This is the kind of dish that is perfect for those weekday nights when you just want something effortless yet delicious. You basically just throw everything in one pan and let it do the work. Tender beef slices meld with silky tofu in a deeply savory, spicy sauce that’s addictive and bold, while cabbage adds freshness and texture. It’s protein-packed, surprisingly low in calories, and an effortlessly delicious comfort food that proves lazy cooking can taste absolutely incredible.
One Pan, Zero Fuss, Maximum Flavor
This is the definition of lazy cooking done right. Spicy, savory, and deeply satisfying with just one pan to clean up afterward. The beef becomes tender in the sauce, the tofu soaks up all those bold mapo flavors, and the cabbage adds a fresh contrast. It’s protein-packed, surprisingly light on calories, and tastes like pure comfort without any of the effort.
Don’t skip the doubanjiang
This spicy bean paste is the soul of the dish—it gives you that authentic mapo tofu flavor that makes everything taste incredible. Don’t skip it, It’s worth buying the real thing from an Asian market for the best flavor.
Fragile tofu, handle gently
Stir carefully when adding the tofu so the cubes stay intact rather than breaking into smaller pieces. Broken tofu won’t have that nice silky texture that makes mapo tofu special.
Adjust heat to your preference
Start with 1 tbsp doubanjiang and 1 tsp chilli powder, then taste before adding more. You can always make it spicier, but you can’t take the heat back out once it’s in the pan.
Ingredients (serves 2)
thinly sliced beef
150-200 grams
soft or medium firm tofu
300 grams
green cabbage
1/2
sichuan doubanjiang (spicy bean sauce)
1-2 tablespoons
chilli powder
1 teaspoon
soy sauce
1 tablespoon
sugar
1 teaspoon
salt
1 teaspoon
black pepper
1/2 teaspoon
water
1/2 cup
Steps
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1-2 tbsp sichuan doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and ½ cup water. Set aside.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add thinly sliced beef as the first layer. Top with soft or medium firm tofu scooped directly into the pot. Hand peel leaves from ¼ green cabbage (washed) and tear them into bite-sized pieces, then layer on top of the tofu.
- Pour the mixed sauce over all the ingredients, making sure everything is well coated. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat and let it cook for 5-7 minutes. The beef will cook through, the tofu will absorb the flavors, and the cabbage will soften while still maintaining a slight crunch.
- After simmering, gently stir everything together to combine and distribute the sauce evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (add more chilli powder for heat or soy sauce for saltiness). Serve immediately and enjoy!
notwasabi 
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