Tofu with minced pork in a pan

Tofu with minced pork is a beloved homestyle dish in China. It’s comforting, full of umami, and incredibly easy to prepare. This recipe uses basic ingredients that pack a punch, combining the creamy, tender tofu with savory ground pork, all in a deliciously aromatic brown sauce. The tofu is lightly simmered to soak up all the flavor, while the ground pork adds a satisfying bite. A few everyday ingredients like garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce, along with a touch of Shaoxing wine, bring out the deep, comforting flavors. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and delivers authentic flavors with minimal effort. 

Tofu with minced pork served in a bowl

Tofu with minced pork ingredients

What type of tofu to use

I used firm tofu in this recipe, but you can use any type of tofu you like. Extra firm, medium and soft tofu all work really well. If you use soft tofu, you should add the liquid ingredients after cooking the aromatics, and directly add the tofu into the broth. This way you can prevent the tofu from falling apart during the stirring. 

Can I use other ground meat instead of pork?

Yes! Any ground meat will work very well in this dish. For example, ground chicken, beef (one of my favorites) and turkey all work great. 

Mise en place

When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:

  • Marinated pork
  • Chopped aromatics (ginger, garlic, green onion)
  • Cornstarch slurry
  • Chicken broth
  • Tofu, sliced
  • Soy sauce and hoisin sauce (I like to use one bowl for them because you will add them at the same time)

It’s important to marinate the pork, so it stays juicy and tender once it’s cooked. 

Ingredients for making tofu with minced pork
Tofu with minced pork close up

Prefer a spicy taste?

Add a spoonful of chili crisp oil and this dish will taste quite similar to mapo tofu! If you prefer an authentic tasting mapo tofu, check out my mapo tofu recipe here. 

How to make tofu with minced pork

To cook tofu with minced pork, first brown the pork, then gently saute the aromatics.

Browning ground meat in a pan
Add the aromatics

Gently saute the tofu, then add the broth and season to simmer.

Saute the tofu
Braise in the broth

Lastly, pour in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, then finish up with the green part of the green onion.

Add the cornstarch slurry
Finish up with green onion

Once it’s done, the tender tofu and pork will be coated with a glossy brown sauce that is savory and fragrant. It is such a comforting dish that is sure to become a family favorite.

How to serve tofu with minced pork

You can serve tofu with minced pork by itself as a main dish, or over steamed rice. It’s also a great dish for dinner served along with soup and other side dishes. Consider serving it with the dishes below for an easy, healthy dinner:

Homestyle tofu with minced pork

Other delicious tofu recipes

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Tofu with minced pork combines the rich, savory taste of ground pork with the soft, delicate texture of tofu, creating a flavorful, comforting meal. It’s a great dish to try if you love mapo tofu but don’t want all the fiery spice.

Tofu With Minced Pork

By Maggie Zhu
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
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Tofu with minced pork combines the rich, savory taste of ground pork with the soft, delicate texture of tofu, creating a flavorful, comforting meal. It’s a great dish to try if you love mapo tofu but don’t want all the fiery spice.
To make the dish gluten free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, and use tamari instead of soy sauce. Use hoisin sauce or a gluten-free oyster sauce.

Ingredients 

Marinating

For braising

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 green onion , sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1 teaspoon ginger , minced
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 1 block (400-g / 14-oz) firm tofu
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (or oyster sauce)

Instructions

  • Combine the ground pork, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl. Mix well with your hand.
  • Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the ground pork. Spread it out and cook until the bottom is browned. Chop the pork into smaller pieces and stir, until the surface has turned golden.
  • Add the green onion white part, ginger, and garlic. Stir fry to release fragrance, 1 minute or so.
  • Add the tofu. Stir everything together, 1 minute or so.
  • Pour in the broth, add the soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Stir to mix well. Cook until brought to a simmer. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly reduced.
  • Mix cornstarch water again until fully dissolved and swirl it into the skillet. Gently stir a few times with a spatula, until sauce thickens. Taste the tofu (be careful, it will be very hot!). Adjust seasoning by adding salt if needed. Add the green onion green part and give it a final mix. Turn off heat and transfer everything to a bowl. Serve hot over steamed rice or by itself as a main dish.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Notes

  1. If you like a spicy taste, add 1 tablespoon of chili oil and this dish will taste quite like mapo tofu!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 136kcal, Carbohydrates: 7.1g, Protein: 12.4g, Fat: 7.1g, Saturated Fat: 1.4g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 641mg, Potassium: 304mg, Fiber: 1.5g, Sugar: 3g, Calcium: 152mg, Iron: 2mg

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