Mapo Tofu (20 Minutes Recipe!)

When I think of comfort foods, I think of recipes that I grew up eating made by my mom and grandma; Mapo Tofu is one of the first recipes I learned to make on my own. 

I am sharing my family’s Mapo Tofu recipe that will have you downing bowls and bowls of rice. Mapo Tofu is spicy tofu and pork stew that is savory, spicy, and the ultimate rice killer.

Every family has its variation of Mapo Tofu, but this is my favorite since it is what I grew up eating, and it’s also fast and easy to make at home! Don’t worry if you can’t eat spicy food; just adjust the seasoning to your liking.

If you never tried Mapo Tofu before, it is famous spicy tofu and pork stew that you can find at most Chinese restaurants.

It is originally from Sichuan Province, where they are known for its numbing and spicy dishes. It has a gravy-like texture and is served with rice.

There are many different variations of Mapo Tofu. Some prefer it is more “watery,” some like it more of a gravy texture, while some also prefer it as a stir-fry. The best part about homecooked meals is you can adjust all of this to your liking! All you have to do is change the amount of water and corn starch added to your Mapo Tofu. 

I am making my Mapo Tofu today with ground pork, but you can also use ground chicken.

To make it vegetarian-friendly, you and substitute the pork with beyond meat or shiitake mushrooms. I prefer the shiitake mushroom variation, and the mushroom provides umami flavor, and the chewy texture resembles meat. 

The most crucial part of Mapo Tofu is making sure you get yourself a GOOD fermented chili bean paste – La Doubanjiang.

Fermented Chili Bean Paste is a staple item in Chinese and Taiwanese recipes. It is also a staple ingredient when making Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. Go to your local Asian Supermarket to pick up fermented chili bean paste, or you can also order it on Amazon. My go-to brands for Fermented bean paste are Sichuan Pixian  Board Bean Paste with Red Chili Oil or Lee Kum Kee Chili Bean Sauce. 

Want more recipes that take less than 20 minutes to make at home? Here are some of my favorite EASY and QUICK recipes- 

• The BEST Black Pepper Beef and Broccoli (Tender Beef)
• 3 Cup Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry (20 Minutes ONLY!)
• Taiwanese Soy Sauce Noodles (FIVE MINUTES NOODLES!)
• Shrimp and Egg Stir-fry (10 Minutes ONLY!)

Ingredients 

• 1 pack of Firm/Traditional Tofu 
• 1 cup of Ground Lean Pork (or chicken and shiitake mushroom) 
• ¼ cup of sliced Shiitake Mushrooms 
• 3 cloves of Garlic chopped 
• 1 stalk of Green Onion (seperated whites and greens) 
• 1.5 tbsp of Fermented Chilli Bean Paste
• 2 tsp of Sugar  
• 1.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce 
• 1-2 cup of Chicken Stock or Water 
• 1 tsp of Sichuan Pepper Grounded
• 1-3 tbsp of corn starch 

1. Optional Step: Cut the tofu into cubes and pour hot water all over it; this will help take out the tofu smell and decrease cooking time, preventing the tofu from losing its shape. 
2. In a hot pan, drizzle in some oil and add in the pork. Break the pork apart and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 
3. Once the pork is broken apart, add the white part of the green onion, shiitake mushroom, and chopped garlic. Sauté together for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. 
4. Add in Doubanjiang, sugar, soy sauce, and Sichuan pepper power and Sauté for 1-2 minutes. 
5. Gently add in the tofu and pour in chicken stock or water. Let it sizzle for 2-3 minutes, occasionally stirring to soak up all the sauce. 
6. Finally, add a mixture of corn starch and cold water to thicken the consistency before serving. If you like it thicker, add in more corn starch. I add in around 2.5 tbsp of corn starch with 4 tbsp of Cold water. 
7. Let it simmer for another 1-2 minutes, so it thickens. Garnish with green parts of the green onion and enjoy! 

Print

Mapo Tofu

When I think of comfort foods, I think of recipes that I grew up eating made by my mom and grandma; Mapo Tofu is one of the first recipes I learned to make on my own. I am sharing my family’s Mapo Tofu recipe that will have you downing bowls and bowls of rice. Mapo Tofu is spicy tofu and pork stew that is savory, spicy, and the ultimate rice killer. Every family has its variation of Mapo Tofu, but this is my favorite since it is what I grew up eating, and it’s also fast and easy to make at home! Don’t worry if you can’t eat spicy food; just adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Prep Time5 mins

Active Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: Asian Food, Asian Recipes, Chinese Food, Easy, Easy Recipes, stew

Yield: 4 People

Materials

• 1 pack of Firm/Traditional Tofu
• 1 cup of Ground Lean Pork or chicken and shiitake mushroom
• ¼ cup of sliced Shiitake Mushrooms
• 3 cloves of Garlic chopped
• 1 stalk of Green Onion seperated whites and greens
• 1.5 tbsp of Fermented Chilli Bean Paste
• 2 tsp of Sugar
• 1.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 1-2 cup of Chicken Stock or Water
• 1 tsp of Sichuan Pepper Grounded
• 1-3 tbsp of corn starch

Instructions

• Optional Step: Cut the tofu into cubes and pour hot water all over it; this will help take out the tofu smell and decrease cooking time, preventing the tofu from losing its shape.
• In a hot pan, drizzle in some oil and add in the pork. Break the pork apart and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
• Once the pork is broken apart, add the white part of the green onion, shiitake mushroom, and chopped garlic. Sauté together for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add in Doubanjiang, sugar, soy sauce, and Sichuan pepper power and Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
• Gently add in the tofu and pour in chicken stock or water. Let it sizzle for 2-3 minutes, occasionally stirring to soak up all the sauce.
• Finally, add a mixture of corn starch and cold water to thicken the consistency before serving. If you like it thicker, add in more corn starch. I add in around 2.5 tbsp of corn starch with 4 tbsp of Cold water.
• Let it simmer for another 1-2 minutes, so it thickens. Garnish with green parts of the green onion and enjoy!

Video