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This Mapo Tofu recipe is a vegan twist on the classic Sichuan dish. It’s made with tender tofu, and meaty shiitake mushrooms simmered in a spicy, umami-packed sauce. All you need is 11 ingredients, plus fluffy white rice for serving!
Table of Contents
Being vegan doesn’t mean you have to love tofu recipes, but since adopting a plant-based diet over 10 years ago, we’ve found tofu to be one of our favorite ingredients! It’s so versatile and comes in several types of firmness that allows you to recreate several different kinds of flavor profiles and cuisines.
From our favorite Filipino favorites, including our Tofu Sigsig Recipe, Japanese recipes like Tofu Katsu and Tofu Musubi, Mexican like Tofu Taco Meat, and several Chinese recipes, including General Tso’s Tofu, Orange Tofu, and this spicy Mapo Tofu – Tofu really can do it all.
What is Mapo Tofu?
Mapo Tofu is a popular Chinese dish best known for it’s bold, spicy, and mouth-numbing flavor, thanks to the doubanjiang (chili bean paste), Sichuan peppercorns, and soft cubes of tofu. It’s traditionally prepared with both tofu and pork or beef, but our version is of course 100% vegan and swaps the meat with meaty shiitake mushrooms.
We think you’ll find this vegan version just as flavor-packed and perfect for weeknights when you’re craving Chinese food!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sichuan peppercorns: Used to create that signature, tongue-numbing sensation (known as “mala”) you’d experience with a mapo dish.
- Vegetable oil: Used to sauté the aromatics and infuse their flavor and aroma into the dish. We prefer vegetable oil in this recipe because it is completely neutral and perfect for sautéing at higher heats.
- Aromatics: You’ll need scallions or green onions (both white and green parts), fresh garlic, and fresh ginger to add a savory, spicy flavor base.
- Red chilis: The source of spice in the recipe. We recommend using 3-6 red chilies, chopped with seeds included. Decrease this if you are sensitive to heat.
- Shiitake mushrooms: Adds umami flavor and meaty texture to the vegan dish. We haven’t tested it, but a 1/2 pound of vegan beef such as Impossible would likely work really well here!
- Chili bean paste: Also known as doubanjiang, is essential for a deep, spicy, salty flavor profile. You can typically find doubanjiang at Asian markets or grocery stores; if not, purchase it online!
- Broth: We used vegan chicken broth to make the dish extra savory, but a vegetable broth of choice would also work well. If you haven’t already, check out our Homemade Vegetable Broth Recipe.
- Sugar: A bit of sweet sugar balances the spicy flavors and deepens the overall flavor profile.
- Tofu: We find firm tofu to be the perfect firmness for this mapo tofu recipe. It’s soft enough to absorb the flavors in the sauce, but firm enough to hold it’s texture and not break down during the cooking process. You may be able to use medium tofu, but be extra careful to keep it intact when stirring.
- Cornstarch: A cornstarch slurry helps to thicken the sauce, making it cling to the tofu. We have not tested substituting this with an arrowroot powder slurry, but it may work.
Full ingredient measurements are found at the bottom of this post in the complete recipe card.
Equipment Needed
How to Make Vegan Mapo Tofu
- Toast the peppercorns. Add the Sichuan peppercorns to a dry pan over medium heat. Toast for about 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Grind the peppers. Transfer the cooled peppers to a mortar or spice grinder. Grind the peppercorns as fine as possible and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic, ginger, and red chilis. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and chiles. Add the mushrooms and stir together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked down and softened about 6-8 minutes. Add the chili bean paste and ground Sichuan peppercorns and mix together.
- Bring to a simmer, then add tofu. Pour in the broth and sugar and mix to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and gently add the tofu cubes. Shake the wok to nestle the tofu into the sauce, being careful not to break the tofu. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the cornstarch slurry. Drizzle the cornstarch slurry around the sauce and tofu. Gently stir and shake the wok to distribute the cornstarch without breaking the tofu. Remove from the heat.
- Garnish and serve! Top the vegan mapo tofu with scallion greens and serve over white rice. Finish with chili oil for extra spice, if desired, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Mapo tofu is commonly served as a standalone main over fluffy white rice. However, if you’re looking for a few side dishes to enjoy alongside mapo tofu, here are a few of our favorite suggestions:
Storage Instructions
Leftover mapo tofu will keep best in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For best results, store the mapo tofu separately from white rice and combine right before serving.
Freezing is not recommended as it will change the texture of the tofu.
More Vegan Chinese-Inspired Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Vegan Mapo Tofu Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Mapo Tofu recipe is a vegan twist on the classic Sichuan dish. It’s made with tender tofu and meaty shiitake mushrooms simmered in a spicy, umami-packed sauce. All you need is 11 ingredients, plus fluffy white rice for serving!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 4 scallions, whites, and greens divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 3–6 dried red chilis, chopped, seeds included
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped* (see notes for substitute)
- 2 tablespoons chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
- 1½ cups vegan chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 16 oz firm tofu, cut into 1” cubes
- Cornstarch slurry (2 tsp cornstarch + ¼ cup water)
- White rice, for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Toast the peppercorns. Add the Sichuan peppercorns to a dry pan over medium heat. Toast for about 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Grind the peppercorns. Transfer the cooled peppercorns to a mortar or spice grinder. Grind the peppercorns as fine as possible and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic, ginger, and red chilis. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and chiles. Add the mushrooms and stir together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked down and softened about 6-8 minutes. Add the chili bean paste and ground Sichuan peppercorns and mix together.
- Bring to a simmer, then add tofu. Pour in the broth and sugar and mix to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and gently add the tofu cubes. Shake the wok to nestle the tofu into the sauce, being careful not to break the tofu. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Make a cornstarch slurry. Mix 2 tsp cornstarch and ¼ cup water in a small bowl until uniform.
- Add the cornstarch slurry. Drizzle the cornstarch slurry around the sauce and tofu. Gently stir and shake the wok to distribute the cornstarch without breaking the tofu. Remove from the heat.
- Garnish and serve! Top the vegan mapo tofu with scallion greens and serve over white rice. Finish with chili oil for extra spice, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- Spices: Sichuan peppercorns aren’t very spicy but have a tongue-numbing sensation. The red chilis have a more traditional “spice”. Adjust both to your preference!
- Grinding peppercorns: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, you can add the toasted peppercorns to a ziplock bag and smash with a rolling pin.
- Mushrooms: You can substitute these with 8 ounces of vegan ground “beef”.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep best in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For best results, store the mapo tofu separately from white rice and combine right before serving.
- Freezing: Not recommended as it will change the texture of the tofu.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Chinese
