Our Mapo Tofu recipe remains one of the most popular recipes we’ve posted on the blog to date.
Indeed, mapo tofu is one of the most famous tofu recipes to have made it out of China. This spicy, delicious dish usually includes small amount of ground pork, but for this vegan version, we use chopped shiitake mushrooms.
The result is a vegetarian/vegan dish that hasn’t sacrificed a bit of umami!
Developing a Vegan Version
This vegan mapo tofu recipe is very similar to our ever-popular traditional mapo tofu. The main difference is that instead of ground pork, we’re using finely chopped shiitake mushrooms to add umami to the dish.
We’ve also added fermented black beans to the recipe to add an extra savory kick.
Since we’ve all been trying to eat a bit less meat lately, I’ve been making this version more often at home, and I have to say, I really don’t miss the meat!
What Kind of Tofu to Use in Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu should include silken or soft tofu. The high water content in these types of tofu means they have the silky, almost custard-like texture that mapo tofu should have.
Some recipes out there on the Internet tell you not to use silken tofu, or even to use firm tofu. In our humble opinions, that is just plain wrong.
It’s true that silken tofu and soft tofu are very delicate, and can break up easily if handled improperly. As you’re slicing and stirring this tofu, just make sure to do so gently. Use a slow folding motion when stirring so that the tofu doesn’t break apart in the sauce. I used silken tofu here, but soft tofu is a little easier to work with!
Ok, let’s cook!
Vegan Mapo Tofu Recipe Instructions
In a wok over medium low heat, add the vegetable oil and ground Sichuan peppercorns (remember to reserve ¼ teaspoon for garnishing the dish at the end).
(Note: You can use Sichuan peppercorn infused oil as a shortcut to this step.)
Cook for 30 seconds, and add the ginger.
Stir for another 1 minute and add the garlic. Cook for another 1 minute.
Add the black beans, and chilies. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Turn up the heat to medium, and add the mushrooms.
Caramelize the mushrooms, about 5 minutes.
Add the spicy bean sauce and chili oil to the mixture and stir it in well.
Turn up the heat to high, and add ⅔ cups water or broth and stir. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, and allow to bubble for 1 minute.
Stir the cornstarch and water mixture to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved, and add it to the sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken (if it gets too thick, splash in more water or stock). If the sauce is too thin, make a little more cornstarch slurry and add it in. There will be variations depending on how high your heat is.
Add the tofu to the wok and gently toss the tofu in the sauce.
Allow the tofu to simmer for 3-5 minutes, and then add the sesame oil, sugar, and scallions.
Give everything a final stir, and taste for seasoning (you likely won’t have to add any additional salt, as the spicy bean sauce and fermented black beans are quite salty). Serve, garnished with a last sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn powder.
Vegan Mapo Tofu
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns (coarsely ground, reserve 1/4 teaspoon for garnish at the end)
- 3 tablespoons ginger (finely minced)
- 3 tablespoons garlic (finely minced)
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
- 1-2 Thai bird chilies (thinly sliced)
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (110g, finely chopped)
- 1-2 tablespoons spicy bean sauce (depending on your desired salt/spice levels)
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 2/3 cup water (or vegetable or mushroom broth)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
- 1 pound silken tofu (or soft tofu, 450g, cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 scallion (finely chopped)
Instructions
- In a wok over medium low heat, add the vegetable oil and ground Sichuan peppercorns (remember to reserve ¼ teaspoon for garnishing the dish at the end).
- Cook for 30 seconds, and add the ginger. Cook for another 1 minute and add the garlic. Cook for another 1 minute. Add the black beans, and chilies. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Turn up the heat to medium, and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are cooked down and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Add the spicy bean sauce and chili oil to the mixture and stir it in well. Turn up the heat to high, and add ⅔ cups water or broth and stir. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, and allow to bubble for 1 minute.
- Stir the cornstarch and water mixture to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved, and add it to the sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken (if it gets too thick, splash in more water or stock). If the sauce is too thin, make a little more cornstarch slurry and add it in. There will be variations depending on how high your heat is.
- Add the tofu to the wok and gently toss the tofu in the sauce. Allow the tofu to simmer for 3-5 minutes, and then add the sesame oil, sugar, and scallions.
- Give everything a final stir, and taste for seasoning (you likely won’t have to add any additional salt, as the spicy bean sauce and fermented black beans are quite salty). Serve, garnished with a last sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn powder.
What can I use instead of spicy bean sauce? It’s the only ingredient I don’t have, unfortunately. Can I substitute it or not put any? Will the flavour be that different?
Hi James, the spicy bean sauce is pretty essential to this dish, so I’m afraid there isn’t a suitable substitution. That said, you can always get it online if you’re unable to find it locally: https://justasianfood.com/products/spicy-king-pixian-seasoned-bean-paste-10-58oz
I see, thanks for the info. I’ll try to find it on Amazon, I’m from Camada
I made this about a week after I made the non-vegan mapo tofu (with the pork) on your site. When I made the pork version, the flavors were perfectly balanced. Tasted like it does in the restaurant! I used the same peppercorns/other ingredients this time around and I think the peppers were much stronger and overpowered some of the other flavors. I didn’t mind it at all, but my boyfriend is less of a Sichuan peppercorn fiend and he said he preferred the other version. I’ve been thinking about it (same ingredients! same amounts! what was the difference?) and I think the fat in the ground pork mellows the taste of the peppercorns and makes it more balanced. In the future, I’m going to reduce the amount of peppercorns when I make the vegan version since there’s no fat. Thought that might be a good pointer for people who mentioned the stronger peppercorn taste in the comment section.
Hi Lily, I think you’re right that the fat in the pork absolutely makes the dish better and mellows out the overall flavors. I think it definitely also depends on how strong/fresh your peppercorns are. Thank you for your comment and suggestion!