Mapo tofu is a spicy main dish originating from the Chinese province of Sichuan. We love authentic Chinese recipes, and this one is a must-try! Pair this vegan Mapo tofu with rice and sauteed vegetables for a healthy lunch or dinner.
Mapo tofu is traditionally a dish from the Chinese province of Sichuan containing chili oils, fermented broad bean paste, a type of chili paste, fermented black beans, and ground pork. There are many variations of Mapo Tofu, with flavors adapted to suit local flare or dietary restrictions.
We wanted to leave out the pork to make our recipe vegan, and that led us to an amazing recipe by Lisa Lin, on her blog Healthy Nibbles. I love Chinese food and I want to make Chinese recipes for our blog with beautiful pictures, but I prefer just sharing and supporting Asian recipes written by various Asian food bloggers. So here, we tested out Lisa’s delicious mapo tofu recipe and I 10/10 recommend making it.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this Mapo Tofu Recipe. I’ve indicated what I substituted based on what I was able to find at the Asian Super Market here in Baton Rouge.
- 1 Pound silken or soft tofu (I subbed for sprouted firm tofu)
- salt
- tapioca starch
- vegetable oil
- doubanjiang (I subbed this ingredient for Miso)
- black bean garlic sauce
- minced garlic
- ginger
- Sichuan peppercorns
- gochugaru (I subbed evenly for Gochujang red chili paste)
- sugar
- scallions
- sesame oil
To read more about mapo tofu check out Fuchsia Dunlop’s post on The Guardian and head to the recipe now by visiting Healthy Nibbles Mapo Tofu recipe blog.
Tips for Making Vegan Mapo Tofu
Simply put, I suggest following Lisa’s recipe directions exactly. Even with my substitutions, this recipe turned out flawless. I measured out all of my ingredients before I got started, and it helped a lot allowing me to just flow through the recipe.
What to Pair with Vegan Mapo Tofu
After photographing this beautiful entree, we paired this Mapo Tofu with chili garlic snow peas, jasmine rice, and a small side of fermented kimchi.
The Recipe
CLICK HERE or tap the image below to make Lisa’s delicious Mapo tofu!
