Japanese-style Mapo Tofu (Mabo Dofu) is incredibly flavorful but much less spicy than the original Sichuan dish. Even children can enjoy this family-friendly recipe. It’s a delicious yet simple weeknight meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes! {Vegetarian/Vegan Adaptable}
Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is easily one of our family’s favorite meals! It is so simple to make yet soul-satisfying. I love preparing this dish on a hectic weeknight when I only have 30 minutes to spare for cooking dinner for the family.
We often eat mapo tofu donburi-style, with the tofu-and-sauce mixture over fluffy steamed rice. Yes, who doesn’t like a one-bowl meal for easy cleanup? I think you and your family are going to enjoy it.
Table of Contents
What is Mapo Tofu?
Mapo tofu is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan province known for its fiery bright red sauce. The classic recipe is made with simmered silken tofu flavored with ground pork or beef, fermented bean paste (douban and douchi), chili oil, and Sichuan peppercorns. The dish is spicy, aromatic, deeply flavorful, and has a unique numbing character imparted from the Sichuan peppercorns.
While the Sichuan-style mapo tofu is known for its boldness and intensity, the Japanese version has a milder character as it has been adapted to the Japanese palate. Nevertheless, Japanese mapo tofu is still packed with lots of umami— thanks to the layering of flavors. Also, the spice level is tamed. If you’re looking for a not-spicy mapo tofu, this recipe is for you!
I’d say Japanese mapo tofu is ideal for anyone who is spice adverse, and even your kids will devour it.
Introduction of Mapo Tofu to Japan
In Japan, mapo tofu is called mabo dofu, and it’s written either as 麻婆豆腐 or マーボー豆腐 in Japanese.
How did the dish arrive in Japan, you might wonder? It was introduced to the country in the 1970s by Chen Kenmin, a famous Chinese chef in Japan. I mentioned Chef Chen in my previous post here. He was the culinary hero that brought many popular Chinese dishes to the Chinese restaurants in Japan.
Thanks to Chef Chen, you’ll find a number of famous Chinese dishes such as mapo tofu, ebi chili (chili prawns エビチリ), and beef and bell pepper stir-fry (chin-jao ro-su 青椒肉絲) that are now part of our repertoire.
These dishes have been enjoyed in Japanese households for almost half a century! In grocery stores, you can find a whole array of convenient ready-to-eat sauces for these popular dishes. I remember seeing these packages in my mom’s kitchen pantry too.
Difference between Chinese and Japanese Mapo Tofu
There are many versions of mabo dofu within Japan, and each household cooks it differently.
So, what ingredients do the Japanese use in the dish that are not included in the original Chinese mapo tofu? Typically, we would include miso, mirin or sugar, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and occasionally sake.
Most distinctly, Japanese mabo dofu doesn’t include any chili or Sichuan peppercorn.
Most distinctly, Japanese mabo dofu doesn’t include any chili or Sichuan peppercorn. The only “spicy” element comes from doubanjiang, spicy bean paste. However, if you can find a Taiwanese brand of doubanjiang, you can buy a non-spicy doubanjiang (豆瓣酱) or spicy doubanjiang (辣豆瓣酱) with red chili in it. More about it in the next section.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Ground pork – In Japan, we always use ground pork. However, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or beef.
- Soft/silken tofu
- Aromatics: Green onions, ginger, and garlic
- Condiments: Doubanjiang (spicy/non-spicy broad bean), miso, mirin, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and potato starch (cornstarch)
The Key Ingredient is Doubanjiang
This is truly a simple dish to make. The only caveat is you do need to have chili bean paste called doubanjiang (豆瓣酱).
Doubanjiang is a combination of fermented broad beans as the main ingredient, soybeans, and often hot chilies. The salty, savory, umami-rich paste adds an incredible depth and character to mapo tofu that you should not substitute.
Non-Spicy Doubanjiang: Did you know that there is NON-SPICY doubanjiang? Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Guandong in China have non-spicy doubanjiang. It has the same savory depth in the paste but without the heat. To distinguish the two versions, the Sichuan doubanjiang is called la-doubanjiang (辣豆瓣醬, “la” (辣) meaning ‘hot’ or ‘spicy’).
When the kids were small, I used only non-spicy doubanjiang to make my mapo tofu. Taiwanese brands like Kangshan (岡山) (above) and Ming Teh (明德) offer the doubanjiang made from fermented broad beans and soybeans, as well as the spicy version with chili.
You can get these Taiwanese brands at a local Asian grocery store (I get mine at Marina Market in San Mateo). Amazon does not sell the non-spicy doubanjiang at this time (please let me know if you find one).
