Traditional Mapo Tofu is a bold and flavorful Sichuan dish known for its signature combination of numbing spice, deep umami, and silky texture. Made with soft tofu simmered in a rich, spicy sauce of doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), garlic, ginger, and ground pork or beef, it’s finished with a dusting of ground Sichuan peppercorns for that signature tingly heat. Served over steamed rice, it’s a comforting, crave-worthy dish that perfectly balances spicy, savory, and aromatic flavors—an iconic favorite of Chinese home cooking.
This is one of my favorite dishes to make at home, as it is super easy but packs tons of flavor and is a great use of tofu. You can use firmer tofu if you like, but I like it best with typical silken or soft tofu. If you’d like to know how to make Asian rice perfectly on your stove top, see my post about it here. This meal only takes 30 minutes to make, so it is a great weeknight meal. I use this ground Sichuan pepper to make it easier.
Mapo Tofu
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup canola oil divided
- 1 fresh Thai bird chilli thinly sliced – optional
- 6-8 dried Sichuan peppers roughly chopped
- 1/2-1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp finely minced ginger
- 3 tbsp finely minced garlic
- 16 oz ground pork
- 2-3 tsp doubanjiang spicy bean sauce to taste
- 2/3 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 lb silken tofu cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup water mixed with 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- sliced scallions for serving
- additional ground Sichuan pepper for serving
Instructions
- Heat your wok or a skillet over low heat. Add half of the oil and throw in the fresh and dried peppers. Stir occasionally and heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes, ensuring that the peppers don’t burn. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat the remaining half of the oil in your wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger. After 1 minute, add the garlic. Fry for another minute, and then turn up the heat to medium high and add the ground pork. Break up the meat and fry it until it’s cooked through. Add your ground Sichuan peppercorns and stir for about 15-30 seconds, taking care to not let it burn.
- Add the spicy bean sauce to the mixture and stir it in well. Add the chicken broth to the wok and stir. Let this simmer for a minute or so.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to your sauce and stir. Let it bubble away until the sauce starts to thicken. (If it gets too thick, splash in a little more water or chicken stock.)
- Then add your chili oil from before—peppers and all! Stir the oil into the sauce, and add the tofu. Use your spatula to gently toss the tofu in the sauce. Let everything cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the sesame oil and sugar (if using) along with the scallions and stir until the scallions are just wilted.
- Serve over hot rice with extra ground Sichuan pepper for adding if desired.