Easy High Protein Mapo ToFu Recipe
Mapo Tofu is a high-protein meal that’s flavorful, satisfying, and easy to prepare. It is perfect for anyone looking to pack in protein without sacrificing flavors. In this blog post, I’ll show you how to make Mapo Tofu with high protein rice that is packed with 44 grams of protein and only 400 calories.
Traditionally Mapo Tofu is made with ground pork in a chili bean sauce, and can be high in fat and calories. But with a few tweaks, this dish can be a protein-packed powerhouse that fits into any high-protein meal plan.
If you are looking for more high protein meals, check out my High Protein Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Spicy Shrimp Hand Rolls, and Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Tofu Recipe.
Why is Mapo Tofu a Great High Protein Meal
Tofu is already a fantastic source of plant-based protein, offering around 30-35 grams per tofu block. Add in a lean meat or plant-based ground alternative, and you can easily hit 30–40 grams of protein per serving.
How to Make Mapo Tofu More Macro-Friendly
- Use Lean Ground Meat: Turkey, chicken, or lean beef are great options. Here in this recipe, I’m using 93% lean ground beef.
- Use Bone Broth: Using bone broth instead of water adds about 20 grams of extra protein into the dish.
- Use Extra-Firm Tofu: Soft tofu is already high in protein, but if you want even more protein, use firm or extra-firm tofu instead.
- Serve with High Protein Rice: Mapo Tofu is typically served with white rice. Use bone broth instead of water to cook your rice to add another 20 grams of protein.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this easy high protein mapo tofu:
- Tofu: I’m using soft tofu in this recipe, but you can also use firm tofu, which has slightly more protein content.
- Ground Beef: look for the leanest beef possible. Here I am using 93% lean ground beef.
- Bone Broth: Use bone broth instead of water to increase protein. I used Kettle & Fire Beef Bone Broth, which has about 19 grams of protein per container. You can use my code ONEHAPPYBITE20 to get 20% off.
- Douban Sauce or Chili Bean Sauce: this is the key ingredient to make the aromatic sauce for Mapo Tofu.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Mapo Tofu
- Cook ground beef until brown, then add garlic, ginger, and white parts of green onion. Cook for a few minutes.
- Add soy sauce, cooking wine, douban chili bean sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Add cubed tofu and bone broth. Stir gently, then let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add cornstarch slurry. Mix, and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.
How to Make High Protein Rice
Replacing water with bone broth when making rice adds protein because the broth contains collagen, gelatin, and amino acids extracted from bones and connective tissue. It’s a simple way to enhance both the nutrition and flavor of your rice.
First, wash the rice until the water runs clear. Then cook the rice like you normally do in a pot or a rice cooker. Bone broth takes a little longer time to absorb so it does take a longer time to cook rice, about 20-22 minutes.
Equipment
How to Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, microwave mapo tofu until warm.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Make sure you also tag me @onehappybite on Instagram and hashtag it #onehappybite so I can see your creations!
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Easy High Protein Mapo ToFu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 block (16 oz) soft tofu, cut into cubes
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90% or 93% lean)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 5 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ginger, minced
- 2 scallion chopped, separate white and green parts
- 2 tbsp low sodium light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 3 tbsp doubang sauce (chili bean paste)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp Sichuan pepper, optional (omit if you don't like spicy)
- 2 cups beef bone broth
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
High Protein Bone Broth Rice
- 1-1.5 cup rice
- 2 cups bone broth
Instructions
- In a large pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Cook ground beef until brown.
- Add garlic, ginger, and chopped scallion (white part). Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Then add soy sauce, cooking wine, Doubang sauce, salt, and white pepper. (Optional: add Sichuan pepper if you like spicy) Cook over medium heat and keep stirring until the meat is evenly coated with Doubang sauce.
- To make cornstarch slurry, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoon of water in a small bowel. Add cornstarch slurry to the tofu mixture to thicken the sauce. Stir gently a few times with a spatula, let is simmer until sauce thickens.
- Sprinkle the green parts of green onion on top. Serve hot with a bowl of rice and enjoy!
High Protein Bone Broth Rice
- Wash the rice until the water runs clear.
- In a cooking pot, add rice and bone broth. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and continue to cook for about 20-22 minutes until the broth has absorbed and rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
