Thinly sliced beef with a golden, crispy coating is tossed in a sticky, sweet and savory sauce with a mild kick. This easy Mongolian beef recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. I marinate the beef with baking soda for 10 minutes so it stays tender and juicy when fried.
Jump to:
Mongolian beef is a popular Chinese restaurant and takeout dish made with thinly sliced beef coated in a sweet and savory sauce.
Back when I worked at an office downtown, I'd always order it from my favorite Chinese takeout place and looked forward to that sweet, crispy beef at lunchtime. So naturally, I had to develop my own version, adapting the sauce from my popular Mongolian chicken recipe.
When I make this dish for dinner, I evenly coat each piece of beef in cornstarch to create a light, crispy crust. Then I fry the beef in small batches to keep the oil hot so the coating stays crispy instead of soggy. Finally, I thicken the sauce before tossing in the fried beef so it coats each piece without softening the crust too much.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Flank Steak: I prefer flank steak for its rich beefy flavor and lean texture. Sirloin steak, tri-tip, or hanger steak also work.
- Cornstarch: Creates a light, crispy coating on the beef when fried. Potato starch also works. Avoid tapioca or arrowroot starch, which can cause the beef pieces to stick together.
- Ginger: Adds a warm, aromatic flavor that balances the sweetness of the sauce.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic also works.
- Red Chili Pepper: Deseed for milder heat, or substitute with finely diced red bell pepper for a non-spicy version.
- Green Onion
- Vegetable Oil: Or use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola or refined avocado oil.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: Add a subtle nutty flavor and light crunch as a garnish. If unavailable, toast raw sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until golden.
Beef Marinade
- Regular Soy Sauce: Seasons the beef before frying. Light soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce also works.
- Black Pepper: White pepper also works.
- Baking Soda: Helps tenderize the beef during the short marinade so it stays tender after frying.
Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce: Adds a sweet, savory flavor and helps give the sauce its rich consistency.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Adds savory, salty depth to balance the sweetness of the hoisin sauce and brown sugar. Light soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce also works.
- Brown Sugar: Gives the sauce its characteristic sweetness to balance the savory soy sauce. Light or dark brown sugar both work.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Adds a rich, nutty aroma that complements the sweet and savory sauce.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce so it clings to the crispy beef. Potato or tapioca starch also works for thickening.
- Cold Water
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or online.
Expert Tips
- Use a cooking thermometer: Keep the frying oil between 325-350°F so the beef gets crispy.
- Don't overcook the beef: Fry for about 1-2 minutes until golden and crispy to prevent the thin slices from becoming tough.
- Coat each piece separately: Dredge beef individually in cornstarch to prevent a pasty, uneven coating.
- Fry soon after coating: The longer the coated beef sits, the more moisture softens the cornstarch.
- Remove browned coating bits: Scoop them from the oil between batches to prevent burning and sticking to the beef.
- Partially freeze the beef: Freeze for 45-60 minutes until the exterior is slightly firm for easier thin slicing.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Mongolian Beef:
- Slice and marinate the beef: Slice the flank steak against the grain at a 45-degree angle into 1⁄4-inch-thick, 2-inch-long pieces. Transfer to a large bowl, add the beef marinade ingredients, and mix well. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Coat the beef: Add the cornstarch to a separate bowl. Coat each piece of marinated beef evenly in the cornstarch, adding another 1-2 tablespoons if needed to cover any bare spots. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Fry the beef: Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Fry the beef in a single layer, working in batches if needed, for about 1-2 minutes total until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through. Transfer the fried beef to a wire rack to keep it crisp. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
- Cook the aromatics and sauce: Remove the excess oil from the pan, leaving about 1 teaspoon (5 ml). Reduce the heat to low and sauté the ginger, garlic, and red chili pepper for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Whisk the sauce again, then pour it into the pan. Simmer for about 30 seconds, stirring, until thickened and glossy.
- Toss and serve: Add the fried beef and toss until evenly coated in the sauce. Immediately remove from the heat. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover Mongolian beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled Mongolian beef in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The crispy coating will soften after freezing.
