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Sichuan · Chinese

Home-style tofu

Vegetarian

家常豆腐 · jiā cháng dòu fu

Slices of firm tofu pan-fried until golden, then braised with chilli bean paste, mushrooms, peppers and wood ear in a savoury sauce — a Sichuan everyday dish.

Home-style tofu is a Sichuan main course from China, ready in about 30 minutes and made with tofu and chilli bean paste (doubanjiang). It serves 3 and is rated easy to cook.

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Top view of a vegan Asian dish with tofu, vegetables, and chopsticks on a white plate.
Photo: Polina Tankilevitch / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
3
Level
Easy
Calories
388

Ingredients

3 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the tofu (opens in a new tab) slices over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes a side until golden. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the remaining oil in a wok (opens in a new tab) over medium-low heat and fry the chilli bean paste (opens in a new tab) until red, then the garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger until fragrant.

    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the shiitake (opens in a new tab), wood ear (opens in a new tab) and pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

    • 2 min
    • high heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the tofu (opens in a new tab), soy sauce (opens in a new tab), sugar (opens in a new tab) and water and simmer for 4 minutes so the tofu absorbs the sauce. Thicken with the cornstarch (opens in a new tab) mixed with a little water, toss in the spring onion (opens in a new tab) and serve.

    • 5 min
    • medium heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Sichuan, China · Commonly attributedMore food from China
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses
Cooking method
Pan-fried, Braised
Taste
savoury, spicy (chilli heat), umami
Diet
Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein · Carb-conscious · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Tofu · Chilli bean paste (doubanjiang) · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Shiitake mushrooms · Green bell pepper
Techniques
Pan-frying · Stir-frying · Simmering · Braising

Allergens

  • Contains: Wheatfrom chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), soy sauce
  • Contains: Glutenfrom chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), soy sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom tofu, chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), soy sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

388 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 300 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 27%
  • Carbohydrate 14%
  • Fat 59%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy388 kcal129 kcal
Protein28.5 g9.5 g
Carbohydrate14.4 g4.8 g
Net carbohydrate8.8 g2.9 g
Sugars——
Added sugars1.4 g0.5 g
Fibre5.5 g1.8 g
Fat27.3 g9.1 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat0.1 g0 g
Cholesterol——
Sodium560 mg187 mg
Salt equivalent1.4 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
597 mg
Calcium
1053 mg
Iron
4.7 mg
Magnesium
108 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
—
Vitamin D
0.1 µg
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
60 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: wood ear mushrooms.
  • Chilli bean paste (doubanjiang): Miso (FDC 172442) as a stand-in: both are salted fermented soybean pastes; doubanjiang adds chilli and broad beans.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Slices of pork are often fried with the bean paste in restaurant versions.

Common mistakes

  • Moving the tofu too soon in the pan before a crust forms.

Serve with

  • Serve with rice.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Reheat in a pan with a splash of water.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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