- Ming Teh Doubanjiang (non-spicy) – Yummy Bazaar
- Kangshan Doubanjiang (non-spicy) – Walmart
- Kangshan Doubanjiang (non-spicy) – Weee!
Doubanjiang Substitute: If you really can’t find doubanjiang, you can use gochujang (Korean chili paste; spicy) or doenjang (Korean soybean paste; non-spicy). However, the ingredients are slightly different and have different flavor profiles.
The Best Tofu for Mapo Tofu Recipe
There are many different types of tofu available, but I recommend using soft tofu for the best texture. Soft tofu is smooth, soft, and creamy, which pairs beautifully with the savory sauce and ground meat. It works best for both Japanese-style mabo dofu and authentic Sichuan mapo tofu.
How to Make Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu is a very easy dish, and my son can make it by himself. This was one of the first few recipes he learned to cook over the summer break one year. He loved this dish so much and wanted to be able to cook it on his own.
Here’s the overview.
- Prepare all the ingredients. Measure and combine all the seasonings before you start cooking.
- Cook the aromatics and ground pork in a frying pan or wok.
- Add the sauce ingredients and let it simmer until the sauce starts bubbling.
- Add the tofu and coat it with the sauce until the flavors infuse.
- Serve on its own or with steamed rice!
Now you have one reliably satisfying dish for the family. I hope you enjoy my Japanese Mapo Tofu recipe!
5 Cooking Tips on Making Mapo Tofu
- Measure and cut all the ingredients before cooking.
- Combine all the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.
- Drain the tofu ahead of time for about 15 minutes. This prevents the tofu from releasing moisture into the sauce.
- Be cautious not to burn the garlic and ginger when stir-frying. You don’t want to add a burnt bitter taste to the sauce.
- Carefully stir the tofu: Tofu can easily break and become mushy. Shake the pan to coat the tofu with the sauce, minimizing spatula action.
The Wok I’m Using in This Recipe
I’m partnering with MTC Kitchen, my favorite Japanese kitchen store in NYC, to try out this carbon steel wok, and I love it!
This nitrogen-hardened wok, a new series of iron cookware from Summit Japan, is infused with nitrogen, offering durability, rust resistance, and all the benefits of traditional carbon steel cookware. They are compatible with induction, gas, or electric stoves. Compared to standard carbon steel cookware, these are extremely durable and rust-proof due to the nitrogen treatment.
I really like Summit’s carbon steel series because they’re much lighter than French carbon steel pans. Their excellent heat conductivity makes them perfect for frying, stir-frying, and grilling—essential for Asian cooking! If you’re looking to invest in a carbon steel wok, I highly recommend them as they will last for years with proper care.
- Summit Nitrogen Hardened Iron Beijing Wok Pan (Embossed) 11.8″ Diameter (use JOC10 for 10% off!)
FAQs
Q: Can I use this recipe to make vegan or vegetarian mapo tofu?
Yes! Use finely diced shiitake mushrooms in place of the ground pork. Both fresh and dried mushrooms would work. Aldo, use vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
Q: Can I use another kind of ground meat instead of pork?
Sure, you can use ground chicken or turkey. Ground beef will have a stronger flavor, but it should be fine.
Q: Can I adjust the spice level?
You can cut down on doubanjiang (spicy bean paste) or use the Taiwanese non-spicy doubanjiang I mentioned earlier. If you like it slightly spicier, sprinkle la-yu (Japanese chili oil).
More Delicious Tofu Recipes
- Pan-Fried Teriyaki Tofu Bowl
- Agedashi Tofu
- Japanese-style Tofu Pizza
- Japanese Chilled Tofu
- Vegetarian Udon with Tofu
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Mapo Tofu (Mabo Dofu)
Video
Ingredients
For the Seasonings
- 2½ Tbsp doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste) (for less spicy, use 1½ Tbsp doubanjiang (non-spicy) and 1 Tbsp la doubanjiang (spicy); read more about this condiment in the blog post; use gluten-free doubanjiang for GF)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp miso
- ½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp potato starch or cornstarch
- 4 Tbsp water
For the Mapo Tofu
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp ginger (minced)
- 2 green onions/scallions
- 14 oz soft/silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu) (drain for 15–30 minutes, if you can)
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- ½ lb ground pork (or your choice of meat and veggies)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Combine all the seasonings. Add 2½ Tbsp doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste), 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1 Tbsp miso, ½ Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp mirin, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp potato starch or cornstarch, and 4 Tbsp water in a bowl. Mix well together with a whisk.
- Finely mince 2 cloves garlic (I use a garlic press). Peel the ginger skin thinly with a sharp knife. If you can't peel it thinly, you can scrape it off with a spoon.
