This delicious Mongolian Beef recipe only takes 25 minutes to prepare and is better than takeout, making it the perfect weeknight dinner.
I love a good take-out fake-out meal, and this one is a total winner. It comes together with really simple ingredients. You probably have most of them in your pantry already. You will adore this fantastic recipe.
How to Make Mongolian Beef
Below is a brief overview of how this homemade Mongolian beef recipe comes together. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe, including all ingredients and their measurements.
Prep the Steak
Toss the sliced flank steak in cornstarch so it is well-coated. Cornstarch keeps the meat tender and helps to thicken the sauce.
Start the Sauce
Whisk together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and cornstarch.
Cook the Meat in Batches
Heat the oil in a skillet until it is shimmering. Then cook the meat over high heat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for about three to five minutes, then transfer to a plate while you cook the next batch.
Sauté the Garlic
Add the garlic, ginger, and the thick first two inches of the green onions, sauté until just fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the Sauce
Add the sauce to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened.
Put it All Together
Then return the beef to the skillet, tossing to combine with the sauce. Garnish with the remaining green onions and serve over rice. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Flank steak for Mongolian Beef: Flank steak is my first choice for this recipe, but you could also use skirt steak or sirloin. Be sure to slice it against the grain.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cooking the beef in small batches gives it a nice sear. Adding too much at once can lower the temperature of the oil.
- How to serve Mongolian Beef: This is delicious served over rice. I love how easy it is to make rice in the Instant Pot. You could also serve over Cauliflower Rice or noodles. It would also be delicious with a side of Air Fryer Broccoli.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover Mongolian beef and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a small saucepan over low heat.
What to Serve with Mongolian Beef
As mentioned above this is delicious over rice, and I love adding a side of steamed broccoli. Here are some other great side dishes:
If you make this recipe for Mongolian Beef or any of my other recipes, leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Mongolian Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak sliced thin against the grain
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 4 green onions cut into one inch pieces, with the whites and greens separated
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flank steak and the cornstarch, tossing so the flank steak is well coated. Set aside.1 pound flank steak, 1/4 cup cornstarch
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Once it is shimmering, cook the meat in batches, being careful to not over crowd the pan. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the beef and transfer it to a plate, and tent with foil. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan.1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Add the garlic, ginger, and the whites of the green onions, sauté until just fragrant being careful not to burn the garlic.2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 4 green onions
- Add the sauce to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 1 minute. Then return the beef to the skillet, tossing to combine. Garnish with the remaining green onions and serve over rice.
Diego Fernández says
I had this in Hong Kong long ago, and felt it very special. Now I can make it myself as it is so well indicated in this recipe. The pictures makes it very complete. Thanks
You’re welcome!
Marc says
Hi Lisa
I dont know what a flank is so I will use a rib eye fillet and add a small green capsicum as well as a red onion and not so much brown sugar, but thankyou this will be great to make tonight❤️
Hi Marc, flank steak is a really thin and tender piece of meat. If you can’t find it, skirt steak works really well as a replacement. Though rib eye can be used to replace flank steak, they are very different cuts of meat, and it typically isn’t recommended that rib eye is sliced thin and then seared as we are doing in this recipe. So I’m not sure it is the best replacement in this particular recipe.