Healthy Mapo Tofu - Chloe Ting Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is mapo tofu good for meal prep? ›

Mapo Tofu is a classic Chinese dish full of protein, but this one is healthier as there's less of the chillies and oil. It's very easy to make and great for meal prep too.

Vegetarian Mapo Tofu. This meat-free version of a popular Sichuan dish boasts tender tofu draped in a savory, mouth-numbing sauce. The characteristic tongue-tingling comes from Sichuan peppercorns.

This meatless version with fresh shiitake mushrooms is completely satisfying, and surprisingly easy to make. For the best texture, use soft tofu rather than firm, taking care to cook it gently to keep it from crumbling.

Mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐, ma po dou fu) is one of the most popular dishes from Sichuan cuisine. The tofu pieces are braised in a rich spicy, and savory sauce along with fresh garlic and scallions, with a small amount of ground pork to enhance the flavor. The dish is so appetizing and it goes perfectly with steamed rice.

Best: Ma-Po Tofu

It's also high in iron and calcium. In this dish, it's cooked in a bean-based sauce that gets its spicy flavor from chili instead of sodium. Bonus: Chili peppers have vitamins, including A and C. Note that some restaurants also add pork.

Sichuan red peppercorns are what gives mapo tofu its signature numbing sensation! As with most Chinese dishes, aromatics like ginger, garlic, and shallots give this mapo tofu so much aroma and flavor. Shaoxing wine deglazes the pan while adding a subtle, almost floral aroma.

Chinese mapo tofu is made with a soybean paste called doubanjiang. In Korean mapo tofu, this doubanjiang is substituted with a mixture of gochujang and doenjang.

Gochujang (고추장): a Korean cousin of doubanjiang, gochujang is made with soybeans and red pepper powder, and has a sweeter, tangier flavour, as well as being a little milder and less salty. Gochujang also has a much smoother consistency, while doubanjiang is rough and chunky.

The original, traditional version of Mapo Tofu was made with beef, but you can use any type of ground meat that you like. Be aware that every meat tastes different, so every type of meat will result in a different-tasting dish. My dad prefers the taste of mapo tofu with pork.

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.

What goes well with mapo tofu? ›

What goes well with Mapo Tofu? Mapo Tofu is the perfect complement to freshly steamed rice! Because of its rich flavor, milder side dishes like Stir Fried Bok Choy, Fish Omelette, or Honey Walnut Shrimp are great for rounding out your meal.

Mapo tofu can also be found in restaurants in other Chinese provinces, as well as in Japan and Korea where the flavor is adapted to local tastes. In the West the dish is often greatly changed, with its spiciness toned down in order to widen its appeal.

If you have leftover mapo tofu, transfer it to an airtight container and let it cool completely before refrigerating. It'll stay good in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days.

If it's opened, refrigerated tofu is generally good for 3 to 5 days, as long as you've stored it properly. Any more than that, and there's a risk it may have started to spoil, especially if the refrigerator door is opened frequently.

You can press tofu ahead of time in batches, then store in the refrigerator, in a covered container, for up to 1 week. Cut the pressed tofu into 1 inch cubes and add to a large bowl. Drizzle the soy sauce on top and stir gently with a silicone spatula or small spoon.

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. The tofu will actually be more flavorful as it sits because it will have time to slowly absorb the sauce. To reheat the mapo tofu, you can either microwave it until it's thoroughly warm or reheat it over the stovetop.