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Great recipe! We always bought the ‘CookDo’ Mabo Tofu sauce when we lived in Japan. Needless to say…this is WAYYYY better! Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
– Spence
What if tonight’s dinner took less time than ordering takeout? This Japanese-style mapo tofu delivers glossy, umami-rich comfort in under 30 minutes. No wok skills required.
You’ll build umami quickly with miso and soy, then dial heat up or down at the finishing line.
Japanese Mapo Tofu
Recipe Snapshot
- What is it? A classic Wafu-Chuka (Japanese-Chinese) stir-fry featuring firm tofu and ground pork simmered in a thickened, aromatic sauce.
- Flavor profile: Deeply savory and mildly spicy, balancing the heat of tobanjan (chili bean paste) with the fermented sweetness of yellow miso and oyster sauce.
- Why you’ll love this recipe: Delivers restaurant-level savory richness, layered umami, velvety sauce cling, satisfying texture contrast in under 30 minutes, with spice you can dial to suit everyone at the table.
- Must-haves: Tofu, Yellow miso, Chili bean sauce (toban djan)
- Skill Level: Easy! One-pan simmer with glossy starch-thickened finish.
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What is Japanese Mapo Tofu?
Mabo Dofu (麻婆豆腐) is a staple Japanese-Chinese (Chuka) dish consisting of tofu cubes and ground meat braised in a savory, slightly spicy sauce. Compared with the Sichuan original, famous for málà (the combination of chili heat and Sichuan peppercorn “numbing”), Japanese version is typically milder and more rounded.
According to a study in Tokyo Seiei University Bulletin (2023) that analyzed 125 mapo tofu recipes from 116 sources (1958-2019) suggests that “Japanese-style” uses miso and sugar to create a sweetness, with spiciness adjusted using doubanjiang and/or chili peppers. Separately, a 2021 paper in the Japan Society of Cookery Science identifies 1958 as the year the first Japanese-language mapo tofu recipe was public, and 1971 as the year mabodofu seasoning packets were launched, pointing to the 1970s as the decade when it became deeply established in Japanese home kitchens.
Today it holds a similar household status to other localized favorites like gyoza, subuta, ebi chili, chahan, and harumaki, which became Japanese family staples. Mabo dofu is now a trusted weeknight dinner and growing up in Japan, it was often served as part of my school lunch, one I always eagerly waited for.
Japanese Mapo Tofu Ingredients
- Doubanjiang (tōbanjan, chili bean paste): This fermented paste brings the signature savory-spicy depth that makes mapo tofu so craveable. If your jar seems too fiery, simply use less and let the miso do more of the heavy lifting. You’ll usually find it in the Asian aisle at larger grocery stores, and it’s a sure thing at Asian markets, or online.
- Firm tofu: I personally prefer using firm over silken as it holds its shape during simmering. However, skip “extra firm or above” (too dense for this). At the store, look for tofu labeled “firm” or “medium.”
- Chicken Bouillon: Asian-style chicken bouillon creates the savory broth base that ties everything together. Make sure to check your package for the water-to-powder ratio since every brand differs. Getting this right keeps your sauce from tasting too salty or too flat. Western chicken bouillon works fine in a pinch, though it adds subtle herby notes.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chili Bean Paste Sub: Non-spicy fermented soybean paste + chili oil is the closest stand-in for toban djan. Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon red miso, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon chili powder to replace 1 tablespoon of the chili bean paste. You’ll lose the specific fermented broad bean funk, but this “pantry hack” captures the savory depth.
- Ground meat: Pork is my top pick for its natural sweetness and richness, but a beef-pork mix (50/50) or ground chicken work too. Just avoid 100% beef, as it just does not go well with this dish.
- Plant-based version: Swap the ground meat for minced soy meat, use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken, and replace oyster sauce with mushroom sauce.
- Heat adjustment: In my recipe, spice comes mostly from toban djan and rayu (chili oil), so lower or raise those first to fit your household. If you lower toban djan, add a little more miso to replace its salt. If you raise it, ease back on soy sauce/miso, or let heat-lovers add extra chili oil at the table.
- Tofu choice: Firm tofu holds its shape beautifully through stirring and is the most forgiving for weeknight cooking. Silken gives a luxuriously soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture but needs really gentler handling. Either works, go with what feels right for your comfort level.
Have trouble finding Japanese ingredients? Check out my ultimate guide to Japanese ingredient substitutes!