- Reheating: Reheat in a large pan over medium heat until heated through. Alternatively, microwave in a microwave-safe dish in 1-minute intervals, stirring between intervals until heated through. The coating will soften in the microwave.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve this crispy Mongolian beef with:
- Egg Rolls: Crispy appetizers that complement the saucy beef.
- Chow Mein: Savory stir-fried noodles for a hearty meal.
- Stir-Fried Snow Pea Leaves: Garlicky greens that balance the rich sauce.
FAQ
Why isn't my Mongolian beef sauce thickening?
The sauce may not have reached a simmer, or the cornstarch may not have been mixed evenly. Whisk the sauce well before pouring it into the pan, then stir and simmer until thickened and glossy.
Can I make Mongolian beef gluten-free?
Yes! Substitute regular soy sauce with gluten-free tamari and use gluten-free hoisin sauce. Cornstarch is naturally gluten-free, but check the packaging label.
More Like This
Check out my other Chinese beef stir-fry recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Mongolian Beef (30 Minutes)
Thinly sliced beef with a golden, crispy coating is tossed in a sticky, sweet and savory sauce with a mild kick. This easy Mongolian beef recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. I marinate the beef with baking soda for 10 minutes so it stays tender and juicy when fried.
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak
- ½ cup cornstarch or as needed
- 1 teaspoon ginger thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red chili pepper de-seeded and sliced
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds toasted kind
Beef Marinade
- 2 teaspoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Sauce
- 4 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil toasted kind
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup water cold
Instructions
- Slice the flank steak against the grain at a 45-degree angle into 1⁄4-inch-thick, 2-inch-long pieces. Transfer to a large bowl, add the beef marinade ingredients, and mix well. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Add the cornstarch to a separate bowl. Coat each piece of marinated beef evenly in the cornstarch, adding another 1-2 tablespoons if needed to cover any bare spots. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Fry the beef in a single layer, working in batches if needed, for about 1-2 minutes total until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through. Transfer the fried beef to a wire rack to keep it crisp. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
- Remove the excess oil from the pan, leaving about 1 teaspoon (5 ml). Reduce the heat to low and sauté the ginger, garlic, and red chili pepper for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
- Whisk the sauce again, then pour it into the pan. Simmer for about 30 seconds, stirring, until thickened and glossy.
- Add the fried beef and toss until evenly coated in the sauce. Immediately remove from the heat. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
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!
Suggested Equipment & Products
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
Marna Hoffman
Just made it tonight but of course i was neevous a 1lb flanksteak wiuldnt b enuf so i made the whole darned thing! Can i freeze it fried but not saiced yet??? Im probably not tech savy enuf to post a pix. Sorry was delish!!!!
Christie Lai
Amazing! Thank you so much for making my recipe. Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you can freeze the un-sauced beef in the freezer in a freezer safe bag by laying the pieces in a single layer with the help of a baking sheet underneath the bag. Then freeze for 1 hour and remove the baking sheet so the pieces don't stick to each other. To reheat, microwave the fried beef or reheat on the stovetop with some oil. Hope this helps!
r rr
First properly made Mongolian beef recipe I've ever seen!
Christie Lai
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed it!
Lily
The directions are missing the green onions. I made the sauce and then saw that I still had the onions left 😭
Christie Lai
Hi Lily, I checked the recipe instructions and the green onions are listed in Step 8 (near the end) where you garnish the finished beef dish with the green onions. Hope this helps!
Rod
We have made both this and your Mongolian Chicken, on many occasions and they remain firm family favourites.
Sincere thanks for sharing…
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the positive feedback and for making my recipes! Glad you and your family enjoyed them!
Chris
Made it for Family Sunday dinner. We usually take photos for the great meals but we were too excited and ate it all up before we could. I love your flexibility for using potato starch instead of cornstarch and I used jaggery for the sugar. So good! Will make again and hopefully get a picture.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review, Chris! What a kind compliment! Glad I could share some ingredient options and thanks for sharing your experience with my recipe 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Leah
We absolutely loved this dish with flank steak. I doubled the sauce as I had 700g of steak, added julienned carrots and red capsicum and also some snow peas. It was so colourful and delicious, hands down better than any bought take-away.
We will most definitely be making it again!
christieathome
So happy to hear this Leah! Glad you enjoyed it and happy it worked out well with additional veggies. Have a great weekend!
