Spicy Garlic Tofu: 20 Minute Recipe! - The Woks of Life (2025)

This spicy garlic tofu is quick and easy to throw together, taking just 10 minutes to cook. It’s and really tasty over rice, with a side of stir-fried greens.

It’s sort of a variation on mapo tofu, a popular Sichuan dish. Garlic is the star in this version, however, and it’s also on the milder, slightly sweeter side. (We use sweet hoisin sauce in addition to spicy bean sauce, and don’t use Sichuan peppercorns.) It’s also easier to make!

While we originally published this recipe in June 2013, we decided to bring it up to 2021 standards! We’ve re-tested and rephotographed it, and added metric measurements. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Be sure to cut the tofu into ¾” cubes. Cut them too big, and there’s less surface area for the sauce to cling to, rendering the tofu a bit bland. Cut them too small, and the delicate cubes may break up too easily.
• If you don’t eat pork, substitute ground chicken. For a vegetarian substitute, try finely chopped king oyster mushrooms or oyster mushrooms.
• Have all your ingredients ready to go before you turn on the stove. This dish comes together quickly!

Spicy Garlic Tofu: Recipe Instructions

Heat the oil in your wok over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic begins to turn golden at the edges.

Add the ground pork, and stir-fry until browned, about 1-2 minutes.

Increase the heat to high, and add the shallots.

Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the shallots begin to turn translucent. Stir in the Shaoxing wine, hoisin sauce and spicy bean paste, and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Add the chicken stock, white pepper, sugar, and sesame oil.

Bring the sauce to a simmer. Mix the cornstarch slurry, and pour into the sauce. Simmer for 30 seconds, until the sauce has thickened.

Add the tofu cubes…

And gently stir them into the sauce. Allow it to simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in the scallions.

And serve with steamed rice!