Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu has pork, mushrooms, Sichuan peppercorns, and chili peppers in a spicy ginger sauce. Ready in under 20 minutes – Try it tonight!

Stir Fry Chinese dishes are quick, easy and healthy and some of our favorites include Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry, Chinese Pepper Steak, and Hunan Chicken!

Sabrina’s Mapo Tufo

Mapo Tofu is a really quick and easy weeknight takeout dish, made right in your own kitchen. This dish is pork, tofu, and mushrooms in a spicy sauce made from black bean paste, chili garlic paste, Sichuan peppercorns, and spices. Plus, it’s ready in under 20 minutes! I like to serve this tofu with steamed rice and extra chopped green onions.

Recipe Card

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• You can make Mapo Tofu with ground pork instead of pork loin. If you don’t like ground pork, you can also make this dish with chicken, beef, or shrimp.
• If you want to make this recipe less spicy, leave out the chili peppers and chili garlic paste. You can also leave out the peppercorns, but they’re not as spicy as the other ingredients. The black bean paste or fermented black beans should be ok, but double check the seasonings added.
• If you want this dish to be even spicier, add a few dashes of spicy chili oil.
• If your tofu is too wet after you drain it, you can press it gently between two paper towels to soak up some of the extra moisture. Be careful not to press down too hard, or the tofu will flatten.
• You can also use low sodium soy sauce or tamari without any flavor difference in this recipe.
• There are a few different types of tofu out there. For this recipe, I would use firm tofu or medium tofu, which will hold up to the stir-frying better. I do not recommend soft tofu or silken tofu, because it will break apart.
• If you want to add some extra flavor and texture to the tofu, boil some water with salt and blanch the cubes quickly, then drain.

What To Pair With Mapo Tofu

You can serve this with Chinese Steamed Rice or Fried Rice. Definitely have appetizers on hand to complement the dish including Egg Rolls, Crab Rangoon, Spring Rolls, and Potstickers dipped in Sweet and Sour Sauce.

How To Store

• Store: Mapo Tofu will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator, in an airtight container. If your tofu dries out at all, you can stir-fry it for a minute or two with extra sauce, to add back some moisture, until it’s heated through.
• Freeze: This recipe can be made ahead and frozen in an airtight container. If you do freeze it, I recommend making some extra sauce and freezing it in a separate container on the side. Take it out the night before you want to eat and leave it in the refrigerator, then the next day stir fry until warmed through, adding the extra sauce as needed.

Variations

Mapo tofu can easily be converted to vegetarian. Leave out of the pork entirely, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can add some more tofu or mushrooms to replace some of the pork if you feel that it needs it.

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