Active Time
25 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Spicy, mouth-tingling, porky: Those are the words you’ll be using to describe this tofu recipe.
Ingredients
4 Servings
2
8
1
4
1
4
1
1
2
3
1
1
Preparation
Step 1
Heat oil in a small heavy pot over medium-high. Add ground pork and cook undisturbed until very well browned, about 5 minutes. Break pork up into small pieces and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 3 minutes longer. Add jalapeño, garlic, ginger, and 4 scallions and cook, stirring often, until softened and very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and Sichuan peppercorns and cook, stirring constantly, until paste is slightly darkened in color, about 1 minute. Add broth and black bean garlic sauce and bring to a simmer. Mix cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to form a slurry, then stir into broth. Return to a simmer and cook just until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add tofu, cover pot, and let simmer gently until tofu is heated through (do not stir or tofu will break apart).
Step 2
Divide mapo dofu into bowls and top with basil and more chopped scallion. Serve with rice.
Nutrition Per Serving
How would you rate Weeknight Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork?
Leave a Review
Reviews (18)
Back to TopI used Hertz Green Sichuan pepper oil and beef instead of pork. OMG, the oil brings the whole thing to a new level. AMAZING. Not sure how the silken tofu in the photo stays in its shape? Mine disintegrated into weird chunks but it's so so good it didn't matter. Will make it again and again...
Shazziz
NYC
6/9/2021
This is a keeper, easy and delicious. Definitely requires the Sichuan peppercorn. I don’t think there’d be a point making this with just black pepper, as the recipe seems to allow for. I’d add dried Sichuan peppers too if you have them, and extra chilis to kick up the heat. Also needs needs needs a very big pinch of salt.
Sean Q
Washington, DC
12/3/2020
I've had better, but agree with other reviewers, easy and quick. not sure what the tomato paste adds
brushjl
solon, ohio
11/13/2020
Haven’t been able to go out for Chinese for a while so this totally hit the spot. Quite easy to make and tastes perfect! Serves 4 but the 2 of us ate it all!
adamleclair
Osaka, Japan
5/8/2020
Delicious, easy comfort food. Will definitely make this again. I didn't have fresh jalapeno (quarantine and all) so I used whatever dried chilies I had in the pantry. I added a bit more cornstarch. The dish is more of a soupy dish anyway, not a glazed thick sauce, so just a bit thicker was good. I love how the silken tofu takes on the flavor and is such a nice texture component. Absolutely delicious.
BillyMac76
4/29/2020
Really nice recipe and would definitely make again. I thought that the whole dish needed to be thicker so I added more cornstarch. We don't eat pork so I used beef. Good stuff though!
Daferret
New Jersey
4/15/2020
Yum! I made this the other night and I think it is destined to be a regular in our rotation. I love the texture of the silken tofu, which I don't use very often. The Sichuan peppercorns add a subtle and intriguing note. Prep doesn't take very long and the dish itself comes together quickly. Best of all, it yields leftovers that taste just as good as the original.
Anonymous
Ashland, OR
4/9/2020
Can't believe how good this is. So flavourful and satisfying.
Anonymous
Canada
4/2/2020
I made this but veganized it by using chopped mushrooms instead of pork. Didn't have jalapeno so used a combo of sambal and gochujang ... seriously turned out SOO good. Didn't think it could be this easy to make mapo tofu at home and it's gunna be a new go to for me. Even though they're kinda specialty I think the Szechuan peppercorns are needed in this dish.
Anonymous
3/5/2020
i like this recipe but i need the dried chilies! i can't imagine Ma Po without them. i mean, in addition to the jalapeno; i'd add some serranos, too. (all fresh peppers remain unseeded, all dried peppers remain whole.) and i eat them. there's some pain, but the taste is worth it!
hollis5
Vero Beach, FL
2/24/2019