Home-style Vegetarian Mapo Tofu Recipe, Easy to Make, You'll Want Two Bowls Even Without Meat

Prepare ingredients

Cut shiitake mushrooms into small pieces, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the green onion and garlic chives. Mix 1 tablespoon of starch with 1 bowl of water to make a starch slurry for thickening.

Add cold water to a pot, put in the tofu, and add a little salt. Bring to a boil, then cook for 1 more minute. Remove and cut into small pieces. Blanching the tofu removes the beany taste and excess water, making it easier to absorb flavors and less likely to break apart.

Heat oil in a pan, add the onion and shiitake mushrooms, and stir-fry until softened.

Add minced garlic and green onion, stir-fry until fragrant.

Add 1 tablespoon of Doubanjiang and 1 teaspoon of chili powder, stir-fry until the oil turns red.

Add 1 bowl of water and bring to a boil.

Add the tofu cubes and gently stir to combine.

Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add 1 scoop of soy sauce, salt to taste, pepper powder, and a pinch of sugar. Stir gently and cook for 2 more minutes to let the tofu absorb the flavors.

Add the starch slurry to the pan in three batches, stirring well after each addition. This ensures the tofu is evenly coated with the sauce, making it smoother and more flavorful.

Cook until the sauce thickens.

Finally, sprinkle with Sichuan pepper powder and garlic chives, stir well, and serve.

Mapo Tofu is ready!

Even without meat, the tofu is flavorful and evenly coated with sauce, perfect with rice.

Kids love it too~