Description
Authentic Mapo Tofu is a classic Sichuan dish featuring silky tofu cubes simmered in a spicy, savory sauce with ground pork, doubanjiang (chili bean paste), and fragrant Sichuan peppercorns. It’s bold, flavorful, and perfectly paired with steamed rice for a comforting, restaurant-style meal at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons Cooking Oil
- 1 package Soft or Medium Tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 stalks Green Onions, divided into whites and greens
- 1 stalk Green Onion, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons Doubanjiang (spicy bean paste)
- 1 tablespoon Fermented Black Beans
- 1.5 tablespoons Oyster Sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Wine
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- ½ tablespoon Chicken Powder
- Pinch of White Pepper
- 1.5 cups Chicken Broth or Water
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons Water (for slurry)
- 2–4 Dried Chilies, cut into thirds (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Sichuan Peppercorns, ground (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground pork and cook until browned.
- Add minced garlic and the white parts of the green onions. Stir-fry until fragrant.
- Stir in doubanjiang and fermented black beans. Cook for 1–2 minutes to release flavor.
- Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, chicken powder, and white pepper. Mix well.
- Pour in chicken broth or water and bring to a simmer.
- Gently add cubed tofu into the sauce. Simmer for 5–7 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors.
- Add dried chilies and ground Sichuan peppercorns (if using) for spice and numbing aroma.
- Mix the cornstarch slurry and stir into the sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Sprinkle with the green parts of the green onions and garnish with extra green onion stalks.
- Serve hot with steamed white rice.
Notes
- For authentic flavor, use soft or medium tofu to achieve the silky texture typical of Sichuan cuisine.
- Doubanjiang (chili bean paste) is the key to traditional Mapo Tofu. Look for Pixian Doubanjiang for the best flavor.
- Sichuan peppercorns provide the signature mouth-numbing effect, but can be adjusted or omitted if preferred.
- This dish pairs perfectly with plain steamed rice to balance the spice.
- If vegetarian, substitute ground pork with finely diced mushrooms or plant-based ground meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup with sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg