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Plant-Based Mapo Tofu

If you love a spicy kick with your tofu you'll love this dish! My version is based on the Japanese version, however if you can't find any of the ingredients use similar items you have on hand. My Japanese mother loved this dish.

CategoryJapanese, No Oil, Tofu, Vegan

Total Time30 min

DifficultyEasy

Yields4 servings

CuisineJapanese

Plant-Based Mapo Tofu

Recipe Ingredients

First of all, check if you have all the necessary ingredients for this recipe. Pay attention to the quantities!
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 ½ tsp minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp red miso (reduced sodium)
  • 1 tsp doubanjiang (fermented broad beans) or red chili paste
  • 1 tsp fermented dou-chi (fermented black beans), minced
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • ½ tsp ground toasted Sichuan pepercorns
  • 1 lb medium firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4 inch blocks (You can also use soft tofu if you prefer.)
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1 cup mushroom or vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch or potato starch
  • 1 tbsp sake or Shoaxing wine
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 4 scallions, sliced thinly
  • 2 tsp cane sugar (optional)
  • red chili sauce for serving (I like Sriracha.)
  • ½ cup finely chopped shiitake mushrooms

Recipe Instructions

Next, follow the steps to finalize your dish and finally be able to enjoy it!

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt. Add the tofu and cook for 1 minute. Drain. Blanching the tofu keeps it from falling apart later.

  2. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and well together well. Set aside.

  3. In a large wok or skillet, heated over medium high heat, add the shiitake mushrooms and stir briefly, adding a tablespoon of water if they start to stick. Cook until they are nicely browned. Add the mushroom or vegetable stock, sauce ingredients, cornstarch mixture, sake or Chinese wine and soy sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, then add the drained tofu. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the scallions and adjust the seasonings to make it spicier if desired. Serve with rice. The rice in my photo is super premium Tamanashiki rice from Japan. I also use brown rice.

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