• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mikha Eats
  • Recipes
    • 30-Minutes or Less
    • One-Pot Dinners
    • Asian-Takeout
    • Lite & Healthy
    • Entrees
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts & Drinks
    • Condiments
  • Shop Essentials
  • Contact
  • About
  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • 30-Minutes or Less
  • Asian-Takeout
  • One-Pot Dinners
  • Lite & Healthy
  • Entrees
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts & Drinks
  • Condiments
  • Shop Kitchen Essentials
  • About
  • Contact
  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
×

Home » Recipes » 30-Minutes or Less » Easy Mapo Tofu | Healthy Mapo Tofu Recipe

Easy Mapo Tofu | Healthy Mapo Tofu Recipe

Published: May 22, 2021 · Modified: Jul 12, 2021 by mikhaeats · This post may contain affiliate links

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Mapo Tofu is a hearty dish that will light up your taste buds! It’s packed with Thai chilies that are notorious for bringing the heat. Then, you have the soft silky tofu that cools everything down for a moment… Right before getting that signature mouth-numbing effect from the Sichuan peppercorns. Get ready for a flavor adventure because this easy Mapo Tofu is made in 30 minutes or less!

Origins of Mapo Tofu

Mapo tofu can be traced back to 1862 and an elderly woman in China, Mrs. Chen, who had a pock-marked face. She ran a restaurant and was given the nickname mapo. “Ma” means pockmark and “po” means old woman or grandma.

Though this wasn’t the most endearing name, her spicy tofu dish became increasingly popular and eventually became a signature dish!

Can You Beat the Heat?

Mapo tofu is hearty, spicy, and comforting. The sauce is filled with spice from the fresh and dried hot peppers and bits of browned ground meat. Luckily, the creamy silky tofu eases a bit of the heat. The signature component though is the mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns.

The Sichuan peppercorns have a very distinct floral aroma and give a tingly feeling in your mouth. It’s truly like nothing else! It’s rumored that the numbing effect helps you take on more heat. I guess there’s only one way to find out, right!?

This delicious dish has layers and layers of flavor without having to spend all day in the kitchen. In fact, you can make this in less than 30 minutes!

Easy Mapo Tofu

This signature dish from Sichuan, China has cubes of silky tofu swimming in a spicy bath of sauce. Originally, mapo tofu has lots of oil, however, I wanted to make a healthier spin.

I’ve reduced the amount of fat and opted for ground turkey to create a lighter version. AND, I made sure not to sacrifice the bold flavors of the dish! You still get tons of garlicky spicy flavor, delicious morsels of meat, and creamy tofu followed up with a burst of that signature tingling mouth-numbing feeling.

It’s the same beloved dish, just with fewer calories!

Try out this quick and healthier version of mapo tofu and let me know what you think in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you.

Did You Make This Recipe & Hungry for More?

Follow along @MikhaEats on Instagram and Tiktok for drool-worthy step-by-step videos. Tag @MikhaEats on Instagram stories for a chance to be featured!

And don't forget to rate this recipe with 5 stars below so others can enjoy it as well!

Easy Mapo Tofu

Author: Mikha S.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Mapo tofu has become one of my favorite dishes! Savory, spicy, and a smooth creaminess from the silky tofu. This hearty dish is so simple to make!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Ground Meat Marinade:

  • 8 oz ground turkey*
  • 4 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Aromatics:

  • 4 tablespoons neutral oil*
  • 1 - 3 Thai chilies thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 7 dried chilies chopped

Mapo Tofu:

  • 2 tablespoons toban jang Chinese chili bean paste
  • ½ - 1 ½ tablespoons ground Szechuan peppercorns*
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • ½ tablespoon cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 14 oz silken tofu cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
  • 2 green onions sliced, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Mix together ground meat, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. Set aside.
  • Heat a wok or large skillet on medium-low heat. Add 4 tablespoons of neutral oil, then the aromatics to infuse oil with their flavors. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, watching carefully not to burn them.
  • Increase the heat to medium-high, then quickly add in ground turkey and cook thoroughly. Add in toban jang (Chinese chili bean paste) and cook for 1 - 2 minutes, making sure the meat is well coated.
  • Add in ground Szechuan peppercorn. If you haven't tried Szechuan peppercorn, you can start by adding ½ tablespoon first to see how you like it. You can always add more later if you'd to intensify the flavor.
  • Pour in chicken stock and cook for 1 - 2 minutes to bring to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, create a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Pour the slurry into the pan and cook until the sauce starts to thicken. If it becomes too thick, you can add more chicken stock or water.
  • Add in the tofu and very gently mix together, being careful not to break the tofu pieces. Drizzle on sesame oil and Shaoxing wine, then cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. Top with green onions, if desired, then serve with hot steamy rice. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Neutral Oil: I highly recommend using a neutral oil so it doesn't alter the flavor of the chili oil you create. My favorite is using grapeseed oil, but vegetable or canola oil would also work. 
  • Protein: For this recipe, I used ground turkey to make it leaner, however, alternatively you can use ground pork.
  • Szechuan Peppercorns: If you haven’t tried Szechuan peppercorns before or are sensitive to spice, try starting with ½ tablespoon of Szechuan peppercorns first. You can always add more if you like it!
Pin Recipe
TRIED THIS RECIPE & LOVED IT?Tag @MikhaEats on Instagram for a chance to be featured & follow along for more yummy eats! ↓↓↓
Instagram Tiktok

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and provided for informational purposes. Nutrition may vary based on product availability, methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients, etc. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

Keywords: easy mapo tofu, easy mapo tofu recipe

HEY, I'M MIKHA!

I help you create delicious quick & easy Asian & Asian-inspired recipes in the comfort of your own home! I'm a firm believer that just because you're short on time, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor.

Learn more →

15-MINUTE RECIPES FOR BUSY WEEKNIGHTS

Dinner is planned for you this week with this FREE e-book so you can relax & unwind!

We respect your privacy - no spam EVER & unsubscribe anytime.

SUCCESS!

Check your inbox - Good things are on the way!

.

Trending Recipes

  • Vietnamese Vermicelli Rice Noodle Salad with Chicken
  • Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce
  • Easy Pan-Fried Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze
  • Korean Marinated Eggs (Mayak Soy Sauce Eggs)

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

What's for Dinner?

  • EASIEST Chili Oil Garlic Noodles
  • Immitation Crab Sushi Bake
  • Simple Imitation Crab Dip with Mayo (Crab Rangoon Dip)
  • BEST Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp Recipe

Footer

↑ back to top

About

About Mikha

Privacy Policy

Recipes

30-Minutes or Less Recipes

One-Pot Dinner Recipes

Asian Takeout Recipes

Explore All Recipes

Contact

Get in Touch!

Follow on Pinterest!

Follow on Instagram

Follow on Tiktok

Mikha Eats is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Copyright © 2020 MIKHA EATS