Mapo Tofu Noodles

Name: Mapo Tofu Noodles With Ground Pork
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 medium yellow onion; 3 cloves garlic; 1 inch piece fresh ginger; 2 tbsp cooking oil; 1 lb ground pork; 1.5 cups chicken stock; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp Sichuan chili flakes; 2 tbsp Korean chili powder (gochugaru); 1 tbsp sweetener; 2 tsp MSG; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 1/4 cup water; 1 (14 oz) block soft tofu; 12 oz somen noodles; 3 green onions; 1 tsp sesame seeds

Mapo Tofu Noodles is a quick, spicy-savory noodle bowl built on a ground pork sauce infused with garlic, ginger, and a balanced blend of soy, oyster, and fish sauce. The dish comes together in under 20 minutes and delivers restaurant-quality depth on a weeknight timeline.

🌍Asian 🏷️Mapo tofu 🏷️Noodles 🏷️Ground pork 🏷️Spicy Savory

🏷️

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TikTok

Total

30 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$35–$58

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

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TikTok

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 inch piece fresh ginger
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 lb ground pork
1.5 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Sichuan chili flakes
2 tbsp Korean chili powder (gochugaru)
1 tbsp sweetener
2 tsp MSG
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 (14 oz) block soft tofu
12 oz somen noodles
3 green onionsoptional
1 tsp sesame seedsoptional

20 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Finely dice the onion, and grate the garlic and ginger.
2
Heat cooking oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat.
3
Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it's browned and slightly crispy.
4
Add the diced onion and cook for about one minute until slightly softened.
5
Add the grated ginger and garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
6
Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan.
7
Season the sauce with soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil.
8
Add the Sichuan chili flakes, Korean chili powder, sweetener, and MSG. Stir everything to combine.
9
Bring the sauce to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
10
While the sauce simmers, prepare a cornstarch slurry by whisking together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth.
11
Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
12
Meanwhile, cook the somen noodles according to package directions in a separate pot of boiling water.
13
Gently fold the cubed soft tofu into the sauce and cook for one more minute to heat through.
14
Drain the cooked noodles and divide them into serving bowls. Ladle a generous amount of the mapo tofu sauce over the noodles.
15
Garnish with plenty of sliced green onions and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds before serving.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Brown the ground pork thoroughly over medium-high heat before adding aromatics—this builds fond for deeper sauce flavor.
Toast minced garlic and ginger in oil for 30 seconds before adding pork to bloom their aromatics without burning.
Simmer the sauce for 3–4 minutes after adding stock to let soy, oyster, and fish sauce meld into one cohesive flavor.
Cook somen just until tender and drain well—excess starch water dilutes the sauce. Toss noodles with a few drops of sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Substitutions

Ground pork → ground chicken or turkey (use same weight; cooking time stays the same)
Chicken stock → beef stock or vegetable stock (beef adds deeper savor; vegetable keeps it lighter)
Soy sauce + oyster sauce → tamari + soy sauce (for gluten-free; keep fish sauce if tolerated)
Sesame oil → neutral oil for finishing (sesame oil is optional but adds toasted aroma)

Storage & make-ahead

Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop and serve over freshly cooked noodles. Sauce does not freeze well due to the emulsion of oils.