RecipesMD
Plays on YouTube · loads when you press play

← Recipes from creators

Chinese · J. Kenji López-Alt

Mapo tofu

From the video “The Wok: My Mom's Mapo Tofu | Kenji's Cooking Show” by J. Kenji López-Alt. RecipesMD is not affiliated with J. Kenji López-Alt. Steps are in our own words.

Machine-read from the video · not yet checked by a personEasyFine for a weeknight
Mild
Total time
~10 min
est.
Serves
~3
est.
Cost
~$2.13*
per serving, Ontario (~3 portions assumed)save ~$14.87* vs ordering out
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
12

Ingredients

  • No pork

May contain gluten, soy

Read from the ingredient list. Check packaging if you have an allergy.

The video doesn’t say how many this serves, so amounts are shown as made in the video.

Ontario grocery estimate*

~$6.40*for the batch in the video
~$2.13*per serving

You save about ~$14.87* per serving (87% less*) than ordering it out — ~$44.60* for ~3 portions.

Order out = a typical Ontario mapo tofu with rice, before delivery fees, tax and tip.

6 ingredients priced from Ontario averages · 3 predicted from typical costs · not priced: firm silken tofu, sake

* Estimate, not a quote: 3 line(s) we couldn't price were filled with typical costs for their type; the video doesn't state how many it serves, so 3 portions were assumed; restaurant comparison is a typical Ontario mapo tofu with rice at ~$17, before delivery fees, tax and tip. Prices: Ontario averages (StatCan 2026-07) + RecipesMD estimates, pro-rated, staples excluded.

  • shown
  • shown
  • shown
  • shown
  • estimated
  • shown
  • stated
  • shown
  • stated
  • stated
  • shown
  • shown

stated said or written in the video · shown seen in the video · estimated our guess (1 here)

Nutrition & health

Nutrition per serving261 kcal · 13% of 2,000
Fat14 g18%
Saturated fat2.7 g14%
Sodium686 mg30%
Carbohydrate12 g4%
Fiber0.8 g3%
Total sugars5.8 gno daily value
Added sugars4.3 g9%
Protein20 g40%

Estimate from the ingredient list — not dietary advice. % Daily Value uses FDA reference amounts; 5% or less is low, 20% or more is high. Added sugars are counted from sweeteners and sweet sauces in the list.

Health indexMiddle of the road
  • Starting point60
  • Protein+20 of 20
  • Fiber+4 of 20
  • Saturated fat−10 of 20
  • Sodium−20 of 20
  • Added sugars (estimate)−7 of 20

RecipesMD health index — an estimate from the ingredient list, not medical or dietary advice

From 10 of 10 ingredient lines (100% of the measured weight), divided into 3 servings (estimated: 567 g protein foods at ~170 g per serving; model check 2 agrees). Not counted because the video gives no amount: crunchy garlic chili oil. Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy (2018-04, public domain) + 4 Branded Foods records.

Equipment

  • wok
  • wok spatula
  • chef's knife
  • cutting board
  • prep bowls

What the video didn’t say

  • Exact serving count was not specified.
  • Exact prep/cook times were not provided.
Cook it this week →Watch on YouTube ↗Markdown

Read from the public video by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-10-01. Thumbnail and video are J. Kenji López-Alt’s, shown through YouTube’s official embed.

Same dish, other creators

Other versions of mapo tofu

Compare side by sideMapo tofu: 2 versions2 creator versions · from ~$1.73*/servingChinese Cooking DemystifiedJ. Kenji López-Alt

More from J. Kenji López-Alt

Also from this channel

All from J. Kenji López-Alt →

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about Mapo tofu

What makes J. Kenji López-Alt's Mapo tofu recipe and technique special?

J. Kenji López-Alt's take on Mapo tofu focuses on home kitchen precision, balancing Chinese flavors with an estimated under 30 minutes total preparation time. Crucial step: Folding tofu gently prevents breaking; slurry must be fully dissolved. Every step is timestamped to the exact second in the video so you can follow along hands-free.

How much does it cost to make Mapo tofu at Ontario grocery prices?

Based on Statistics Canada benchmark consumer food pricing, this Mapo tofu recipe costs approximately economical home-cooked pricing per serving (yielding 2 to 4 portions). Home cooking saves an estimated 60% to 75% compared to ordering takeout at a restaurant.

Can I make Mapo tofu ahead of time or store leftovers?

Yes. Leftover Mapo tofu can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. If the recipe contains delicate leafy greens or dressed ingredients, keep the dressing separate until ready to serve to maintain crisp texture.

What substitutions can I make in J. Kenji López-Alt's Mapo tofu?

This recipe utilizes approximately 12 ingredients across 9 steps. For gluten-free adaptations, swap regular soy sauce or flour with tamari or cornstarch. For vegetarian adaptations, replace meat proteins with extra-firm tofu, mushrooms, or legumes while preserving the aromatics.

Where can I watch the video tutorial for Mapo tofu?

The official cooking video by J. Kenji López-Alt is embedded directly on RecipesMD, featuring video timeline scrubbing that jumps directly to each step, adjustable playback speeds, and Kitchen Mode.