Mabo Tofu Recipe
Mabo Tofu (麻婆豆腐, also spelled Mapo Tofu) is a popular Chinese-inspired dish in Japan. It features tofu simmered in a garlicky, spicy meat sauce and is typically served with a bowl of steamed rice. Although it originated in China, Mabo Tofu has become a beloved part of everyday Japanese home cooking. Our version is easy to make with ingredients you may already have in your Japanese pantry.
What is Mabo Tofu?
Mabo Tofu is so popular in Japan that you can find it on the menus of Chinese restaurants throughout the country. It’s also a staple dinner entrée in many Japanese homes. Some people make the sauce from scratch, while others use instant sauce packets from the supermarket. With a packet of instant sauce, all you need to add is tofu. These convenient packets save time and eliminate the need to keep specialty Chinese seasonings in your kitchen that you might not use very often. The flavor is surprisingly good, too.
So why make Mabo Tofu from scratch? Because you can make a delicious Japanese-style version with ingredients from a typical Japanese pantry. Many people don’t realize how easy it is.
Traditional Chinese Mabo Tofu typically uses fermented bean pastes, such as doubanjiang (a spicy fermented bean paste). In our recipe, we use miso as a substitute for some of these seasonings. You can use red miso or regular miso, depending on what you have on hand. For heat, we use Takanotsume, small dried Japanese chili peppers, instead of chili paste.
Keep in mind that this is not an authentic Chinese Mabo Tofu recipe, nor is it quite the same as the version you might find at a Chinese restaurant in the US or China. This is Japanese-style Mabo Tofu, a home-cooked version that has evolved to suit Japanese tastes, much like ramen and gyoza have become part of Japan’s own food culture.
If you’ve never tried Japanese-style Mabo Tofu, give this easy recipe a try. It’s quick, simple, and delicious.
Short Video
Tips and Substitutions
- Adjust the heat to your liking. Takanotsume chili peppers can be quite spicy, so start with just one or two if you’re cooking for kids or prefer a milder flavor. If you like spicy food, add more to taste. You can also use crushed red pepper instead.
- Use the miso you have on hand. Red miso has a deeper, stronger flavor, while regular miso works well, too. Either is a convenient substitute for some of the traditional Chinese seasonings.
- Serve with steamed rice. The savory, spicy meat sauce pairs perfectly with warm rice, making this dish a satisfying weeknight dinner.
With just a few everyday ingredients, you can make comforting Japanese-style Mabo Tofu at home. It’s an easy way to enjoy a popular Japanese favorite without relying on instant sauce packets.
More recipes like Mabo Tofu
The recipe was originally published on September 6, 2016. The post was fully updated on October 13, 2026 with revised text, a short video, and new photos.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Tofu (about 14 oz or 400g)
- 3 green onions
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- 1 Japanese dried red pepper (Takanotsume)
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Seasonings
- 2 Tbsp Miso paste
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Sake
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp Katakuriko potato starch (or corn starch)
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Cut Tofu into 1″ cubes. Slice green onions thinly. Set aside. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the seasonings until Miso dissolves. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok at medium heat, add garlic, ginger, and red pepper, and stir. Add ground pork and cook until browned. Add the seasonings and let it boil. Add cut Tofu and stir gently. When Tofu is cooked through, stir in green onions and sesame oil.
Hi! May I know how many servings would this make? Thanks!
An excellent recipe.
First time I enjoyed tofu as a main.
If you prepare it is very easy to make.
Thank you
Didnt have miso on hand but went for it anyway and it turner out yummy to me. I love mabo so will need to try it with miso paste next time
Thanks for this. My kids don’t like spicy things, so I left out the red pepper. I also LOVE onions (and onions are so healthy), so I included half of a white onion, sauteed with the pork. I’m serving it with spinach ohitashi. And, though it makes it less “Japanese”, I used “firm” Tofu because that makes the dish more durable for leftovers, and I doubled the recipe. I use Japanese cookbooks too, but your site is handy because I don’t have to consider the metric/English conversions. 🙂
Love this recipe. On our weekly menu.
I found if you want less salty put an apple wedge in there, it makes whatever pre-cooked greens in sauce + meat and stew process step it makes taste a little better.
I also added 1 1/2 c. water, it made more watery. Want to stop it, make more thick 2 TB cornstarch.
Add bonito flakes to tie the flavor. No chili bean paste is required. Chicken stock was used.
Soy-sauce has to be replaced every 4 months, though.
unless it is aged or kept in a cool place.