Description
Mapo Tofu is a bold and spicy Sichuan classic made with silky tofu, ground pork, and a rich, numbing chili bean sauce. Perfect over rice and ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 14 oz soft or medium tofu, cut into cubes
- ½ pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water (for slurry)
- ¾ cup water or broth
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Optional: Blanch tofu in gently boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix doubanjiang, soy sauce, chili oil, and broth. In another bowl, combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water.
- Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat. Sauté garlic, ginger, and green onions until fragrant.
- Add ground pork and cook until browned and no longer pink.
- Pour in the doubanjiang mixture. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Gently add tofu and simmer for 5–6 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Add cornstarch slurry and stir gently until sauce thickens.
- Top with Sichuan peppercorns, more chili oil, and green onions. Serve hot over rice.
Notes
- Blanching tofu improves texture and prevents breaking.
- Adjust spice level by reducing doubanjiang and chili oil.
- Use mushrooms instead of pork for a vegetarian option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Sichuan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg