Mapo Tempeh

Now that we have okara tempeh, it’s time to put it to use. Let’s make Mapo Tempeh!

This Chinese-inspired dish features tender tempeh served in a rich, spicy, and meaty sauce! The best part of this recipe, except its deliciousness, is that it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare!

Before starting, let’s talk a bit about the tempeh. You can use any tempeh you have on hand for this recipe, although I prefer the smooth texture of okara tempeh. If using okara tempeh, make sure your tempeh is very firm and not crumbly. If your tempeh has not incubated enough, it will have a crumbly texture and will disintegrate in this recipe, so be careful with that.

Now, let’s start cooking! First, sauté minced garlic, shallots, and ginger until fragrant. Next, to add a meaty texture and replace the ground meat used in the authentic Mapo Tofu recipe, we are using finely diced mushrooms.

Once mushrooms are cooked, it’s time to add the seasonings. The main flavor comes from the chili bean sauce, also called Doubanjiang. It’s a Chinese condiment made from fermented soybeans and chilis. You can find it online or at your local Asian shop.

Then, we have soy sauce for extra saltiness and maple syrup to balance with the spiciness of the dish.

Add the okara tempeh, cover with water, and let simmer until the sauce has reduced. Add dissolved cornstarch to thicken the sauce, and top with green onions and a pinch of Sichuan pepper!

This saucy mapo tempeh is seriously delicious on top of white rice. It’s super comforting, quite spicy, and easy to make!

Looking for more spicy tofu dishes? Check out these Chili Crispy Tofu Bowls, Stuffed Tofu in Spicy Tomato Sauce, or these Spicy Seaweed Tofu Rolls!

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!