Mapo Tofu Recipe (Authentic Sichuan Spicy Tofu with Beef)
Authentic mapo tofu recipe from Sichuan: silky tofu and beef in a spicy, numbing doubanjiang sauce. Ready in 25 minutes.
This mapo tofu recipe gives you the real Sichuan classic in about 25 minutes: soft cubes of tofu and crispy minced beef in a glossy red sauce that is hot, savoury and tingling all at once. Spoon it over steamed rice and it becomes one of the most satisfying weeknight dinners you can cook.
The dish comes from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. The usual story says it was created in the 1860s by the wife of a restaurant owner named Chen, who cooked for workers carrying oil to the city. Her face was marked by smallpox scars, so locals called her "Ma Po", which means pockmarked old woman. The name stuck, and Chen Mapo Tofu is still a famous restaurant in Chengdu today.
Good mapo tofu follows the Sichuan idea of "ma la": ma is the numbing buzz of Sichuan peppercorns and la is the heat of chilli. The backbone of the sauce is doubanjiang, a fermented broad bean and chilli paste, ideally from Pixian county. Fry it slowly in oil until the oil turns red and fragrant, then add fermented black beans, garlic and ginger. The tofu is gently simmered in lightly salted water first so it firms up and does not break, then it cooks in the stock until it soaks up the flavour. The sauce is thickened in two or three small additions of cornstarch slurry so it clings to every piece.
Traditional mapo tofu uses beef, but ground pork is very common outside Sichuan. For a vegan version, replace the meat with finely chopped shiitake mushrooms and use vegetable stock. Soft or silken tofu gives the most tender texture; medium-firm tofu is easier to handle if you are new to the dish. If you cannot find Pixian doubanjiang, any chilli bean sauce works, and you can adjust the chilli flakes to your heat level.
Serve mapo tofu with plain steamed jasmine rice to balance the spice, alongside a simple stir-fried green vegetable such as bok choy or garlic green beans. Finish with a generous pinch of freshly ground toasted Sichuan pepper just before eating, because its aroma fades quickly.
Watch how it is made on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/2Zb-joweCHU
Watch how it is made
Ingredients
- 450 g soft or silken tofu, cut into 2 cm cubesSubstitute: medium-firm tofu
- 150 g ground beefSubstitute: ground pork, or chopped shiitake for vegan
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp Pixian doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
- 1 tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
- 1 tsp Sichuan chilli flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 250 ml chicken or beef stockSubstitute: vegetable stock
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 0.5 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp water
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 0.5 tsp salt, for the tofu water
Method
- Blanch the tofu. Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer with the salt, slide in the tofu cubes and simmer for 2 minutes, then leave them in the hot water.
- Toast the Sichuan pepper. Dry-toast the peppercorns in a wok until fragrant, then grind them finely and set aside.
- Crisp the beef. Heat the oil in the wok and fry the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until browned and slightly crispy.
- Fry the chilli bean paste. Lower the heat, add the doubanjiang and fry for about a minute until the oil turns red, then add the black beans, chilli flakes, garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant.
- Add the stock. Pour in the stock with the soy sauce and sugar and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer the tofu. Drain the tofu and slide it into the sauce. Push it gently with the back of a spatula instead of stirring so it does not break, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Thicken the sauce. Add the cornstarch slurry in three small additions, gently shaking the wok after each, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the tofu.
- Finish and serve. Sprinkle with the ground Sichuan pepper and spring onions and serve right away with steamed rice.
Do not rush frying the doubanjiang: cooking it slowly in the oil is what gives mapo tofu its deep red colour and rich flavour. Use a wide wok or pan so the tofu can sit in one layer, and move it by gently pushing rather than stirring. Grind the Sichuan pepper fresh for the strongest numbing tingle, and taste before adding extra salt because the bean paste is already salty.
Frequently asked questions
What does mapo tofu mean?
Ma Po means "pockmarked old woman". The dish is named after Mrs Chen, a cook in 1860s Chengdu whose face was scarred by smallpox.
Is mapo tofu very spicy?
Authentic mapo tofu is hot and numbing, but you can control the heat by using less chilli flakes and a milder chilli bean paste.
Which tofu is best for mapo tofu?
Soft or silken tofu is traditional for its tender texture. Medium-firm tofu holds its shape better and is easier for beginners.
Can I make mapo tofu without meat?
Yes. Use finely chopped shiitake mushrooms instead of beef and vegetable stock for a tasty vegan mapo tofu.
What can I use instead of doubanjiang?
Any Chinese chilli bean sauce works. In a pinch, mix a little gochujang with miso and chilli oil, though the flavour will be different.
Why do you blanch tofu for mapo tofu?
Simmering the tofu in salted water firms the outside, seasons it lightly and warms it through, so it does not break or water down the sauce.
