By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on October 4, 2026
Serves 4
480 cal · 25 min
Weeknight Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork
Recipe GLPR53b6c3d05e6a40
Rate this recipe
Average rating: 3.8 (1)
A quick weeknight version of the classic Sichuan dish, featuring seasoned ground pork simmered in a fragrant broth with silken tofu. The dish combines heat from jalapeño and numbing Sichuan peppercorns, depth from black bean garlic sauce, and aromatics of garlic, ginger, and scallions for a satisfying one-pot meal ready in about 25 minutes. Served over steamed white rice and garnished with fresh basil.
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Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 oz ground pork
1 medium jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
4 clove garlic cloves, sliced
1½ inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 whole scallions, chopped, plus more for serving
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns or black pepper
2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp Chinese black bean garlic sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 lb silken tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
to taste fresh basil leaves, torn
as needed steamed white rice, for serving
Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork without stirring and let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes until deeply browned on the bottom. Break the pork into small bite-sized pieces with a spoon or spatula, stir, and continue cooking while stirring occasionally for another 3 minutes until the meat is browned all over and cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
Add the sliced jalapeño, garlic, ginger, and chopped scallions to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until the aromatics are softened and the mixture becomes very fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until the paste slightly darkens in color and becomes well incorporated.
Pour in the chicken broth and black bean garlic sauce, stirring well to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth to form a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering broth, stirring gently. Return to a simmer and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Carefully add the tofu pieces to the pot. Cover and let simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the tofu is heated through. Do not stir during this time, as the delicate tofu may break apart.
Divide the mapo tofu into serving bowls. Top each bowl with fresh torn basil leaves and additional chopped scallions. Serve immediately over steamed white rice.
Comments
Mapo tofu hits most marks for a Charlotte weeknight but demands a specialty stop. Sichuan peppercorn and black bean garlic sauce live at Harris Teeter's Asian section (or a dedicated Chinese market), while silken tofu is easy at any major chain. The stated 25 minutes is honest if you prep beforehand, but adds 10 minutes of mincing garlic, ginger, and scallion. At roughly $2 per serving, it's reasonable once you have the pantry items stocked. This is a same-night dish that does not keep well because tofu texture collapses on reheat—plan to serve all four portions immediately.
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