- Cut the ginger into thin slices, julienne into thin strips, and then mince them. Measure 1 Tbsp ginger.
- Cut 2 green onions/scallions into small pieces.
- Drain 14 oz soft/silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu) and cut into ¾-inch (2-cm) cubes.
To Cook the Mapo Tofu
- Heat a wok or large frying pan on medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger to the wok.
- Sauté in the oil (make sure they don‘t burn). Once they are fragrant, add ½ lb ground pork.
- Cook the pork, breaking up big chunks with a spatula or wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
- Add the seasoning mixture and stir thoroughly. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Once the sauce is simmering, add the tofu and gently coat it with the sauce. Stir frequently, without mashing the tofu, until it is heated through.
- Add the green onions and stir to incorporate just before taking the pan off the heat.
To Serve
- Sprinkle sansho pepper and serve immediately.
- You can enjoy Mapo Tofu as a part of the ichiju sansai meal or over steamed rice as a one-bowl meal.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish as tofu changes its texture once frozen.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on January 29, 2011. The video was added to the post on May 6, 2016. The post has been republished with more content and new images on February 4, 2024.
This recipe saved me from the brutal withdrawl of moving back to the US from Yokohama. We ate at Ban Rai Tei in Chinatown at least twice a month because of a wonderful addiction to their Mapo. We were sorely missing it this winter until I decided to give yours a try and, Nami, you are my hero! I can’t wait to dive in to my (now 4th) batch of it in the last month. Once again I can’t thank you enough for blogging your cooking recipes.
Hi CK! Aww! I am so happy to hear that! We love this recipe and I make it pretty frequently. I never change a thing, as we really like the flavors. 🙂 So glad you like it too! I’ve never been to Ban Rai Tei. I have to remember to go there next time when I am in Chinatown! I miss Yokohama too… 🙂
Finally gathered all the ingredients for this dish. Wow! So flavorful! I was skeptical about the tofu but it adds a lovely, velvety aspect to the dish. I will definitely make this again!
Hi Nikki! I’m so glad you tried this recipe and thanks so much for your kind feedback! Good tofu is really delicious… I wish I can send tofu from Japan… 😀
Hi I don’t eat ginger. Is it ok to leave that out? Will the taste be different ?thanks
It’s kind of important flavor component BUT if you don’t like the taste, you can omit it. 🙂
I just made the Mapo Tofu today. SO simple and fast, and more importantly, very delicious! I’m not surprised it’s a favorite in your family!
For the spicy version I actually used Korean Chilli Bean Paste – I had these from the Vegetable Ramen I made a few times already in February. Definitely worked equivalently to the Chilli Bean suggested.
Picture of my bowl will come soon on Facebook, as I usually do – just not in a regular basis but at least 2-weeks to 1-month basis (I really can’t fit time to do everything I do with hobbies on a set routine – need better time management! 😉 )
Hi Leo! Thank you for trying this recipe! Yeah, it’s really quick recipe and I love that my family likes this recipe (easy work for me!). 🙂
Glad to hear you liked it with Gochujang. I’ve never tried it for mapo tofu but it’s fermented so I see how it can be substituted.
Look forward to reading your FB post! I know, I barely go on Facebook (personal one)…
Hi Stan! Ohhh never thought of that! Thank you for sharing the idea with us!
Hey Nami, what kind of miso do you recommend using? My supermarket stocks 3 different kinds and I’m always puzzled as to which I should buy.
Hi Uraniabce! I usually use awase miso (which means a combination of white and red miso) or Koji miso (more koji inside). But this works with any type – and it’s really a personal preference when it comes to miso. I like miso soup (which I drink almost everyday) with awase miso or koji miso than red or white. Hope this helps!
Yes, that is helpful. Unfortunately, I’ve never seen Koji miso, so I’ll try mixing red and white miso myself.
Oh I never tried mapo tofu with miso ! I shall try it next time.
I have a question about the meat, have you tried it with ground beef instead ? If so which one do you like the most as for the taste ?
I’m pretty much sure I only ate it with beef so far even at restaurants, so I was curious as we rarely use ground pork here.
Also, do you have recommendation on how to preserve ladoubanjiang ? Last time I bought some, I had to throw it after one week cause there was mold all over inside… Even though I always try to use clean spoons and not to mix with other ingredients… I want to buy bigger jar but I’m afraid I’ll have to throw it after using only half of it ^^’
Hi Natsu! I grew up eating mapo tofu with pork, so I actually never cooked with beef before. Though traditionally both beef and pork seem to be used in the original Chinese version and I just checked my Chinese blogger friends’ mapo tofu recipes and they make it with pork more than beef.
