Mapo Tofu Lasagna
Mapo Tofu Lasagna
Ingredients
For the Mapo Beef Base
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 1 onion, medium, finely diced
- 1 carrot, medium, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried chili flakes, or to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns, ground
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG, optional
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang, fermented broad bean paste
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the 'Cheesy' Béchamel Sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, warm
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 12 ounces silken tofu
- 2 cubes doufurou, fermented tofu, about 1 1/2 tablespoons
For Assembling the Lasagna
- 9 lasagna noodles, oven-ready or pre-cooked, about 9-12 sheets
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Mapo Beef Base: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and brown thoroughly, breaking it up with a spoon. Once browned, remove the beef with a slotted spoon, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Set the beef aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and carrot to the pan and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried chili flakes, and ground Szechuan peppercorns. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min
- 3
Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and MSG (if using). Cook for 1 minute, then add the doubanjiang and stir well, cooking for another 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
⏱️ 4 min
- 4
Return the browned ground beef to the pan. Add the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and water. Stir everything together. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the unsalted butter until melted and fully incorporated. Reduce heat to low and let the Mapo Beef Base simmer gently while you prepare the Béchamel sauce.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Prepare the 'Cheesy' Béchamel Sauce: In a separate medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the all-purpose flour and whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes until a light brown roux forms, indicating a brown butter roux.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Gradually whisk in the warm whole milk, a little at a time, ensuring no lumps form. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 7 min
- 7
In a blender, combine the silken tofu and doufurou (fermented tofu). Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Stir this blended tofu mixture into the prepared Béchamel sauce until well combined. This is your 'cheesy' Béchamel.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Assemble the Lasagna: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 375
- 9
Spread about 1 cup of the Mapo Beef Base evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of the 'Cheesy' Béchamel Sauce over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Repeat the layering: Mapo Beef Base, noodles, Béchamel, mozzarella. Continue until you have 3-4 layers, ending with a layer of noodles topped with the remaining Béchamel sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
⏱️ 45 min•🌡️ 375
- 12
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with sliced green onions.
⏱️ 15 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Mapo Tofu Lasagna
Ingredients
For the Mapo Beef Base
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 1 onion, medium, finely diced
- 1 carrot, medium, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried chili flakes, or to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns, ground
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG, optional
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang, fermented broad bean paste
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the 'Cheesy' Béchamel Sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, warm
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 12 ounces silken tofu
- 2 cubes doufurou, fermented tofu, about 1 1/2 tablespoons
For Assembling the Lasagna
- 9 lasagna noodles, oven-ready or pre-cooked, about 9-12 sheets
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Mapo Beef Base: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and brown thoroughly, breaking it up with a spoon. Once browned, remove the beef with a slotted spoon, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Set the beef aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and carrot to the pan and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried chili flakes, and ground Szechuan peppercorns. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min - 3
Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and MSG (if using). Cook for 1 minute, then add the doubanjiang and stir well, cooking for another 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
⏱️ 4 min - 4
Return the browned ground beef to the pan. Add the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and water. Stir everything together. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the unsalted butter until melted and fully incorporated. Reduce heat to low and let the Mapo Beef Base simmer gently while you prepare the Béchamel sauce.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Prepare the 'Cheesy' Béchamel Sauce: In a separate medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the all-purpose flour and whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes until a light brown roux forms, indicating a brown butter roux.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Gradually whisk in the warm whole milk, a little at a time, ensuring no lumps form. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 7 min - 7
In a blender, combine the silken tofu and doufurou (fermented tofu). Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Stir this blended tofu mixture into the prepared Béchamel sauce until well combined. This is your 'cheesy' Béchamel.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Assemble the Lasagna: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 375 - 9
Spread about 1 cup of the Mapo Beef Base evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of the 'Cheesy' Béchamel Sauce over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Repeat the layering: Mapo Beef Base, noodles, Béchamel, mozzarella. Continue until you have 3-4 layers, ending with a layer of noodles topped with the remaining Béchamel sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
⏱️ 45 min•🌡️ 375 - 12
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with sliced green onions.
⏱️ 15 min