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Vegan Mapo Tofu (Soy Meat and Shiitake)
Serves 2 · About 30 min
Mapo tofu made with soy meat and shiitake instead of ground pork, and kombu water instead of chicken stock. The soy meat is stir-fried until browned, so it’s savory and great with rice. With tofu and soy meat, you get plenty of protein too.
① Make kombu water and soak the soy meat→② Cut the tofu, shiitake and leek→③ Stir-fry the soy meat and shiitake until browned→④ Simmer the tofu in the kombu water→⑤ Add the leek and thicken
What to buy
Tofu
Vegetables
Dried goods
Chinese seasonings
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🌱 What makes this vegan dish work
Just leaving out the meat and chicken stock would leave the dish short on savory flavor and protein. This mapo tofu makes up for each with plants.
- Instead of ground meat: soy meat and shiitake. Rinsing and squeezing the soy meat removes the soybean smell, and browning it makes it toasty. Shiitake adds savory flavor
- Instead of chicken stock: kombu water (kombu soaked in water)
- Protein: about 22 g per person from the tofu and soy meat — more than this site’s mapo tofu with ground pork (about 19 g)
- What to check when you buy: look at the ingredients list on the doubanjiang, tianmianjiang and soy meat. Choose ones with no animal products such as shrimp or chicken extract. Use plain, dried soy meat
How to make it
1
Make kombu water and soak the soy meat
- Put 200 ml water and the kombu in a measuring cup and set aside (kombu water, used in step 4)
- Put 30 g soy meat in a bowl, pour in hot water to cover, and leave for the time on the package
- Drain in a colander, rinse once with water, and when cool, squeeze it hard by hand
How to tell it's doneThe soy meat is plump, and hardly any water comes out when you squeeze.
Be carefulIf it isn’t squeezed enough, it keeps a soybean smell and won’t brown in step 3. Squeeze 2–3 times with both hands.
2
Cut the tofu, shiitake and leek
- Take the tofu out of the pack and cut it into 2 cm cubes on a cutting board
- Remove the shiitake stems and chop finely. Chop the leek finely too
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp potato starch and 2 tbsp water (starch slurry)
How to tell it's doneEverything is cut and the starch slurry is ready.
3
Stir-fry the soy meat and shiitake until browned
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium, add the soy meat and shiitake, and spread them out
- Cook for 3 minutes, turning now and then with a spatula, without stirring too much
- Turn to low first, then add 1 tsp each of garlic and ginger, 1/2 tsp doubanjiang and 1 tbsp tianmianjiang, and stir-fry for 30 seconds
How to tell it's doneThe edges of the soy meat are nicely browned and it smells toasty.
Be carefulDoubanjiang and tianmianjiang burn easily. After adding them, only 30 seconds on low.
4
Simmer the tofu in the kombu water
- Take the kombu out of the kombu water. Add all the kombu water, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar, and set over medium heat
- When it boils, add the tofu and gently mix by pushing from the bottom with the spatula. Simmer 3 minutes
How to tell it's doneThe tofu has taken on the reddish-brown sauce color and is warm all the way through.
5
Add the leek and thicken
- Add the leek
- Turn off the heat, stir the starch slurry again, pour it all around and mix gently
- Put back on medium and cook 1 minute until it bubbles
- Turn off the heat and drizzle with 1 tsp sesame oil. Taste it, and if it’s bland, add soy sauce 1/2 tsp at a time
ReadyThe sauce has thickened and clings to the tofu when you stir. Serve with rice.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🥬 Ingredient guide
If it didn't work out
It smells of soybeansThe soy meat wasn’t squeezed enough in step 1. Next time, rinse it, then squeeze 2–3 times with both hands.
The soy meat is dry and crumblyIt wasn’t soaked long enough in step 1. Next time, leave it for the time on the package.
It tastes blandWhen you taste in step 5, add soy sauce 1/2 tsp at a time.
It didn’t thickenIt didn’t bubble after adding the starch slurry in step 5. Cook 1 more minute on medium.
The tofu broke apartIt was stirred too hard in step 4. Next time, push gently from the bottom with the spatula.
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