These vegetarian mapo tofu lettuce wraps double up as appetizer and dinner and use shiitake mushrooms instead of pork for that same great taste! Vegan and Gluten Free too.
Welcome to another summer recipe today - Vegetarian Mapo Tofu Lettuce Wraps which are our new favourite appetiser/ dinner/ snack. Meaning great as an appetiser and even more perfect as dinner.
The weathers touching 30’s now and April is exactly ten days away which means we need to be armed with all kinds of light, healthy recipes that are also 100% tasty at the same time. And these vegetarian mapo tofu lettuce wraps are EVERYTHING right now. I’m showing you a few time saving tips to make sure you always get the best lettuce wraps at home, just like your favourite Chinese place!
Make the Best Vegetarian Mapo Tofu Lettuce Wraps
First up I always have some Mothers Recipe’s ginger garlic paste on hand. And this pre-made paste has saved me so many times. It has the same homemade ginger garlic paste taste, but all you need to do is open the pack and use. I use it all the time in my recipes and its perfect for these vegetarian mapo tofu lettuce wraps. Also the ginger garlic paste now comes in a super handy tub which makes it really easy to store and use as you go. So no peeling or grinding, just pull the lid off and you are good to go! Mothers Recipe’s ginger garlic paste in a tub is also available online and you can shop for it here
Second, if you want the crispest lettuce for your lettuce wraps, fill a bowl with water, soak the lettuce leaves and place the bowl in the fridge while you make the filling. Do this every single time you make lettuce wraps. It has to be the first step! The cold water makes the lettuce super crisp, and you can just wipe it lightly with a kitchen town before using.
Third, always keep a few sauces handy like soy sauce, sambal oelek and my favourite - black bean sauce. These are a life saver every time you want a quick asian stir fry. And key to this mapo tofu.
That mapo tofu sauce is all kinds of amazing. I ended up licking the back of the spoon so many times - like a five year old with cake batter. But thats me. A good sauce always makes me so happy. I was afraid using a ginger garlic paste wouldn’t work here but I actually like it more than chopped ginger garlic here. Because when I’m eating these vegetarian mapo tofu lettuce wraps, I don’t want to bite into a piece of ginger or garlic - its just annoying! And Mothers Recipe’s ginger garlic paste is preservative free which means your family is only getting the best.
BTW the most authentic mapo tofu is made with pork. But I think shiitake mushrooms win over pork any day. They add a depth of flavour thats incredible in these lettuce wraps. I actually sauté them till they are crisp so that every bite has a bite in it, if you know what I mean! I think you do, because you guys always get me.
So these vegetarian mapo tofu lettuce wraps are vegetarian friendly because everyone deserves to try mapo tofu. It’s super simple to make, and has that umami that’ll keep you coming back for more.
More Veggie Loaded Recipes For You:
- Crispy Veg Nuggets with Sichuan Sauce
- Vegan Pasta Salad with Italian Balsamic Dressing
- All-In Sunday Veggie Pasta
- Fully Loaded Veggie Burger with Avocado Mint Chutney
Vegetarian Mapo Tofu Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 10-12 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
- ¾ cup Hot Water
- 2 tablespoons Black Bean Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste (my preferred brand is Mothers Recipe)
- 250 grams Firm Tofu cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 8 Iceberg or Boston Lettuce Leaves
- Sliced Green Onions peanuts and Sesame Seeds for topping
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chilli Paste
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Sichuan Peppers ground
Instructions
- Soak the shiitake mushrooms in ¾ cup hot water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and reserve the water. Chop the mushrooms finely and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients under sauce and set aside.
- Heat a wok and add oil. Add the mushrooms and stir fry for a couple of minutes till they are slightly crisp. Add the ginger garlic paste and stir fry for another minute.
- Pour the sauce in and cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes. Add the black bean sauce and tofu and simmer for a minute or two.
- Whisk cornstarch in ¼ cup water and add to the wok. Mix gently and bring it to a boil.
- To assemble the lettuce cups, add two to three tablespoons mapo tofu to each lettuce leaf and top with green onions, sesame seeds and roasted peanuts. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe is sponsored by Mothers Recipe whose pickles and pastes we've been using for years!
Simran Kashyap says
Its look delicious. Will definitely try this.
Ankita says
Hi.
Is there any substitute for the mushrooms in this dish?
Thanks in advance,
Ankita
Richa says
Not really, you can skip them entirely.
Angelina says
Hi !!
Thank you so much for the recipe. It was just delicious and my mother and sister loved it as they are vegetarians and I am especially a non veg lover. I tried the recipe both the times with veg and non veg by adding some pork :).
Richa says
Yay so glad you liked it! We love adding pork to this too 🙂