How to Make My Mabodofu
If you prefer to watch the process in action, check out my YouTube video of this mabo dofu recipe!
Before you start (Mise en place):
- Drain & cube the tofu (about uniform 2cm (¾-inch) cubes)
- Finely dice the onion
- Grate the garlic into paste
- Prepare rice and bouillon
You can use tofu as it is and it’s perfectly fine for a busy weeknight. But if you want to take an extra step, you can either do the followings before cutting:
- Wrap the tofu in paper towels and microwave for 2 minutes (or weigh down for 15 minutes) to expel excess water.
- Parboil in salted water.
They are both to prevent a watery sauce later, but again it’s optional for a busy day.
i. Heat your oil in the pan over medium-high heat until shimmering (approx. 180℃/350°F). Add the ground pork and press it flat to sear for 30 seconds before breaking it up.
ii. Break the meat into irregular chunks with a wooden spatula, keeping some pieces marble-sized for textural interest.
i. Tumble the finely diced onion into the pan with the browned pork and stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Watch for the pieces to soften and turn translucent, releasing a sweet, mellow aroma that rounds out the meaty base.
As the onion cooks, it releases moisture that lifts any stuck-on browned bits from the pan bottom, free flavor that would otherwise stay behind.
ii. Add the sake, soy sauce, and miso paste directly to the pork-onion mixture, then stir everything together until the miso dissolves completely.
Yellow (awase) miso strikes the perfect balance of depth and approachability. It’s made by blending red and white miso, so you get complexity without overpowering the tofu. If you only use red miso, expect a bolder, more intense flavor, while white miso leans gentler and slightly sweeter. If you have both, mix them at 50/50.
i. Push the seasoned meat to one side of the pan, creating a bare hot spot in the center. Add the sesame oil, tōbanjan (chili bean paste), and grated garlic to that empty space. If you like ginger, now’s the time to add a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger too.
ii. Let the paste and garlic sizzle in the oil for about 30 seconds, just until the kitchen fills with a warm, spicy-nutty fragrance.
iii. Then fold everything together, coating each bit of pork with that gorgeous red oil. This “blooming” technique coaxes out fat-soluble flavor compounds that would otherwise stay locked in the paste.
Tōbanjan is your dial. For a very mild version, use just ½ to 1 teaspoon. For a medium warmth most adults enjoy, try ½ tablespoon. You can always drizzle chili oil at the table for the heat-seekers. This way, one pot satisfies everyone.
But chili bean paste contains salt, so if you lower it, add a little more miso to replace its salt. If you raise it, ease back on soy sauce/miso.
iv: If you’re using cast iron or carbon steel, you might see a caramelized layer of miso and paste forming on the pan bottom. Don’t worry, that’s concentrated flavor waiting to be unlocked. When you add the stock in the next step, scrape those bits up with your spatula. They’ll dissolve into the sauce and add a depth that oil alone can’t achieve.
i. Pour the prepared chicken bouillon into the pan, scraping up any browned bits clinging to the bottom. Gently slide the tofu cubes into the liquid.
When you make chicken bouillon using powder, make sure to check and follow your package for the water-to-powder ratio since every brand differs (e.g., my brand is 1 tsp per 200 ml but some can be 1 tsp per 300 ml or 1 cup).
ii. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. The tofu needs a few minutes in this flavorful bath to warm all the way through and absorb the savory liquid.
i. Add the second round of sake, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a generous crack of coarse black pepper to the simmering liquid.
ii. Rather than stirring aggressively, give the pan a few gentle shakes or use a wide spatula to fold the sauce over itself.
Shaoxing wine, dry sherry or a dry white wine substitutes beautifully. The goal is a splash of alcohol to lift aromatics and add subtle sweetness. If you avoid alcohol in your cooking, omit it completely.
i. Let the mixture bubble gently, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes. You’re looking for the liquid to reduce by about half, which concentrates flavors and brings the sauce closer to its final clingy consistency.
ii. As the sauce reduces, taste again: if it seems too spicy, a pinch of sugar can soften the heat, if too salty, a splash of water (you’ll thicken it later anyway) balances things out.
i. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch (or potato starch) and cold water until completely smooth. Take the pan off the heat or reduce to the lowest flame, then drizzle the slurry into the sauce in a thin stream while stirring gently.
