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So, I’m quite excited about presenting this new recipe. For two reasons, mainly. One, it is a super easy, authentic dish to recreate. Two, it is definitely a Chinese-cuisine favorite. It’s also one of my favorites (though, I feel like I say that a lot about any dish).

I’m talking about Mapo Tofu.

A little background on Mapo Tofu, for those who are unfamiliar with this dish. Mapo tofu, or ma po dou fu, is a Sichuan cuisine. The word ma po, or nicknamed “Pock-marked Old Woman,” is after the wife of a Qing Dynasty, who’s face was marked with smallpox scars. This beloved Sichuanese dish, traditionally made with ground beef or pork, but has now gained popularity with vegetarian or vegan options over the years.

What makes this dish so remarkable is the choices of very interesting flavors. It is spicy, deep in savoriness, slightly funky (but in a good way), aromatic, and numbing in heat. When we are talking numbing in Sichuan cuisine, this simply means that uses a main key ingredient for that flavor: Sichuan pepper.

SICHUAN PEPPERCORN

Sichuan pepper, or peppercorn, is a numbing spice used for mapo tofu (and other Sichuan dishes). It is numbing, in a sense, that it is fragrant and citrusy in taste with a numbing sensation on your tongue and throat. That may sound intimidating but, compared to chili peppers, this has such a colorful flavorful profile. And, it is what makes the taste of mapo tofu very distinct.

How do you prepare Sichuan Peppercorn? It is best used after being toasted, to open up the essence, and you can grind it up into powder form for seasoning. A mortar and pestle OR spice grinder will definitely help.

What if you don’t have Sichuan Peppercorn? You can substitute with a spice blend that I provided in the notes below. While I always encourage supporting local stores and finding accessible ingredients, I do make online purchases of spices not found (or harder to find) in my area. You can purchase Sichuan Peppercorn here, this is the brand that I use (not sponsored or affiliated).

KEY INGREDIENTS

This vegan mapo tofu recipe, I would say, is the closest I can get without losing the authentic flavors. I’ve dug deep, into research, of ingredients commonly used in this dish. And, also, considering the availability in my area and the flavors I remember.

  • Soft Tofu (not firm or silken tofu)
  • TVP (textured vegetable protein or any choice of vegan “ground meat”)
  • Ground Sichuan Peppercorn
  • Red Chili Paste or Red Chili Bean Paste
  • Fermented Black Bean Paste
  • Red Pepper Powder
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Liquid Seasonings: soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar

TOP TIPS BEFORE GETTING STARTED

  • Use SOFT TOFU. It will not fall apart as drastically compared to silken tofu.
  • Soaking the soft tofu in a hot salt-water bath will slightly cook the tofu and firm slightly, making it easier to handle. Do not boil tofu in a salt bath, it will fall apart.
  • Do not have Sichuan peppercorn? Substitute with the spice blend I used for my Salt & Pepper Tofu Recipe. It will not be the same in flavor as a Sichuan-style, but it is a Chinese spice blend you can use on almost anything.
  • Adjust the level of your spice! Mapo tofu is traditionally spicy. While I don’t find this vegan version the spiciest, it may not be the same for you. Taste as you go when it comes to handling peppers.

Give this recipe a try and if you like what you see, please help me by liking this recipe or adding a comment in the comment box down below. Subscribe to my mailing list for exclusive newsletters. Follow me on Instagram and don’t forget to tag me when you create the recipes.

