{"id":1167,"date":"2022-05-23T07:55:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T11:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/104.236.198.25\/?p=1167"},"modified":"2025-06-19T12:36:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T16:36:10","slug":"authentic-mapo-tofu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/authentic-mapo-tofu\/","title":{"rendered":"Authentic Mapo Tofu (\u9ebb\u5a46\u8c46\u8150)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This easy mapo tofu recipe creates the authentic taste of China. It features soft tofu cooked in a rich, spicy, and savory sauce that tastes amazing. Serve it over steamed rice for a quick, delicious, and healthy weekday dinner!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mapo<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mapo tofu (\u9ebb\u5a46\u8c46\u8150, ma po dou fu) is one of the most popular dishes from Sichuan cuisine<\/a>. The tofu pieces are braised in a rich, spicy, savory sauce, along with fresh garlic and scallions. A small amount of ground pork enhances the flavor. The dish is so appetizing, and it goes perfectly with steamed rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooking mapo tofu is relatively easy, but you need a few special ingredients to get the authentic flavor. I\u2019m sharing my favorite mapo tofu recipe below. It creates the very authentic taste that you\u2019d get at a restaurant in China. However, you can easily tweak the dish according to your preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mapo<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Key ingredients for Mapo Tofu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Doubanjiang<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Doubanjiang<\/a> (\u8c46\u74e3\u9171), also known as spicy fermented bean paste, chili bean paste, chili bean sauce, or broad bean sauce, is the most crucial ingredient in mapo tofu. It has a strong, fermented, savory, salty, and spicy taste. Try to find \u201cPixian Broad Bean Paste\u201d at your Asian market.Pixian is a small county in the Sichuan province that produces the best chili bean paste. If you\u2019re using this brand, you\u2019re already halfway there. You can also purchase this brand on Amazon here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

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NOTE: The salt and spice level can vary greatly depending on the Doubanjiang brand. This dish is designed to be served with rice, so it\u2019s on the salty side. To make your dish less salty and spicy, reduce the amount of Doubanjiang to 2 tablespoons.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\r\n\t\t\n\n\n

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Sichuan peppercorns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sichuan peppercorn<\/a> (\u82b1\u6912, hua jiao) is another main ingredient in any Sichuan dish. It has a citrusy taste with a numbing tingling sensation when you chew on it. It\u2019s a crucial and irreplaceable flavor-enhancing ingredient.. You can purchase Sichuan peppercorns at Asian grocery stores, but I highly recommend these premium fresh ones from The Mala Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sichuan peppercorn cooking tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most common way to cook Sichuan peppercorns is to fry them in hot oil. Doing so infuses the flavor and makes the dish milder. You can also grind the peppercorns and use them to garnish your dish later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, you can use ground-up fresh Sichuan pepper. I recently got a Sichuan peppercorn grinder<\/a> from The Mala Market. I love that it’s fast and easy to use. Grind a small amount and add it when cooking or at the end to add flavor. If you have this product on hand, add 1\/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper when you add the ground pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you use super fresh Sichuan pepper, the flavor is pungent. You may only need about half of the amount indicated in this recipe. The longer you store the peppercorns, the less fragrance they will have, and the more you need to use.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\r\n\t\t\n\n\n

Homemade chili oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The other essential ingredient is homemade chili oil (\u8fa3\u6912\u6cb9)<\/a>. Freshly cooked chili oil tastes much better than store-bought and is free of additives. It only takes a few minutes to cook, and it’s really easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to purchase chili oil, make sure to find a high quality one. And it should contains chili flakes and the oil, such as this one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

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What to do with leftover chili oil?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You will usually cook more chili oil than you\u2019ll use in one meal. You can store the extra oil in an airtight container in the fridge for 6 months to a year. Use it in various dishes, including Sichuan spicy wonton in red oil<\/a> and Fu Qi Fei Pian (sliced beef in hot sauce)<\/a>. You can also add it to a dipping sauce for potstickers<\/a>, to wonton soup<\/a> to enhance the flavor, or even put it on oatmeal<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\r\n\t\t\n\n\n

It might look like you need so many specialty ingredients for this one dish. But trust me, if you love Sichuan food, you\u2019ll use them repeatedly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to cook mapo tofu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fry the Sichuan peppercorns in the oil to infuse the aroma<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Fry the Sichuan peppercorns in the oil to infuse the aroma.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"Frying<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    1. Cook the ground pork with doubanjiang.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Once the pork is cooked, add the green onions and stir a few times.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"Cook<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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      1. Add the broth, tofu cubes, and braise with the cover on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Drizzle in the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce. Sprinkle with scallion greens for garnish.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \"Braise<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        That\u2019s it! I think this is one of the easiest Sichuan recipes, and the result is super rewarding \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"\u9ebb\u5a46\u8c46\u8150\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        How to serve mapo tofu<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        I love cooking mapo tofu for a quick lunch or dinner and serving it over steamed rice. Sometimes I double the meat and sauce, so it will be enough to serve two people as a one-dish meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        I also like to add a handful of greens (spinach, garlic chives, or other tender greens such as chopped up baby bok choy) at the end of braising before adding the cornstarch, to create a more nutritious and balanced meal. Sometimes I also replace the ground pork (used in the authentic version) with ground beef, or ground chicken, depending on what I have in the fridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"Homemade<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Frequently asked questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\t\t
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        What type of tofu should I use for mapo tofu?<\/strong><\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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        There is no correct answer; you should choose what works best for you. Some Chinese restaurants, including many in China, prefer soft or silken tofu for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. This method requires some experience handling tofu, so you won\u2019t break apart the delicate silken tofu while cutting and cooking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        This dish can also use extra firm, firm, or medium tofu, which is much easier to handle. Plus, once you braise the tofu in the rich, spicy sauce, it absorbs a lot of flavor and tastes great.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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        Do I need a wok to cook mapo tofu?<\/strong><\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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        Not at all! I found it\u2019s easiest to cook mapo tofu in a nonstick pan. The tofu will sit flat in the broth and absorb all the flavor. Plus, it won\u2019t stick to the pan or fall apart when you stir it. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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        How do you make mapo tofu vegetarian or vegan?<\/strong><\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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        I have a vegan mapo tofu recipe here<\/a> that tastes super flavorful!<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n

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        Chinese Cooking Made Easy<\/h2>

        Are you new to this website? This free email series is a great place to start. I\u2019ll walk you through a few of my most popular recipes and show you how and why they work. You\u2019ll quickly start to cook better Chinese food in your own kitchen.<\/p>\n

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        Watch video<\/h2>
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        \"\u9ebb\u5a46\u8c46\u8150\"<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\r\n\t\t
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        Authentic Mapo Tofu (\u9ebb\u5a46\u8c46\u8150)<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
        By <\/span>Maggie Zhu<\/a><\/span><\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t