a star ranking and remark beneath to share your expertise. Your suggestions not solely helps Simply One Cookbook but additionally helps different dwelling cooks uncover recipes they’ll belief.