Adding it gradually prevents clumps and lets you control the final thickness.
ii. Return to a simmer for about 30 seconds; you’ll see the sauce transform from watery to glossy and cling-worthy, with a little oil rising to the surface for that classic sheen.
iii. Taste one more time and adjust: a drizzle of chili oil for extra heat, a touch more soy for salt, or a tiny pinch of sugar to round everything out.
iv. With the heat off, consider a few final flourishes based on your mood.
- A light drizzle of toasted sesame oil adds nutty fragrance.
- For a citrusy tingle, a pinch of sanshō (Japanese pepper) or Sichuan peppercorn wakes up the palate.
- A tiny splash of rice vinegar brightens the whole dish if it tastes heavy.
These are all optional.
v. Serve with cooked rice and enjoy!
If you follow the default recipe, it will yield 2-3 main servings, or 4-5 side servings.
Essential Tips & Tricks
- Sear the pork undisturbed for at least 30 seconds before breaking it up to trigger the Maillard reaction.
- Once tofu goes in, keep to a gentle simmer and mix by pan-shaking or gentle folding so cubes stay intact.
- Reduce uncovered until the bubbles look tighter and the liquid is roughly halved so seasoning concentrates before thickening.
- Whisk the slurry smooth in cold water, re-stir, then stream it in off-heat/low while gently moving the pan for a lump-free gloss.
With these simple tips in mind, you’re set for success every time you make Japanese mapo tofu.
Storage & Meal Prep
Fridge: Store in a clean, airtight container for 2-3 days. The sauce will set and may weep a little water as it chills (starch retrogradation + tofu moisture).
Freezer: Not recommended as freezing destroys the tofu’s texture.
Meal Prep: You can pre-mix the liquid sauce (broth, soy sauce, sake) and pre-chop aromatics 1 day ahead to speed up cooking. However, avoid combining the raw meat with the sauce or tofu beforehand; cook everything fresh for the correct texture.
Reheating: Gently reheat in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce back to a glossy consistency.
What to Serve With This Recipe
Mabo Dofu FAQ
Japanese mapo tofu is usually milder, sweeter, and more umami-forward, with miso helping create a cohesive, glossy sauce rather than a strong red oil separation. Sichuan versions often lean harder on málà (chili + numbing pepper) and can taste sharper and hotter.
That’s usually too much slurry or over-reducing after thickening. Starch gels tighten quickly as they cool. Add a splash of stock/water and gently warm while pan-shaking to loosen, then stop once it’s spoonable and glossy. Avoid long boiling after thickening, brief heat is enough to cook out raw starch without breaking tofu.
Yes, silken tofu creates a luxurious, custard-like texture common in authentic Sichuan versions, but it is much harder to handle. To prevent it from dissolving, you need to parboil the silken cubes in salted water for 2 minutes to tighten the protein structure before adding them to the sauce. So for weeknights, I still recommend firm tofu for mabo dofu.
More Japanese Dinner Recipes
- Tonkatsu (Deep-fried Japanese Pork Cutlet）
- Hambagu (Japanese Hamburger Steak)
- Hayashi Rice
- Crispy Teriyaki Chicken
Hungry for more? Explore my Japanese dinner ideas to find your next favorite dishes!
Did You Try This Recipe?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
💬 Leave a review and ⭐️ rating in the comments below. 📷 I also love to see your photos – submit them here!
Japanese Style Mapo Tofu (Mabodofu)
Ingredients
Pork
- 100 g ground pork or chicken, 50/50 pork-beef mix, 100% beef is not recommended
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- ½ onion finely diced
- ½ tsp sake or Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, dry white wine
- ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- ½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase) red/white mix, or red
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil or neutral oil
- ½ tbsp chili bean sauce (toban djan)
- 1 tsp grated garlic or garlic paste
- 300 g firm tofu
Broth
- 200 ml chicken bouillon or other types of bouillon of your choice
- 1 tbsp sake or Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, dry white wine
- ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- finely chopped green onions to garnish
- 2 tbsp cold water to make slurry
- 2 tsp cornstarch to make slurry, or potato starch
- 2 tsp chili oil (rayu) optional, adjust to taste
- chili threads optional garnish
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- Heat the pan on medium and add 100 g ground pork. Sprinkle it with 1 pinch salt and pepper and fry until browned. (You can add a little oil if it's sticking, but if you're using a non-stick pan, generally the pork has enough fat to prevent it from sticking to the pan.)
