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Easy Mapo Tofu

6 servings
Chinese

This easy Mapo Tofu is so delicious, it'll make you rethink your takeout habit! It's my take on the Szechuan classic, and it captures all the complex flavors you love, but with surprising ease. While traditionally spicy, this recipe is easily customizable to your heat preference – I made it...

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... mild for my husband and added chili flakes and Szechuan peppercorn to my own bowl. We also prefer firm tofu, though soft is typically used, and I love to freeze my tofu beforehand. Freezing creates small pockets in the tofu, allowing it to absorb even more of that amazing sauce and giving it a fantastic texture. Feel free to swap the ground beef for pork, chicken, or a meat substitute. Trust me, with just a few simple ingredients and easy swaps from your local market, you can create this restaurant-quality dish at home!

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ChefLynn ChefLynn Cool Cook
January 15, 2025
Easy Mapo Tofu in detail while still in the pan, on the rustic table surrounded with green onion and fresh ginger
  • 30 min.
  • 30 min.
  • 1/5
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Ingredients:

Easy Mapo Tofu:

Garnish:

Tools:

Recipes

Best served with:

Simple Boiled Rice

Directions:

1. Prepare the Ingredients:

Let’s start preparing easy mapo tofu.

  • Beef: Season 1 pound of ground beef with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
  • Tofu: Squeeze as much water as possible from 1 block of firm or extra-firm tofu. Cut into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
  • Ginger: Peel the ginger with a spoon and then mince. Place it in a small bowl.
  • Garlic: Peel and mince garlic cloves and place them in the small bowl.
  • Scallions: Remove the roots from scallions. Thinly slice the whites and place them in a separate bowl. Slice the scallion greens on a bias and put them in another bowl (these will be used for garnish).

2. Cook:

  • Brown the Beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the seasoned ground beef over medium heat until cooked through and crispy. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside. Reserve 2 TBSP of the rendered fat in the pot and drain off the rest.
  • Sauté: Add the reserved beef fat back to the pot (if needed) and cook the sliced scallion whites, minced ginger, and garlic until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). Add 1-2 TSP of chili flakes or 1-2 TBSP of doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste) at this point if you are using them for spice.

3. Build the Sauce and Simmer Easy Mapo Tofu:

  • Add Stock and Tofu: Pour 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock into the pot. Gently add the cubed tofu. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  • Prepare Sauce and Thickener: While the tofu is coming to a simmer, whisk together ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 TBSP mirin, and 1 TBSP black bean sauce in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 TBSP cornstarch and 2 TBSP cold water until smooth.
  • Simmer and Thicken: Once the tofu has reached a simmer, add half of the cooked ground beef and the prepared sauce mixture to the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring gently occasionally. After 5-6 minutes, add half of the cornstarch slurry and stir it in. Then add the remaining slurry and stir again. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.

4. Finish and Serve Easy Mapo Tofu:

  • Combine and Garnish: Remove the pot from the heat and gently stir in the remaining cooked ground beef. Garnish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, the reserved sliced scallion greens, and 1 TSP of white sesame seeds. If desired, top with some toasted, crushed Szechuan peppercorns for an extra layer of flavor and numbing sensation.
  • Serve: Serve immediately over steamed rice.
About the Author:
ChefLynnCool Cook
# 5
  • Published Recipes: 12
  • Av. Recipe Evaluation:
  • Location: Florida, USA
  • Member since: 2024-09-08
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