Mapo Tofu Non-spicy Recipe: Authentic Mapo Tofu for People Who Don’t Like Spicy!
Mapo Tofu has its origin in the Sichuan province, where this fiery hot dish is popular with many. I just love the spicy flavor and the smooth texture of the Mapo Tofu sauce. But the original recipe might not be suitable for your kids or family members who don’t prefer spicy food.
So, here is my Mapo Tofu non-spicy recipe that is palatable for all. The color of this dish might be misleading, as the oil will turn reddish after cooking the dish. But the spice level of this dish is much lower than the authentic Mapo Tofu. Let’s try this variation.
Table of Contents
Mapo Tofu Non-spicy Recipe Overview
This dish needs a lot of ingredients, especially the seasonings. So, getting them together can take some time. However, the cooking time isn’t that long. Check the overview below.
| Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Medium | ||
| Total Time: 30 minutes | |||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories |
| 2 persons | 10 minutes | 20 minutes | 335 kcal |
Ingredients Needed for Mapo Tofu Non-spicy Recipe
Tofu is the main ingredient in this dish. But the other ingredients are no less important. Make sure you have everything right.
Main Ingredients for the Recipe
- Tofu: I used 200g of soft tofu. It is best for recipes with broth.
- Beef: Take 100g of diced or minced beef. Other meat will also work.
- Onion: 2-3 medium onions, thinly sliced
- Ginger: About 25g of minced ginger
- Garlic: 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- Douchi: Use about 50g of these fermented black beans.
- Bean Paste: Use 2 tbsp of bean paste. It will add a distinct flavor to the dish.
- Starch: Use 10g of cornstarch or potato starch.
- Chives: About 1/4 cup of chopped chives
- Scallion: About 2 tbsp of chopped scallions
- Oil: Use 2 tbsp of sesame oil or Sichuan pepper oil
Sauces and Seasonings for the Recipe
- Salt: 2 tsp
- Sugar: 1 tsp
- Soy Sauce: 2 tbsp
- Cooking Wine: 1 tbsp
- White Pepper Powder: 1/2 tsp of white pepper powder, freshly ground
- Sichuan Pepper Power: 1 tsp of pepper powder, freshly ground
- MSG: 1/2 tsp of MSG (No! It isn’t bad for you!)
Mapo Tofu Non-spicy Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Preparing the ingredients for the cooking process is equally important. So, I will start from the preparation to show you every little detail. Read till the end.
Step 1: Cut the Tofu
Place the block of tofu on a flat surface and cut it into large cubes. Each cube should be at least 1.5-2 inches. But, don’t cut them too large. Otherwise, you have to cook them more.
Step 2: Boil the Tofu
While you are cutting the tofu, place a pot of water on the stove. Crank the heat high and bring the water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of soy sauce to the water. Also, sprinkle a pinch of white pepper powder in the water.
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Then, put the tofu cubes into the pot and let them boil for about 10 minutes. You don’t need to strain the tofu after ten minutes. Remove the pot from the heat but don’t remove the tofu.
Step 3: Fry the Minced Beef
Place a frying pan or wok over medium heat and add 1 tsp of oil to it. Once the oil heats up, add the minced beef to the pan and start stir-frying it. The beef will release some moisture. Fry the beef until all the moisture goes away.
Step 4: Add the Bean Paste and Douchi
Once the beef is cooked, put the bean paste and fermented black beans into the pan. Stir-fry all the ingredients for a few minutes or until the bean paste and douchi lose their raw smell.
Step 5: Put the Aromatics and Seasonings
After about five minutes, you can start adding the sliced onion, minced ginger, and garlic. Fry them until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic changes its color.
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Then, you can start adding the sauces and seasonings. Pour 1 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tbsp of cooking wine into the pan. Also, sprinkle some Sichuan pepper powder and mix everything well.
Step 6: Add Hot Water and Tofu Cubes
After the spices and sauces have been cooked for at least five minutes, pour about one cup of hot water into the pan. The water will start to boil soon.
When the water starts boiling, add the tofu cubes to the pan. You can adjust the amount of water after adding the tofu. Make sure the tofu cubes are just submerged in water.
Step 7: Use Some More Seasonings
You should season this dish in two phases to ensure everything tastes great. After simmering the tofu for about two minutes, add the white pepper powder and some more Sichuan pepper powder. Add about 1 tsp of sugar to balance the heat.
Step 8: Add the MSG and Slurry
When the tofu is almost cooked, you can sprinkle some MSG on top. Researchers proved that MSG isn’t deadly for you. Also, mix some starch with water and pour the slurry into the sauce. It will thicken the sauce.
