Mapo Tofu Nachos Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Lolly

Henceforth, I will always “usher” my nachos to the platter. So much more civilized.

Jessica

I absolutely love this! Thank you!! I feel light headed and giddy when I smell the fragrant Szechuan peppercorns toasting in the pan, and it only gets better from there. I’ve made this many times. I never add the corn starch anymore; mine is quite thick already. I also omit the red pepper flakes lest it become too spicy for my taste. I use fake meat like Beyond or Viva (favorite) or Quorn (least favorite). I use the Kim Kum Lee brand of chili bean paste. Also good on spaghetti.

Claire

here to see what the veg version ends up looking like :D

mr_eph

used beyond meat instead of ground beef. half of the 16oz block. lights out.

Nathan

I crumbled a block of regular tofu and browned in the skillet (adding soy sauce at the end) to sub for the meat and used vegan cheese to make it all plant-based and was very pleased with the result! The doubanjiang and douchi are of course very salty, and I added more soy sauce than what is suggested, so I didn't need any added salt. In fact, the lightly salted tortilla chips would work well with this. The combination of ingredients makes the tofu mixture taste like chorizo!

Jen

I would try brown lentils cooked in either mushroom broth or faux beef broth.

timothy

I made this vegan by using TVP instead of meat and omitting the cheese. It was delicious and very decadent; I can't even imagine how rich it would be with real meat and dairy.

Kat

Use 8 oz tempeh (crumbled), tvp soaked in stock, or any ground substitute.

Lily T

I made this with leftover mapo tofu from a local Chinese restaurant. Very delicious, especially if you reheat in a pan and fry eggs in the same pan.

Sarah T.

First, thank you for introducing a new take on a classic dish. Second, I will make again, paying closer attention to the steps and ingredients. I made exactly as written 8/2023 and give it 5/10 first attempt. Interesting flavors but nothing stood out and zero spice. I’m positive this can be 10/10, there’s just too many great flavors involved to not be!I’ll use non salted blue tortilla chips again as well as the fermented black beans (adding more), pickled jalapeños, and cilantro.

Katherine

I found this to be just too heavy to enjoy. In regular nachos, you have pico de gallo or salsa to give some freshness and acidity. Even after loading these up with cilantro for freshness, they were too much. Won’t make again,

Bonnie

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to make this gluten free? Any tips would be appreciated! My daughter was just diagnosed with Celiac’s and I’m trying to navigate her favorite dishes!

Juniper

Best with low (or no) salt nachos. Consider a spritz of lime at serving time. Excellent recipe. I used beef 20% fat, which was great, though I imagine either ground pork or crumbled firm tofu or tempeh would be too.

Netta

Love this recipe! Easily made gluten free as well. Another new favorite

Birdie Kalasky

We loooove this recipe. We save the extra sauce and use it for noodles of any kind, what’s nice is that this recipe is also so flexible, typically I’ll make a salad / nacho bowl. Also we use beyond ground meat. Yum!

Granddaughter of immigrants

The brand of sauce that @Jessica is talking about is Lee Kum Kee, which is found in a lot of non-Asian supermarkets.

Michael Sierchio

I love this! I am not against fusion, though most examples tend to argue against the practice. This works really well.I prefer to extract the málà from Sichuan peppercorns into oil – no grit. If you're nostalgic about the grit, go for it.The mapo supagetti is even better!

Jessica

I absolutely love this! Thank you!! I feel light headed and giddy when I smell the fragrant Szechuan peppercorns toasting in the pan, and it only gets better from there. I’ve made this many times. I never add the corn starch anymore; mine is quite thick already. I also omit the red pepper flakes lest it become too spicy for my taste. I use fake meat like Beyond or Viva (favorite) or Quorn (least favorite). I use the Kim Kum Lee brand of chili bean paste. Also good on spaghetti.

Lily T

I made this with leftover mapo tofu from a local Chinese restaurant. Very delicious, especially if you reheat in a pan and fry eggs in the same pan.

Pat Janisch

Soy Chorizo (I use Trader Joe’s) works great for nachos but tends to overwhelm the other flavors in this preparation.

Nathan

I crumbled a block of regular tofu and browned in the skillet (adding soy sauce at the end) to sub for the meat and used vegan cheese to make it all plant-based and was very pleased with the result! The doubanjiang and douchi are of course very salty, and I added more soy sauce than what is suggested, so I didn't need any added salt. In fact, the lightly salted tortilla chips would work well with this. The combination of ingredients makes the tofu mixture taste like chorizo!

timothy

I made this vegan by using TVP instead of meat and omitting the cheese. It was delicious and very decadent; I can't even imagine how rich it would be with real meat and dairy.

mr_eph

used beyond meat instead of ground beef. half of the 16oz block. lights out.

Tforficatus

excellent funky spicy creamy nachos. Thanks very much to the author. I like how the recipe is set up for a double batch of sauce!

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Mapo Tofu Nachos Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is mapo tofu sauce made of? ›

Make the Sauce: Combine chicken broth, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, black bean garlic sauce, cornstarch, and Sichuan peppercorns in a bowl; whisk to combine and set aside. Make the Ma Po Tofu: Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides.

What is mapo tofu eaten with? ›

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.

Why is mapo tofu so good? ›

Mapo Tofu is a classic Sichuan dish that is a combination of spicy, mouth-numbingly tingly, and savory meat sauce cooked with cubes of tofu – there's nothing like it and it's one of the most delicious dishes in the world!

What kind of rice to eat with mapo tofu? ›

Add tofu and carefully fold in, being careful not to break it up too much. Stir in chili oil and half of scallions and simmer for 30 seconds longer. Transfer immediately to a serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining scallions and toasted ground Sichuan pepper. Serve immediately with white rice.

Can I use Gochujang in mapo tofu? ›

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.

Why does mapo tofu make my tongue tingle? ›

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.

What is the flavor of mapo tofu? ›

Mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐 mápó dòufǔ) is a classic Sichuan dish featuring soft tofu, minced meat (usually beef or pork), and, most importantly, chili bean paste. It has a spicy, salty flavor that goes perfectly with rice.

What does mapo tofu taste like? ›

Mapo tofu tastes like the ultimate blend of umami sweet heat. It might sound impossible because umami creates a rich, savory flavor, but the zing is real. The umami flavors of the scallions and garlic are amplified into a sweet heat from the chili peppers and garlic. Umami is a savory quality of your food.

What flavor is Ma Po tofu? ›

Mapo tofu tastes spicy: both conventionally spicy with heat on your tongue, and málà, a numbing kind of spicy that is characteristic of Sichuan food. The sauce is pleasingly oily, which ampliflies the spiciness and flavor. It also has a deeply savoriness to it thanks to the umami from the doubanjiang.

What is mapo tofu with beyond beef panda express? ›

Mapo Tofu with Beyond Beef is made with small bites of firm tofu and plant-based Beyond Beef, wok-tossed in a spicy Sichuan garlic sauce. String Beans with Beyond Beef is made with hand-cut fresh string beans wok-fired with plant-based Beyond Beef in an addictive, savory garlic sauce.

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