Vegan Mapo Tofu
Spicy, savoury and umami, Mapo Tofu is mind-blowing delicious, and easy to make in under 30 minutes!
Watch how to make this Mapo Tofu on my YouTube channel, and don’t forget to subscribe!
JUMP TO RECIPEIngredients & Inspiration
I’ve made my fair share of tofu recipes in the last eight years, but somehow I missed out on this one, a very popular one I might add… Mapo Tofu! It’s a popular Sichuan Chinese tofu recipe that is traditionally made with ground pork or beef, always eaten with rice, and is very saucy and spicy. Of course the spice level can always be dialled down if you’re sensitive to heat, but the spice-factor is kind of what makes this dish so insanely good.
So, naturally, as I do here at Steamy Vegan, I decided to veganize this popular recipe so us veggies can enjoy it, too! And boy, it brings the heat, baby. I literally can’t get enough of it and it’s my current obsession (I may have eaten it four times this week).
This Vegan Mapo Tofu uses a lot of common pantry staples, but you may need to make a stop at your local Asian market or go down the Asian foods aisle at your grocery store to get a few key ingredients (bolded):
Vegan Mapo Tofu Ingredients
- textured vegetable protein (TVP)
- Shaoxing wine
- low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- fresh ginger
- fresh garlic
- doubanjiang (spicy fermented broad bean paste)*
- vegan chicken bouillon powder
- chili oil
- dark soy sauce
- Chinese 5 spice
- coconut sugar
- silken tofu
- toasted sesame oil
- green onions
- cornstarch
Macros breakdown
This recipe serves 2 large bowls of Mapo Tofu as a main meal, but if you want to treat this as light lunch to accompany other veggies or sides I’ve included macros for 4 smaller servings (macros include serving with ½ cup cooked white jasmine rice):
Two servings: 510 cal, 35g protein, 60g carbs, 15g fats
Four servings: 315 calories, 18g protein, 43g carbs, 7g fats
How to Make Vegan Mapo Tofu
Mapo Tofu is really easy to make! Get your rice cooking in rice cooker/steamer, and make the tofu dish in one pan:
- Marinate the TVP: Drain your rehydrated TVP into a sieve then transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and ginger and mix until combined.
- In a wok or large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil until hot. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Next, add the seasoned TVP and doubanjiang. Mix to combine, then cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
- Add the Sichuan ground peppercorns, vegan chicken stock, chili oil, vegan chicken bouillon powder, five spice powder, and coconut sugar and mix until combined. Bring the mixture to a rapid simmer.
- Add cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until combined. When it reaches a rapid simmer, add the cornstarch slurry and gently stir until the sauce thickens.
- Place the tofu cubes evenly on top of the saucy TVP and using a large spoon to carefully scoop the TVP and sauce underneath, fold on top of the tofu until everything is coated nicely. Cook for 2 minutes just until the tofu is heated through.
- Garnish: Add the sesame oil and green onion and gently stir until just incorporated. Remove from the heat.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn and more green onion, if desired. Serve with a bowl of steamed rice and enjoy!
Vegan Mapo Tofu
Ingredients
Method
- Marinate the TVP: Drain your rehydrated TVP into a sieve then transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and ginger and mix until combined.
- In a wok or large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil until hot. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Next, add the seasoned TVP and doubanjiang. Mix to combine, then cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
- Add the Sichuan ground peppercorns, vegan chicken stock, chili oil, vegan chicken bouillon powder, five spice powder, and coconut sugar and mix until combined. Bring the mixture to a rapid simmer.
- Add cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until combined. When it reaches a rapid simmer, add the cornstarch slurry and gently stir until the sauce thickens.
- Place the tofu cubes evenly on top of the saucy TVP and using a large spoon to carefully scoop the TVP and sauce underneath, fold on top of the tofu until everything is coated nicely. Cook for 2 minutes just until the tofu is heated through.
- Garnish: Add the sesame oil and green onion and gently stir until just incorporated. Remove from the heat.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn and more green onion, if desired. Serve with a bowl of steamed rice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Spice is Nice
If a steamy, spicy and saucy bowl of soft jiggly tofu is your thing, I’m pretty certain that Mapo Tofu will become your latest obsession. Plus, the rice that soaks up the meaty sauce… come on!
Enjoyed this recipe? You might also like my 20-Minute Tofu Noodle Bowl, Golden Glow Tofu Bowl, or Sesame Ginger Tofu!
Lastly, if you made any of these recipes and decide to share them on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to check me out on YouTube — I have HUNDREDS of recipe videos to give you limitless plant-based inspiration!
