I was just recently fortunate enough to find a restaurant with vegan mapo tofu on the menu, and let me tell you, it was some seriously spicy deliciousness. That particular version of vegan mapo tofu simply omitted the meat. I decided to create a version at home, but with a stand-in for the meat, in the form of some finely minced smoky shiitake mushrooms. They worked really well in my vegan wonton soup, and once again did the job beautifully here. If you’ve never had mapo tofu before, be warned: it is spicy! The dried chilis, Szechuan peppercorns, and spicy bean paste all contribute to the heat level of this dish, and while you could reduce or eliminate any or all of these ingredients, you’d also be sacrificing flavor. If you’re looking for a milder Chinese-inspired tofu dish, consider trying my tofu stir-fry or sticky sesame tofu instead.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe! Make sure you get all of your other prep work done before you begin cooking. This includes mincing the garlic, grating the ginger, chopping the chili peppers, and dicing the tofu. You’ll also need to stir the cold water and cornstarch together to form a slurry, which we’ll use to thicken the sauce. Tip: A wok is the ideal cooking vessel for this dish, but a large skillet will do the job in a pinch. You may need to increase the heat levels slightly.
More Chinese Tofu Recipes
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