- Add the ½ onion (finely diced) to the pan and fry with the pork until slightly softened.
- Next, add ½ tsp sake, ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and ½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase) and mix until evenly distributed through the pork.
- Push the pork to one side of the pan and on the empty side, add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tbsp chili bean sauce (toban djan) and 1 tsp grated garlic. Mix them together for about 30 seconds – 1 minute. Once fragrant, mix into the pork.
- Pour 200 ml chicken bouillon into the pan, then mix and add 300 g firm tofu (cubed). Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
- Add 1 tbsp sake, ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), ½ tbsp oyster sauce and ¼ tsp ground black pepper to flavor the sauce. Mix or shake the pan gently to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Simmer until the sauce is reduced to about half, mixing occasionally.
- Mix 2 tbsp cold water with 2 tsp cornstarch together in a small bowl. Once smooth, pour it into the pan and mix.
- Once the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy, drizzle 2 tsp chili oil (rayu), mix and turn off the heat.
- Sprinkle with chopped finely chopped green onions and chili threads (optional). Enjoy!
Delicious! Favorite mapo dofu recipe I’ve tried so far. I minced up some mushroom with turkey for the “meat” and that turned out well. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Amanda!
Thank you for your kind words and generous rating. Also, great idea using turkey and mushroom together!
Hi Yuto,
Great Mabo Dofu recipe. I used to make Mabo Dofu from a package, but I was glad to make it from scratch with your recipe. I added green beans. It was delicious.
Thank you
Hi Sam,
Thank you for trying the recipe, I’m glad you liked it. Also thank you for the rating 🙂
I’ve never tried it with green beans, nice idea!
oops, forgot to rate the recipe. 5/5
Hello have you used Gaban curry powder?
Hi James, Thanks for your question. I’ve used Gaban curry powder before but not in this recipe.
Cooking sake or regular sake? Appreciate the recipe!
Hi Stephen,
Sorry for the late reply.
Both can be used! Just be careful of the cooking sake that contains salt as it can alter the taste of the dish or make it too salty.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Great recipe! We always bought the ‘CookDo’ Mabo Tofu sauce when we lived in Japan. Needless to say…this is WAYYYY better! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Spence,
Thank you for your kind words, glad you enjoyed the recipe!
So good! I made it pescatarian by using vegetable stock and impossible ground beef. Can’t wait to make it again!!
Thank you very much for the comment and sharing your experience! I’m glad the recipe worked well with a meat alternative too!
Hallo Yuto.
Ich liebe Mabo Tofu.
Liegt mitunter an der Chili bean sauce. <3
Lieben Dank wie immer für das Rezept.
Auch wenn du viele neue aufregende Rezepte postest, koche ich auch gerne die die älter sind und länger zurückliegen, immer wieder gerne.
Gute Zeit, bleibt gesund. Bis bald
Gruß Kathleen
Hallo Kathleen,
Danke für das Bild und den Kommentar, wie immer! Ich liebe auch chili bean sauce, vor allem die Schärfe und das Aroma!
Es freut mich, dass Ihnen meine älteren Rezepte gefallen haben! Die alten sind meistens die Klassiker!
Sie auch, Kathleen, ich freue mich, wieder von Ihnen zu hören.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Yuto
First time making this dish and it was delicious! It did not look like yours for some reason (followed instructions exact) but delicious none the less! Thank you for sharing
Hi Robbie,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your picture! Looking great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Yuto
Love this.
Recipe is now printd off and in my keep file!
Hi Trish,
Thank you! It makes me so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and added it to your collection. Hope you make it again! 🙂
Yuto
Loved this. Have printed it off and now in my keep file
I just had this for dinner…..!!!?
so tasty.
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, Trish! 🙂
I had never had Mapo Tofu before but I knew I wanted to try it. I had to substitute regular hot sauce for the chili bean sauce, but it was still delicious and I will definitely make it again. We had it with noodles.
For my own taste I would probably add some veg in the future: wilted spinach or peas.
Hi De,
Thank you for trying my recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Adding vegetables sounds like a wonderful variation! 🙂
Yuto
Delicious recipe! Used Beyond plant based ground beef, vegetable broth and kochujan & momofuku chili oil instead of tobanja, not in stores. My first recipe from your site, will try many more!
Hi Linda,
Thank you so much for trying my recipe and sharing what you used! I’m happy that it came out great with your alternatives! I’m excited for you to explore more from my site 😊
Yuto