✨ Newdinner
Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)
Silky soft tofu in a fiery, deeply savoury Sichuan sauce of fermented black beans, doubanjiang chilli paste, minced pork and the signature mala numbing spice.
⏱ 30 min🔥 290 kcalMedium
★4.7(2,890)
🇨🇳
Chinese Tofu Recipes
10 recipes using tofu — Dim sum, Peking duck, kung pao chicken and the world's richest culinary heritage.
These 10 chinese tofu recipes are ready in about 35 minutes on average, with 180–360 kcal per serving, and 20% are rated easy enough for a weeknight. Every recipe includes exact ingredient quantities, step-by-step instructions and full nutrition per serving.
10
recipes
35 min
average time
310 kcal
avg per serving
20%
easy recipes
How Chinese cuisine cooks with tofu
Chinese cooking balances texture, heat and the harmony of flavours — fast wok work and slow braises drawn from a vast regional repertoire. When Chinese cooks work with tofu, they reach for soy sauce, ginger, garlic, spring onion, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil, and the techniques that come up most across these recipes are simmering, frying, steaming and stir-frying.
A protein-rich soybean curd that acts as a flavour sponge — neutral on its own, irresistible once marinated and seared. In this collection it's most often cooked with cornstarch, ground pork, doubanjiang, chicken stock, soy sauce and fermented black beans. The dishes here span chinese classics ready in as little as 25 minutes to slower, more involved cooking that rewards a relaxed afternoon.
Reader favourite: Mapo Tofu is the highest-rated dish in this collection at 4.9★ from 2,840 ratings.
10 Chinese Tofu Recipes
✨ Newdinner
Mapo Tofu
Silken tofu simmered in a fiery, numbing sauce of fermented black beans, doubanjiang and ground pork — Sichuan's most iconic and beloved dish.
⏱ 35 min🔥 310 kcalMedium
★4.8(2,341)
dinner
Sichuan Mapo Tofu
Silken tofu in a fiery, numbing Sichuan sauce with minced pork and dried chilies.
⏱ 30 min🔥 280 kcalMedium
★4.8(892)
dinner
Mapo Tofu
Sichuan silken tofu with spicy bean sauce and ground pork — numbing, fiery, deeply savory.
⏱ 30 min🔥 340 kcalMedium
★4.9(2,840)
✨ Newdinner
Sichuan Mapo Tofu
Sichuan's iconic silky tofu in a numbing-hot sauce of doubanjiang, fermented black beans, and ground pork.
⏱ 25 min🔥 340 kcalEasy
★4.9(2,840)
✨ Newdinner
Mapo Tofu (Classic Sichuan)
Silken tofu in a fierce red sauce of doubanjiang, fermented black beans, ground beef and Sichuan peppercorns — numbing, spicy, savoury heaven over rice.
⏱ 30 min🔥 360 kcalMedium
★4.9(1,980)
✨ Newsoup
Suan La Tang (Chinese Hot and Sour Soup)
A tangy, peppery Chinese soup with tofu, mushrooms and egg ribbons, thickened lightly and finished with black vinegar and white pepper.
⏱ 40 min🔥 180 kcalEasy
★4.5(36)
✨ Newdinner
Niang Doufu (Chinese Stuffed Tofu with Pork)
Firm tofu cubes hollowed and stuffed with seasoned ground pork, pan-fried and braised in a light savory sauce, a Hakka Chinese classic.
⏱ 55 min🔥 320 kcalMedium
★4.3(20)
✨ Newdinner
Mapo Tofu (Sichuan Spicy Tofu and Ground Pork)
Silken tofu simmered in a fiery, numbing Sichuan sauce with ground pork, fermented beans and Sichuan peppercorn, a bold regional classic.
⏱ 35 min🔥 340 kcalMedium
★4.7(51)
✨ Newdinner
Mapo Doufu (Sichuan Spicy Tofu Stew)
Silky tofu and ground pork simmered in a fiery, numbing Sichuan sauce of doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorn, a beloved regional classic.
⏱ 35 min🔥 340 kcalMedium
★4.2(85)
Choosing & preparing tofu
How to choose
Firm and extra-firm tofu hold their shape for frying and grilling; silken tofu is for soups, sauces and blending. Check the date and that it's stored in clean water.
Prep & storage
Press firm tofu to expel water so it crisps and absorbs marinade. A cornflour coating gives shallow-fried cubes a golden crust; freezing then thawing makes it chewier.
Nutrition
A complete plant protein that's low in saturated fat and a useful source of iron and calcium.
Classic flavour partners: soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame, chilli, spring onion
Chinese Tofu Recipes — FAQ
How long do Chinese tofu recipes take to make?
Most of these 10 Chinese tofu recipes are ready in around 35 minutes from start to finish. The quickest, Sichuan Mapo Tofu, takes about 25 minutes, while the slower-cooked dishes run up to 55 minutes.
How many calories are in Chinese tofu dishes?
Across this collection they range from about 180 to 360 kcal per serving, averaging 310 kcal — Suan La Tang (Chinese Hot and Sour Soup) is the lightest option at 180 kcal.
What is the easiest Chinese tofu recipe for beginners?
Sichuan Mapo Tofu is a great place to start — it's rated easy and comes together in about 25 minutes. 20% of the recipes here are beginner-friendly.
What goes well with tofu in Chinese cooking?
In these recipes, tofu is most often paired with cornstarch, ground pork, doubanjiang, chicken stock, soy sauce and fermented black beans. Chinese kitchens also lean on soy sauce, ginger, garlic, spring onion, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil.
More Chinese Recipes by Ingredient
Tofu Recipes from Other Cuisines
Free Kitchen Tools
Calculators and converters that pair with this page — no signup needed.