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Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork—tender tofu cubes bathed in a rich and spicy sauce—is one of my favorite dishes to order in a Sichuan restaurant. Made with Sichuan peppercorns, it has a distinctive mouth-numbing quality and is packed with umami. It’s quick to make, too, making it an easy choice for a weeknight meal.
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Mapo Tofu (also called Ma Po Tofu) has its roots in Sichuan cuisine, known for its bold flavors and generous use of chili, garlic, and tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorns. The combination of silky tofu, spicy sauce, and savory pork is classic Sichuan.
While classic Sichuan Mapo Tofu is quite spicy, you can adjust the spice level to your personal preference. Using tofu in addition to ground pork makes this an affordable dish to make, but it’s still meaty enough to please the carnivores in your family.
This dish takes just 15 minutes to make, too. That means it’s totally doable as a fast weeknight meal for the family. I love that it is quick and satisfying, but also offers the rich flavors of Sichuan cooking.
Ingredients You Need
Here’s what you need to create this mouth-watering Mapo Tofu with Pork. Each ingredient plays a crucial role, so let's break it down:
- Oil: You can use any neutral flavored cooking oil. I prefer avocado oil, but vegetable or canola oil are fine, too.
- Ground pork: Just a bit of ground pork gives this dish a meatiness that the carnivores in your family will appreciate. Ground beef is also used in classic Mapo Tofu recipes. You can substitute ground chicken or turkey if you like.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic as this is one of the crucial flavor elements in the dish.
- Firm tofu: I use firm tofu here because it holds its shape better during cooking.
If you have time, you can press the tofu to release some of the excess water. - Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce and coat the tofu for a nice crispy texture.
- Chicken broth: Forms the base of the sauce. You can use homemade or store-bought.
- Bean paste: Called doubanjiang, this adds a deep, umami flavor. Look for it in the Asian aisle of your grocery store.
- Chili paste: Provides the signature heat. Adjust the amount to suit your spice tolerance.
- Soy sauce: This adds both salt and umami.
- Ginger: Freshly grated or ground, it adds a warm spice.
- Sichuan peppercorns: Adds that signature mouth-numbing, tingly heat and complexity.
- Sesame oil: For a nutty finish that complements the other flavors.
How to Make It
Making Mapo Tofu with Pork is straightforward. Follow these steps to create a dish that’s sure to impress.
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- Heat oil in a nonstick skillet and cook the ground pork and garlic. Transfer the meat to a bowl or plate.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Toss the tofu cubes with the cornstarch to coat them.
- In the same skillet that you cooked the meat in, heat a bit more oil and brown the tofu.
- Return the cooked pork to the skillet along with the sauce mixture and cook until the sauce bubbles and thickens.
- Serve hot, garnished with green onions.
What to Serve with It
I usually serve Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork with steamed rice and a simple vegetable like Dry Fried Green Beans. A cooling Japanese cucumber salad like Sunomono is also a great accompaniment. If you want to round out the meal, serve Hot and Sour Soup and dumplings like Har Gow or Pork and Shrimp Fried Wontons first.
Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
For the tofu and pork
- 3 tablespoons oil divided
- 1 pound ground pork
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 block firm tofu cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons bean paste
- 4 tablespoons chili paste or more if you prefer
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed or ground
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the pork and garlic and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until the pork is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the meat from the skillet to a plate or bowl.
- To make the sauce, place the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Gradually pour the chicken broth into the bowl while whisking. Add the bean paste, chili paste, soy sauce, ginger, peppercorns, and sesame oil and stir to mix well.
- Toss the tofu cubes with the cornstarch to coat them.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the tofu cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and crisped on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Return the cooked pork to the skillet.
- Give the sauce mixture a whisk and then add it to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for a bout 1 minute, until the sauce thickens.
- Serve hot, garnished with green onions.
