Tender crispy beef tossed in a sweet, savory sauce with a mild kick. This quick and easy Mongolian beef is ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. A delicious main dish that is better-than-takeout and great for the family!
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Mongolian Beef is a popular Chinese takeout dish featuring crispy tender beef stir fried in a sweet and savory sauce with a hint of spice. It's absolutely delicious!
You'll find this dish served at many Chinese restaurants and it's best served with white rice and greens or vegetables!
Despite the name, Mongolian beef does not come from Mongolia. It's actually a Chinese dish first created at Mongolian BBQ restaurants in Taiwan, hence the name.
Back when I worked at an office, I'd always order this dish at my favorite Chinese takeout place. I salivated thinking of that sweet crispy beef as lunch time rolled around!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Flank Steak: this is the best cut of beef as it contains less muscle fibres giving you a more tender cut. Or substitute with sirloin steak, tri-tip steak, hanger steak, or top round steak. Not a fan of beef? Substitute with chicken thighs, pork shoulder or extra-firm tofu (but skip the marinade for tofu).
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch. Avoid using rice flour or tapioca starch as this makes the beef slices stick to each other.
- Fresh Ginger: or substitute with ½ teaspoon ginger powder.
- Garlic
- Red Chili Pepper: or omit if you wish to make it not spicy.
- Green Onion
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Sesame seeds: for garnishing. If you're allergic to sesame, please omit this ingredient.
Beef Marinade
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Black pepper: or substitute with white pepper.
- Baking Soda: to tenderize the beef and do not skip this ingredient.
Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce: a thick brown sauce that is sweet with molasses. You can find this at most Asian grocery stores.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar: light or dark brown sugar will both work. Or substitute with coconut palm sugar.
- Sesame Oil: If you're allergic to sesame, please omit this ingredient.
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch.
- Cold Water
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.
Expert Tips
- To thinly slice beef, freeze it for 45-60 minutes fully exposed and slice against the grain on an angle into ¼-inch thick strips with a sharp knife.
- Do not skip the baking soda in the beef marinade as it tenderizes the beef!
- Evenly coat the marinated beef ensuring no bald spots.
- Prepare the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
- Do not over fry the beef or it will dry out.
- Fry beef in small batches to maintain oil temperature for crispy beef.
- Transfer the fried beef onto a wire rack or paper-towel lined plate to drain off excess oil, which causes soggy beef.
- Simmer sauce over LOW heat or it can burn easily with the high sugar content.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Mongolian Beef:
- Thinly slice beef on an angle into ¼-inch thick pieces that are 2 inches in length. Transfer sliced beef into a large bowl. Tip: To thinly slice beef, freeze it for 45-60 minutes so the exterior becomes hardened and use a sharp knife to slice it.
- Marinate beef strips with marinade ingredients as listed above for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- In a separate bowl or on a large plate, add cornstarch and evenly coat each slice of marinated beef in the starch ensuring no bald spots. Transfer the coated pieces to a large plate.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat and fry beef in small batches in a single layer for 1-2 minutes until crispy. Do not over fry. Remove cooked beef and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Leave 1 teaspoon or 5 ml of vegetable oil in the pan and remove the rest. Reduce to low heat, sauté ginger, garlic, red chili for 10 seconds.
- Pour in sauce to reduce and thicken.
- Toss in fried beef and garnish with green onions. Remove off heat. Optionally garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? Mongolian beef can be frozen up to 3 months. To freeze, let the beef cool down completely and store it into a freezer-safe bag in the freezer. To reheat, defrost it overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.
Pairing Suggestions
Mongolian beef serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
- white or brown rice, cauliflower rice or fried rice
- chow mein, lo mein, or plain noodles
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Sweet and Sour Chicken, Mongolian Chicken, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Shrimp Omelet, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!
FAQ
Can I make Mongolian beef in advance?
Mongolian beef can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
Can I add vegetables to this stir-fry?
Feel free to add vegetables that are low in water content, such as carrots, bell peppers, snap or snow peas, broccoli or cauliflower. Please cook vegetables after you sauté the aromatics and before you pour in the sauce.
How can I make this not spicy?
To make this Mongolian beef not spicy, remove the red chilis from this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Mongolian Beef
Tender crispy beef tossed in a sweet, savory sauce with a mild kick. This quick and easy Mongolian beef is ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. A delicious main dish that is better-than-takeout and great for the family!
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak or sirloin steak or skirt steak
- ½ cup cornstarch or potato starch
- 5 thin slices ginger
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red chili pepper chopped
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- ½ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds for garnishing
Beef Marinade
- 2 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking soda do not skip this!
Sauce
- 4 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar light or dark brown sugar will work
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ½ cup water cold
Instructions
- Thinly slice beef on an angle into ¼-inch thick pieces that are 2 inches in length. Transfer sliced beef into a large bowl. Tip: To thinly slice beef, freeze it for 45-60 minutes so the exterior becomes hardened and use a sharp knife to slice it.
- Marinate beef strips with marinade ingredients as listed above for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- In a separate bowl or on a large plate, add cornstarch and evenly coat each slice of marinated beef in the starch ensuring no bald spots. Transfer the coated pieces to a large plate.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat and fry beef in small batches in a single layer for 1-2 minutes until crispy. Do not over fry. Remove cooked beef and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Leave 1 teaspoon or 5 ml of vegetable oil in the pan and remove the rest. Reduce to low heat, sauté ginger, garlic, red chili for 10 seconds.
- Pour in sauce to reduce and thicken.
- Toss in fried beef and garnish with green onions. Remove off heat. Optionally garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
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Nutrition
Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1862mg | Potassium: 809mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 4mg
Rudolf
Finally great Mongolian beef recipe!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving this positive review, Rudolf! Happy to hear that you enjoyed it.