Vegetarian Mapo Tofu

This Vegan Mapo Tofu is loaded with creamy blocks of tofu in a fiery Sichuan sauce made from ground mushrooms and fermented black soybeans.

With loads of aromatics and mushroom ground "meat" in the red hot sauce, this vegan With creamy blocks of tofu smothered in a fragrant, spicy sauce made from ground mushrooms, this vegan and vegetarian friendly Mapo Tofu is just as comforting and flavorful as the original.

Course Entree

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword plant based, stir-fry

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Mushrooms, Tofu

Diet Dairy-Free, Low Sugar, Low-Carb, Pescatarian, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 6

Total Time 21

Servings servings

Calories 367kcal

Author Marc Matsumoto

Ingredients

400 grams soft tofu (drained and cut into ¾” cubes)
15 grams dried shiitake mushrooms (2 medium mushrooms)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
50 grams fresh shiitake mushrooms (roughly chopped)
50 grams fresh maitake mushrooms (hen of the woods, roughly chopped)
50 grams eryngi mushrooms (king trumpet, roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon potato starch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
9 grams douchi (~1 tablespoon fermented black beans, roughly chopped)
2 grams ground Sichuan pepper (~1 teaspoon ground, *see note below)
2 tablespoons doubanjiang (to taste)
50 grams scallions (white part only minced)
24 grams garlic (2 extra large cloves, minced)
20 grams ginger (1-inch piece, minced)
Scallion greens (chopped for garnish)

Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

Lightly rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms off, removing any dirt or debris in the gills. Place them in a bowl and cover with 1 ½ cups of boiling water to rehydrate.
When the shiitakes have rehydrated, squeeze any excess water out of them and trim off the stems and roughly chop.
Measure out ¾ cup of shiitake stock, being sure to avoid the sediment that's settled to the bottom.
Use a food processor or meat grinder to grind the rehydrated shiitakes together with the assorted fresh mushrooms to make your vegan meat. If you don't have either, you can use a knife to mince them up as well.
Marinate the ground mushrooms with the Shaoxing, soy sauce, and potato starch.
Fill a pan with 2-inches of water and bring it to a boil. Add a handful of salt along with the tofu and cook for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tofu into a colander and let it drain.
Heat a frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil and when it is shimmering, add the douchi and about half of the Sichuan pepper to the oil and fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add the doubanjiang and swirl to combine with the oil.
Add the scallions, garlic, ginger and ground mushrooms and stir fry the mixture has halved in volume, and the mixture is caramelized.
Add the mushroom stock, tofu, and sesame oil and toss together until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, and the tofu is evenly coated.
Plate the Mapo Tofu and dust with additional Sichuan pepper to taste. Garnish with the scallion greens and serve with rice.

Video

Notes

*If you are grinding it yourself, remove any twigs or black seeds from the hulls of the Sichuan pepper before you grind it or it will be gritty.

Nutrition