Mapo Tofu

The real-deal Sichuan classic — spicy, tongue-numbing, and absolutely not optional without rice.

Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Total 35 min
Servings 6
Method Wok / Stovetop

Ingredients

1–2 tablespoons spicy bean sauce (doubanjiang) (18–36 g)
1–2 fresh Thai bird chili peppers, thinly sliced (5 g)
½ cup neutral oil, divided (108 g)
- Peanut oil — 1:1 Higher smoke point; subtle nutty flavor; similar calories
½–1½ tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns, ground (reserve ¼ tsp for garnish) (3–9 g)
¼ cup water (60 g)
¼ teaspoon sesame oil (optional) (1 g)
¼ teaspoon sugar (optional) (1 g)
⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth (158 g)
1 lb silken tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes (454 g)
1 scallion, finely chopped (15 g)
1½ teaspoons cornstarch (5 g)
3 tablespoons garlic, finely minced (27 g)
3 tablespoons ginger, finely minced (36 g)
6–8 dried red chilies, roughly chopped (8 g)
8 oz ground pork (227 g)
- Ground chicken — 1:1 Lower calorie; milder flavor; slightly drier texture
- Crumbled extra-firm tofu — 1:1 by weight Vegetarian option; lower calorie; press well before crumbling

Steps

Toast the chilies. Heat your wok or a small saucepan over low heat. Add ¼ cup of the oil and toss in the fresh and dried peppers. Stir occasionally and heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Make sure the peppers don't burn. Remove from heat and set aside. (If you have homemade toasted chili oil, skip this step.)
Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil in your wok over medium heat. Add the ginger. After 1 minute, add the garlic. Fry for another minute, then turn the heat to high and add the ground pork. Break up the meat and cook until it's no longer pink. Add the ground Sichuan peppercorns and stir for 15–30 seconds. Be careful not to let them burn, or they'll turn bitter.
Add the spicy bean sauce and stir it in well. You'll see the color change. Pour in the chicken broth and stir. Let this simmer for about a minute.
While the sauce simmers, cube the tofu. In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch and mix until smooth.
Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and stir. Let it bubble until the sauce thickens. If it gets too thick, splash in a little more water or broth.
Add the reserved chili oil (peppers and all) and stir it into the sauce. If using homemade chili oil, use only the oil layer, not the seasoned sediment. Gently fold in the tofu cubes and let everything cook for 3–5 minutes.
Add the sesame oil and sugar (if using) along with the scallions. Stir until the scallions are just wilted. Serve with a final sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn powder as garnish.

Tips

Peppercorn quality matters. Fresh, high-quality Sichuan peppercorns are much more potent. If yours are very fresh, start with ½–1 teaspoon ground and adjust up. The husk is where the flavor lives. Avoid any that come with bitter black seeds.
Don't burn the peppercorns. They go bitter fast. This recipe adds them after the pork is in the wok to reduce that risk.
Prep everything first. This cooks fast once you start. Have your tofu cubed, cornstarch slurry mixed, and all aromatics measured before you turn on the heat.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 335
Protein 11 g
Fat 29 g
Carbs 8 g
Sat. Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 27 mg
Sodium 126 mg
Potassium 340 mg
Fiber 1 g
Sugars 2 g

Nutrition from source · Per serving (based on 6 servings)

Weight Estimates

Uncooked ~1,130 g
Cooked ~900 g
Per Serving ~150 g

Wok cooking evaporates moisture from the broth and renders fat from the pork. Tofu releases some water as it heats. Using a conservative 20% reduction to keep calorie density on the higher side.