Vegan Mapo Tofu

This is my vegan take on the classic Chinese Sichuan dish, Mapo Tofu. It’s distinct for its spicy, red numbing sauce made with chili oil, doubanjiang or fermented broad bean paste, and aromatic numbing Sichuan peppercorns.

This is traditionally made with soft tofu and minced beef or pork so for this vegan version I opted to use plant-based ground meat to mimic that texture. Pair this with a bowl of steamed rice for a comforting and satisfying flavor-packed meal.

WHICH TOFU SHOULD I USE?

I personally prefer soft tofu. This is slightly firmer than silken tofu and holds better when added to the sauce, but still has that smooth silky texture. If you can't find soft tofu, silken tofu might be your best bet but it'd be best to drain as much water as you can. You can also use medium or firm tofu, but the texture will of course be different because these are on the firmer side.

SICHUAN PEPPERCORNS

Sichuan peppercorns are known for the distinct numbing spice. This is what gives this dish that numbing heat, and there is no substitute for these.

FOR THIS RECIPE:

• I toasted whole peppercorns on a pan (no oil) for 2-3 minutes over medium heat until aromatic before cooling these and quickly running through a food processor/blender until ground. You can also of course use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. This can also be done in bigger batches to store ground sichuan pepper for future use.
• You can add more or less Sichuan pepper to the mapo tofu sauce depending on your preferred level of numbing spice.

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED

FOR THE SPICES & TOFU

• 1 lb soft tofu drained and cubed
• 3 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 2 tbsp minced ginger , from 2 to 3-inch knob ginger
• 2 tbsp minced garlic, from 6-7 cloves

• 6 dried chiles , kept whole or chopped (see notes)
• 3 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns , toasted from whole then ground (see notes)
• 6 oz plant-based ground alternative - I used Impossible ground (see notes)
• 1.5 tbsp doubanjiang or Chinese spicy broad bean paste (see notes)
• 1 cup vegetable broth or water (see notes)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce optional for taste (see notes)
• 1-2 tbsp homemade chili oil or red chili oil of choice - see homemade recipe here

PLANT-BASED GROUND ALTERNATIVE

• Some plant-based meat alternatives are already seasoned so you may need to skip the soy sauce and add less of the doubanjiang (start with 1 tbsp, since this is salty)

WHAT ELSE CAN I USE INSTEAD OF GROUND MEAT?

If you're looking for a plant-based ground substitute, you can opt to use fresh shiitake mushrooms and dice these. You can use 1/2 lb (227 g) shiitake mushrooms and dice these into small pieces.

CORN STARCH SLURRY

• 1/4 cup room temperature water
• 2 tsp corn starch

TO FINISH & SERVE

• Green onions or scallions chopped
• Homemade chili oil or red chili oil of choice - see homemade recipe here
• Toasted sesame oil
• Ground Sichuan pepper
• Steamed rice

PREPARING THE MAPO TOFU

PREPARE THE SOFT TOFU

• Carefully slice the tofu into 1” (2.5 cm) cubes. Set aside in a bowl. These will continue to release liquid as these sit, so drain the excess water before mixing into the sauce later on.

HEAT A WOK TO COOK AROMATICS AND SPICES

• Heat a large wok over medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic. Add the dried chiles and mix into the oil. Cook for 30 seconds until aromatic.
• Sprinkle the Sichuan pepper in and coat in the oil to mix.

THE REST OF THE MAPO TOFU

• Add in the plant-based ground alternative and cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Add the doubanjiang and mix well.
• Pour the vegetable broth or water. This will also help deglaze the wok.
• Add the sugar, soy sauce (if using), and chili oil.
• Mix the water and corn starch together to make a slurry.
• Carefully add the tofu into the meat-broth mix.
• Over medium heat, pour the slurry in. Carefully fold the tofu into the sauce. Allow the sauce to come to a boil then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Taste the tofu and season more, if needed.

FINISH AND SERVE!

• Turn off the heat, and finish with chopped green onions/scallions, more chili oil (if desired), sesame oil, and Sichuan pepper (if desired, for more heat).
• Serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!

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