My husband originally from Taiwan said it is usually pork in Taiwan as many people don’t eat beef in Taiwan. I think it comes to people’s preference.
As for ladoubanjiang, you keep it in the fridge right? I do use clean spoon every time and store in the fridge and I don’t have that issue before. That’s pretty much what you can do, I think. Also, put it in the back of fridge as front area (like door) tends to be warmer as you open the door frequently. Hope this helps!
Any place online where you can buy doubanjiang?
Thank you!!!
Hi Rikki! You can purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TuWkik (I can only find Ladoubanjiang though). You’ll need to find non-spicy one in Chinese grocery store as it’s usually imported and no English label. Like the one I use shown in my blog post. 🙂
Unfortunately, such ingredients are a rarity in my country, so I buy them online. I wonder if this would be a good substitute: https://www.japancentre.com/en/products/955-kikkoman-broad-bean-chilli-paste ?
Hi Audrius! SO sorry for my late response. Yes, this is it!!! 🙂
Many thanks! Then I will be ordering it then.
HI Nami, so if I want to make this dish for kids(non spicy) I can omit the laodoubanjang ( spicy) sauce??
Hi NJ! So sorry for my late response. You don’t have to use chili bean sauce (Ladoubanjiang) but you will still need broad bean sauce (doubanjiang).
If you go to an Asian store, most of “doubanjiang” may include chili already (you can tell the color is more red than dark brown). If the store carries authentic Chinese products, they should carry the one I use – doubanjiang without chlili in it. That’s what you will need to use for non-spicy version. I used to use 100% of that when kids were small, but now I do half and half. Hope this helps!
Hi Nami,
This is the first time I made mapo tofu from scratch and it was really good. I actually had a craving for mapo tofu but did not want to buy the boxed mix because of they are spicy. I used a chinese fermented cubes of soybean paste (which I had in my refrigerator) instead of doubanjiang. It still has that salty taste. Thanks again. Darlene
Hi Darlene! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind words! 🙂
Would like to know if it is possible to use the spicy hot Korean “gochujang” paste which I already have a
partially used jar as a substitute for “doubanjiang” sauce to try making your Mapo Tofu recipe.
If possible, would like to know how I can properly dilute and incorporate “gochujang” paste to simulate using the “doubanjiang” sauce? Thank you in advance for your guidance and expertise.
Hi Edwin! Gochujang and Tobanjiang is a bit different flavor…. but if you’re not aiming for the Chinese/Japanese Mapo Tofu recipe, I think that’ll be okay? I think Korean food must have similar recipe to this Japanese/Chinese mapo tofu using gochujang? But I’ve never used Gochujang for this recipe, so I am not sure how much amount should be added to make the food that tastes good. The texture wise, it’s very similar, so you can add in just like tobanjiang. I’m not sure how we need to adjust the flavor though without experimenting… Sorry I can’t help much. Try it out and let me know. I’m sure it tastes good with gochujang! 🙂
I made it with gochujang and it was delicious!
I was wondering the same thing! I LOVE gochujang! I put it on egg sandwiches with cheese and cilantro. YUMMY!! I really like mapo tofu, so I’m going to have to try the recipe the way it’s written, sans meat. Then I’ll try with the gochujang. See what happens. It will likely take me a long time to do this, but I’ll come back & post what happens!
Keep me posted, Tess! 🙂
Thanks this recipe was great!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know Doug! I’m happy to hear you liked it! 🙂
Another amazing recipe, thank you for sharing it!
I wanted to try making my own mapo tofu for a while now. Do you think I could substitute the oyster souce with anything vegetarian friendly?
Hi Aleks, I’ve used ‘Mushroom Stir Fry sauce’ as a substitute for oyster sauce to great success. It is the same consistency and has a similar taste (maybe not quite as sweet) but is vegetarian. The brand I use is Lee Kum Kee who is a major manufacturer of sauces including oyster sauce. Look for the mushroom sauce in the same place you’d find the oyster sauce.
Thank you so much! I will definitely have a look for that on my next shopping 😀
Thanks Aleks, good luck!
Hi Nami! I saw this recipe on the Just One Cookbook Facebook page and just had to give it a try. I’m cooking it for dinner tonight (with chicken mince instead of pork, and without miso because our local supermarket had run out) – it smells great! I can’t wait to eat ^o^
Hi Morgan! Thank you for trying this recipe! I used to cook without miso but I realized miso actually gives amazing flavor. Hope you will like this recipe and will try again with miso next time! Thank you very much for your feedback! 🙂