【One Pan】Easy Mapo Tofu Vegan(Japanese Recipe)

When I don’t want to think about what to cook, Japanese mapo tofu is my meal-saver, since I always have tofu and frozen peas at home.

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How Easy to make Vegan Japanese Mapo Tofu?

Basically, cook the tofu and peas (both require short cooking time), mix the sauce, combine everything together, then you’re done!

It’s a no-brainer recipe.

What’s the Difference Between Chinese and Japanese Mapo Tofu?

Japanese adapted Chinese recipes and integrated into their cuisine, and one of them is mapo tofu. But they often cook in different ways.

In Chinese mapo tofu, you often find Sichuan peppercorns in use, which gives a unique numbness while eating. Also, Chinese people would fry the mapo sauce in oil over high heat to release the maximum fragrance.

For Japanese, since the Sichuan peppercorn is a rare find, it’s not a must while cooking. Instead, they incorporate miso in it to offer extra umami. And in the recipe book 《調味料の料理帳》 I refer to, rice vinegar is also added to give a mild acidity, which makes the whole dish not feel too greasy.

A Few Notes Before You Cook

• Veg：If you don’t like green peas, swap to other veggies you like! I think sweet corn or diced peppers will work too!
• Sodium / Mapo Sauce：The sodium levels vary in every miso, soy sauce and mapo sauce. Better to try it out bit by bit to find your favourite combination. Also, while salt is not required since miso and soy sauce provide enough sodium, sugar should be added to balance the overall taste.
• Tofu : I personally like to cook them till they’re slightly browned. But I think it’s not necessary since the crispiness can’t be survived with the mapo sauce.