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Vegan Mapo Tofu

Course Dinner, Entree, Lunch
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Keyword Chinese Cuisine, Crispy Tofu, Mapo Tofu, Tofu Recipe, Vegan Mapo Tofu
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 3 people
Author The Earth Kitchen

Equipment

  • sauté pan or wok
  • small boiling pot
  • mortar and pestle, coffee grinder, food processor, OR spice grinder
  • strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 block (14oz) soft tofu diced to bite sized cubes
  • ½ cup textured vegetable protein (TVP) (or any vegan crumbles / ground "meat")
  • 1 tbsp fermented black bean paste or black bean garlic sauce
  • 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder or coursley grind (see notes for options)
  • 4 cloves (2 tbsp) garlic minced
  • ¼ thick (2 tsp) fresh ginger minced
  • 2 tbsp red chili paste (see notes for options)
  • ½ tbsp red pepper powder (gochugaru or cayenne pepper)
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt (for the tofu brine)
  • green onions (for serving) thinly sliced
  • neutral flavored oil for cooking
  • red chili oil or sesame oil (for finishing) optional

FOR THE LIQUID SEASONINGS

  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tbsp rice wine (see notes for option)
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 3 tsp corn starch

Instructions

FOR THE TOFU PREPARATION

  • Using a small sauce pot, fill up halfway through with water and drop a tablespoon of salt. Mix to dissolve and allow to boil in medium high heat. Once the water has boiled, turn off heat. Allow the water to calm down into a simmer.
  • Gently drop each dice of tofu into the salt brine and let it soak. DO NOT mix or try to handle too much as it may crack or break. Leave in brine until ready to cook.

FOR THE MAPO TOFU

  • Prepare textured vegetable protein (TVP) or any vegan crumbles according to package instructions. If you are using TVP, strain and squeeze out as much liquids as you possibly can before cooking.
  • Using a small saucer, stir corn starch with 2 tbsp water and mix until starch has dissolved. Set aside for later.
  • Preheat wok or sauté pan to medium high heat. Toss in the Sichuan peppercorns to toast for about 5-7 minutes on the pan, mixing it all around a few times. Remove from the pan and grind the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle OR food grinder until it reaches a fine texture good enough for seasoning. Set aside.
    **If you are using powdered or ground peppercorn, skip this step (see notes for alternatives if you cannot find Sichuan peppercorn). IF you are using a food processor, you may need to blend peppercorn by the bulk to get a ground consistency.
  • Oil pan generously with 1-2 tbsp of oil. Once full heated, toss the TVP, followed by the garlic and ginger. Stir around the oil until fragrant. Add the chili paste, black bean paste, and red pepper flakes. Season with ground Sichuan pepper.
  • Pour vegetable broth into pan to simmer. Lower down heat to medium low. Pour liquid each seasonings, red pepper powder, and sugar. Stir until fully combined. Gradually pour corn starch slur and mix. The broth will slowly thicken as it simmers.
  • Carefully strain tofu out of the salt water brine. Be careful not to break it. Then, gently drop it into the broth mix. Gently stir all ingredients together. Allow it to simmer in low heat for about 4-7 minutes or until tofu has fully submerged in the tofu.
  • Turn off heat and garnish with green onions. Drizzle a little bit of chili or sesame oil to finish.
  • Best served fresh with a side of rice.

Notes

Fermented Black Bean Paste – Can also be known as black bean garlic sauce which comes in a paste form already. It should be found in any Asian section of the supermarket or Asian grocery. If you are unable to find this, using tausi beans will do the trick. Just mash the beans to create the paste or use a food processor.
Sichuan Peppercorn – I specifically bought Sichuan Peppercorn online (click here) to mimic close-to-authentic Chinese cuisines. You can check any Asian grocery store OR place that sells herbs & spices in your area. BUT if you cannot find it (or would rather want something more accessible), here is your next best bet of blends that are easy to follow:
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black peppercorn
  • 1-1/2 tsp red chili flakes 
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves 
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
It will not taste the same as finding Sichuan peppercorn but it will mimic a really great Chinese spice blend. I have also used this blend in my Salt & Pepper Tofu recipe.
Choice of Red Chili Paste – Traditionally, Doubanjiang is used in Mapo Tofu, which is a spicy chili bean paste. However, using Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) or Sambal Oelek (Chili Garlic Sauce) can also be used as it is more commonly found. 
Choice of Rice Wine – Shaoxing Wine, Mirin, or Sake. You can also use Dry Sherry cooking wine, plain soju, or completely skip the alcohol.