Tofu vs Soya Paneer: Difference and Comparison

Tofu and Soya Paneer are among the favorite dishes of every vegetarian person. They both are mainly white soft and mild and most important is they are nutritious for health.

But for vegan’s Soya Paneer may be banned as it is made from milk but tofu has no animal products in it.

Key Takeaways

1. Tofu is a vegan-friendly soy product made by curdling soy milk, while Soya Paneer is a dairy-free paneer made by curdling soymilk.
2. Tofu is soft and spongy, while Soya Paneer has a firm and crumbly texture.
3. Tofu is a good source of protein and contains all essential amino acids, while Soya Paneer is lower in fat and calories than traditional paneer.

Tofu vs Soya Paneer

The difference between tofu and soya Paneer is made from cow’s or buffalo’s milk which has been curdled with lemon juice or another acid. Whereas tofu has made from bean curd made from soy milk, it is also curdled and pressed.

Soya Paneer is mainly known as Indian Cottage Cheese. Soya Paneer’s texture ranges from soft and spongy to slightly firm which will never melt during cooking. It is a very common food in North India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and South Asian Countries.

Before Cooking it is cut into block pieces which helps it for better boiling and cooking.

On the other side, Tofu is originated in China but now populated all over the world. Naturally, Tofu is used in soups and stir-fries.

Tofu doesn’t contain any animal products which is also good for vegan people. Tofu is made from soy which doesn’t contain dairy products

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Tofu	Soya Paneer
Origin	Tofu is made from soy which doesn’t contain any milk products.	Soya Paneer is made from cow or buffalo’s milk which has been curdled with lemon juice or another acid.
Place of Origin	It is mainly originated in China but nowadays it is popular all over the World.	It is mainly originated in India and popular in south-east Asia.
Calorie per gram	IT contains 144 gm calorie per 100 gm tofu.	It contains 321 gm calorie per 100 gm paneer.
Protein	Tofu supplies plant-type protein.	Soya Paneer supplies animal-type protein.
Calcium	It has a lesser calcium percentage in it as it is made from soybean.	Being made from animal milk it has a higher percentage of calcium in it.

What is Tofu?

Tofu is a plant i.e soya-based food which is also known as bean curd. It is mainly extracted from soyabean milk.

Tofu is mainly produced in different ways and in different textures. It is originated in China, although now it is famous all over the world.

It is a known popular dish in South Asian areas and more recently it is becoming popular in Western areas.

Tofu can be of many types like stofu, silken tofu, firm tofu which are fermented tofu. It is one of the favorite food for vegan people as it is originated from a plant.

It also contains plant protein. It contains a lot of calories in it and carbohydrates, fat also. 

Tofu also contains Iron, potassium, calcium, etc.

Tofu contains 2.5gm plant fiber in it per 100 gm. It also contains 51% of the calcium in it. Soya Tofu also contains 15% of iron and 5% of potassium in it.

Tofu contains a little bit of fat and that is also unsaturated fat. It doesn’t contain cholesterol in it.

So in short tofu is a nutritious food for vegetarian people.

What is Soya Paneer?

Soya Paneer is mainly known as Indian Cheese. Soya Paneer is mainly produced from cow or buffalo’s milk.

The milk is curdled with lemon juice to make this paneer. It is then cut into square pieces.

Soya Paneer is originated in India and gradually became popular in the world.

Soya Paneer is soft, white-colored soft-textured food for vegetarians. It is also very much nutritious for health. It is cut into small square pieces which are cooked in oil.

Soya Paneer as a dairy product tastes a little bit mild sweet.

Soya Paneer contains 68 calories per 100 gm in it. Soya Paneer also contains some carbohydrates, fat, cholesterol in it.

Soya Soya Paneer contains a little bit of fat in it. Some cholesterol is also present in Soya paneer.

Soya Paneer contains animal protein in it as it is made from animal milk. Soya Paneer contains 6.1 gm in it per 100gm.

Soya Paneer contains calcium, potassium in it. Soya Paneer doesn’t contain iron or manganese in it.  

Soya Paneer also contains all essential amino acids in it. It tastes mildly sweet.

Main Differences Between Tofu and Soya Paneer

1. Tofu is a plant-based food that is made from soya-bean milk whereas on the other hand Soya paneer is made from cow, goat, or buffalo’s milk with the help of lemon or other acids. So Tofu is a plant-based food and Soya paneer is an animal protein-based food.
2. As Soya paneer is a milk-based food it contains more calcium in it which is very much important for growing teeth and bones. On the other hand, Tofu has a lower percentage of calcium in it due to it having lower acceptance than soya paneer in some areas.
3. According to calorie measurement, soya paneer has calorie in it per 100gm than tofu. Soya paneer contains 110 calories in it per 100 gm whereas tofu contains 65 calories in it per 100gm.
4. Soya paneer is mainly originated in India and gradually became popular all over the world. Soya paneer is also very much popular in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and southeastern Asian countries. Whereas Tofu is mainly originated in China and now become popular in South East Asian countries. Tofu is continuously becoming popular in western countries due to its acceptance among vegans.
5. Tofu contains Iron, potassium, calcium in it whereas soya paneer contains no iron in it. But contains more calcium, carbohydrate in it.

References

1. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lokesh-Gour/publication/323964457_Studies_on_Physical_and_Hunter_Colour_of_Gamma_Irradiated_Tofu_Soy_Paneer/links/5c765d71458515831f72fc13/Studies-on-Physical-and-Hunter-Colour-of-Gamma-Irradiated-Tofu-Soy-Paneer.pdf
2. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.2202/1556-3758.1200/html