You should add the slurry in two batches. Pour half the slurry first and cook it for a bit. Then, add the rest of the slurry.
Step 9: Garnish Mapo Tofu and Serve
Carefully transfer the tofu to the serving dish. Drizzle some sesame oil on top and garnish with some chopped scallions and chives.
Nutrition Facts of Mapo Tofu Non-spicy Recipe
Tofu is a protein-rich ingredient. It also has other nutrients beneficial for your health. I compiled the nutritional value of the Mapo Tofu recipe below.
- Total Carbohydrates: 8g
- Protein: 11g
- Total Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 18g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Total Sugar: 2g
- Cholesterol: 27mg
- Sodium: 126mg
- Potassium: 340mg
- Calcium: 47mg
- Iron: 1.4mg
- Vitamin A: 165IU
- Vitamin C: 3.5mg
Mapo Tofu Non-spicy Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Place the block of tofu on a flat surface and cut it into large cubes. Each cube should be at least 1.5-2 inches. But, don’t cut them too large. Otherwise, you have to cook them more.
- While you are cutting the tofu, place a pot of water on the stove. Crank the heat high and bring the water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of soy sauce to the water. Also, sprinkle a pinch of white pepper powder in the water.
- Then, put the tofu cubes into the pot and let them boil for about 10 minutes. You don’t need to strain the tofu after ten minutes. Remove the pot from the heat but don’t remove the tofu.
- Place a frying pan or wok over medium heat and add 1 tsp of oil to it. Once the oil heats up, add the minced beef to the pan and start stir-frying it. The beef will release some moisture. Fry the beef until all the moisture goes away.
- Once the beef is cooked, put the bean paste and fermented black beans into the pan. Stir-fry all the ingredients for a few minutes or until the bean paste and douchi lose their raw smell.
- After about five minutes, you can start adding the sliced onion, minced ginger, and garlic. Fry them until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic changes its color.
- Then, you can start adding the sauces and seasonings. Pour 1 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tbsp of cooking wine into the pan. Also, sprinkle some Sichuan pepper powder and mix everything well.
- After the spices and sauces have been cooked for at least five minutes, pour about one cup of hot water into the pan. The water will start to boil soon.
- When the water starts boiling, add the tofu cubes to the pan. You can adjust the amount of water after adding the tofu. Make sure the tofu cubes are just submerged in water.
- You should season this dish in two phases to ensure everything tastes great. After simmering the tofu for about two minutes, add the white pepper powder and some more Sichuan pepper powder. Add about 1 tsp of sugar to balance the heat.
- When the tofu is almost cooked, you can sprinkle some MSG on top. Researchers proved that MSG isn’t deadly for you. Also, mix some starch with water and pour the slurry into the sauce. It will thicken the sauce.
- You should add the slurry in two batches. Pour half the slurry first and cook it for a bit. Then, add the rest of the slurry.
- Carefully transfer the tofu to the serving dish. Drizzle some sesame oil on top and garnish with some chopped scallions and chives.
FAQs
As Mapo Tofu has multiple variations, people ask a lot of questions about this dish. I tried to answer some of the most commonly asked questions below.
Can I substitute chili bean paste in a non-spicy Mapo Tofu recipe?
Yes. Even though chili bean paste doesn’t have a numbing spice level, you can substitute it with Binzhou watermelon doubanjiang. It has a milder taste that will go well with the non-spicy version of Mapo Tofu.
Are there specific tofu varieties that work better?
Of course. Soft tofu works best for Mapo Tofu recipes as the soft ones can absorb more flavor. Firm tofu isn’t that bad, but it might taste a bit bland compared to soft tofu.
What type of broth is best for a non-spicy Mapo Tofu?
You can use chicken or beef broth for the non-spicy Mapo Tofu recipe. Vegetable broth will also work. I prefer the chicken broth as it adds some umami flavor to the soup.
Can I cook a non-spicy Mapo Tofu for vegetarians?
Why not! You just need to ditch the meat and the broth. Instead, you can use Shiitake mushrooms and vegetable broth. Other ingredients will remain the same and the taste of the dish will be almost similar.
Conclusion
The tofu has a lot of flavor to absorb in this dish – the spiciness from the peppers, the savoriness from the bean paste, and the umami flavor from the seasonings. Each bite of non-spicy Mapo Tofu will give you immense satisfaction while keeping the heat away.
I believe your kids will love this Mapo Tofu non-spicy recipe more than you. It will tickle their tastebuds without numbing their mouth. And this dish goes very well with a lot of traditional main dishes. Give it a try and enjoy the complex combination of flavors running around.