Doran Richart
Your blog was recommended by an Instagram friend. This was the first recipe I tried. My husband always orders Mongolian beef when he goes to a Chinese restaurant. He’s pretty picky but he gave this 👍👍and so did I. Love how quick and simple it was. Next time the only thing I would change is the amount of corn starch because I ended up with too much in the bottom of the walk after stir frying the meat. I think I would use less and apply it by using a Ziplock bag. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. I usually don’t like making Chinese food at home because it is too labor intensive. However our favorite Chinese bistro closed after the pandemic and our next favorite Chinese restaurant is over an hour away. Thank you for your website!
christieathome
Thanks so much Doran for making my recipe and for sharing your kind comment with me! I'm glad you both enjoyed it and that it was simple to make. I love that tip with the Ziplock bag so you can use less cornstarch. Thanks for sharing this trick with us!
Marlin
Hallo, I have been using this recipe a lot and love it. But i'm wondering about how much sesame oil, garlic and ginger I should be using if I double it for 8 People? I'm not a native english speaker so sorry for bad grammar
christieathome
Hi Marlin, Thanks for using my recipe! I would suggest using the multiplier tool near the ingredients in the recipe card where you can change it to 3x and add one more serving to your calculation. Hope this helps!
chris
I made this - my first-ever meal without asking my wife for help along the way. It was super easy and my kids loved it. The sauce was lovely and sticky. We swapped the beef for lamb (fillet). I was thankful for the functionality of your site to increase quantities.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving such a nice review, Chris! Glad I could help and even happier that you made this dish on your own - my mission complete 🙂 Also happy to hear the kids loved it and the quantity function is helpful!
Grandabenny
I have made this recipe two times now and it’s absolutely delicious 🤤😋 I make twice as much because I pack lunches for when I’m at work and it heats up perfectly!!
I would give this recipe a 5 out of 5 but it’s better than that more like a
10 out of 10 😊😊
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for such a kind review, Grandpabenny! Happy it works out for lunches and reheats perfectly. Have a great day!
Carol
Made this last night for dinner. The whole family enjoyed it and we all agreed to give it 5 star plus rating if we could. Was not hard to make and did not take long. Delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
christieathome
Awesome! Thanks for making my recipe, Carol! So happy that the whole family enjoyed it 🙂
Danielle
I made this for my husband and we are making it again tonight! This was the best recipe! Thank you!
christieathome
Thanks so much Danielle for making my recipe and leaving this kind review! I am really happy to read this. Glad you both enjoyed it!
Megan
Do leftovers freeze well?
Michael A Wade
I am an Asian food nut, I cook all the time, recently I had major dental implant surgery and can only eat soft foods; will ground beef work for this? Any other ideas for me? I am stuck the healing process is 4 to 6 months.
Thanks! Mike
christieathome
Sorry to hear that you had to have dental surgery. Yes ground beef could work but I would skip coating the beef in starch since you'd like to keep it soft. You can simply fry the beef until cooked, remove from the pan and then cook your sauce. Then add the ground beef back into the sauce to mix and pair it with some soft steamed rice or soft noodles. I also share a very easy rice porridge called Congee that requires very little chewing if you dice up the chicken finely or use ground chicken, click here for the recipe. I would also suggest my Egg Drop Soup as well, click here. Hope this helps and wishing you a smooth recovery!
Javi
Fantastic, I became a star when I served it !!!
Thank you..
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe! So happy to read this!
Boyd
Awesome awesome awesome!!! I love this recipie!
christieathome
Thank you so much Boyd! I truly appreciate your kind support!
David
Hello, and thank you for all the great recipes.
This recipe calls for sesame oil, is that the dark toasted sesame oil?
Thank you.
christieathome
You're welcome! It's roasted/toasted sesame oil. For the exact brand, I use Kadoya Pure Sesame Oil. Hope this helps!
Emma
Tastes like you ordered from a Chinese restaurant and so easy to make! For some reason I’ve always been a bit intimidated by flank steak but it was really easy to cut, especially with her tip to freeze for 30 mins, and also easy to cook. I air fried some broccoli and served with rice and it was perfect.
christieathome
Thank you so much Emma for making my Mongolian beef! I'm so glad the tip to freeze the flank steak was helpful!