Mongolian Beef is easy to make in just 30 minutes! Crispy, sweet, and garlicky with flavors you love from your favorite Chinese restaurant.
When it comes to favorite Chinese takeout, Mongolian Beef is at the top of the list. The delicious sauce of this popular Beef Dish can be used to make Ground Mongolian Beef and Mongolian Beef Burritos too!
Sabrina’s Mongolian Beef Recipe
My Mongolian Beef recipe is very flavorful and takes just 30 minutes to make from start to finish including all the slicing of the meat! It also uses simple ingredients, so you don’t need to worry about running to the store today for oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner, you are going to love my take on a favorite stir-fry style dish!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger , minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic , minced
- 1/3 cup lite soy sauce , low sodium
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar , packed
- 4 stalks green onions , green parts only, cut into 2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Slice the flank steak against the grain (the grain is the length of the steak) in 1/4-inch pieces and add it to a ziplock bag with the cornstarch.
- Press the steak around in the bag making sure each piece is fully coated with cornstarch and leave it to sit.
- Add the oil to a large frying pan and heat on medium high heat.
- Add the steak, shaking off any excess corn starch, to the pan in a single layer and cook on each side for 1 minute. Then remove it from the pan.
- Note: If you need to cook the steak in batches because your pan isn't big enough, do that rather than crowding the pan. You want to get a good sear on the steak, and if you crowd the pan your steak with steam instead of sear.
- Once steak is cooked and removed, add the ginger and garlic to the pan and sauté for 10-15 seconds.
- Add the soy sauce, water, and dark brown sugar to the pan and let it come to a boil.
- Add the steak back in and let the sauce thicken for 20-30 seconds.
- If sauce isn't think enough, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir to dissolve the cornstarch and add it to the pan.
- Add the green onions, stir to combine everything, and cook for a final 20-30 seconds.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Table of Contents
About This Recipe
It will blow you away how much flavor you can get in less than half an hour and without any marinating or tons of ingredients. Thin cut steak is quick-fried with a cornstarch coating to give it the signature crispy edges that makes this dish so amazing. Some aromatics are sautéed in the beef fat and then liquid is added to soak up the savory, beefy flavor. Finally the beef gets coated in the amazing sauce and it’s finished with some crisp, fresh onions.
Chef’s Note
You can cut the steak into thinner, or thicker strips if you like. The thinner you cut it, the harder it will be to manage. However, one way to make the steak easier to cut is to cut it while it’s really cold, so you can pop the beef in the freezer an hour ahead of starting the dish. The firm beef will slice easily under a sharp knife, and will maintain its shape while you cut.
Can this be made ahead of time?
While you can technically make Mongolian Beef ahead of time, it is definitely better when you make it fresh. This dish is known for the signature crispy beef and you will lose that tasty, crispy goodness when the dish is reheated. It’s recommended to serve it fresh, though.
What to Pair With
- Rice: Whether it’s steamed jasmine rice, Baked Brown Rice, or Fried Rice, any of these would be excellent for soaking up that sauce. For a low carb option, try it with cauliflower rice.
- Noodles: Some Chow Mein Stir Fry would also turn this into a favorite Asian Takeout Meal. You could also try it with soba noodles or rice noodles made with similar Asian flavors of the sauce.
How to Store
- Serve: For the best flavor and texture, serve this dish right away. It can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Store: Let any leftover Mongolian Beef cool down and then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. It’s best to reheat it on the stove in a skillet.
- Freeze: Freeze Mongolian Beef up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Frequent Questions
Flank steak is the common cut for Mongolian Beef recipes. You can use any quick cooking beef cut such as skirt steak, top round, or tri-tip steak.
Mongolian Beef is a Taiwanese dish that originated where Mongolian BBQ cuisine was popular. You’ll find it in just about any American-Chinese restaurant. It is usually not spicy, and it can be paired with other vegetables and served over white rice.
There are many benefits to making copycat versions of your favorite take out dishes at home. The obvious one is to stretch your dollar. You can typically serve an entire family at home for the cost of one or two restaurant entrees. You can tailor the seasonings and ingredients for dietary and taste preferences. Your homemade recipe will typically be much healthier than the takeout version, and the best part is you don’t have to sacrifice any of the flavor!
Variations
- Spicy: Make the sauce spicy by adding some red chili flakes, some fresh Thai chiles, or chili garlic sauce. You can also serve it with some Chinese hot mustard or horseradish sauce for a spicy, creamy blend.
- Meat: Instead of beef, thinly sliced pork, chicken, or even baked tofu would all taste amazing with this savory sweet sauce. Keep in mind that chicken and pork need to be cooked all the way through instead of just being seared like beef. You could also use ground beef or other ground meat.
- Veggies: For a quick and easy one-pan beef dinner idea, you can toss in some popular stir fry veggies like pea pods, shredded carrots, broccoli, and bok choy. Cook the veggies until crisp-tender, then toss in at the end with the green onions.
Related Recipes
More Classic Asian Beef Dishes
Photos used in a previous version of this post:
This recipe is so delicious!! I used a little more garlic and ginger than called for. This is hands down the best Mongolian beef I have ever tasted! and that is including take out!
I’d say that’s a winner then! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
This looks so delicious me and my girl have been trying something new every Saturday we cook something different and new and I’ve been eating Mongolian beef from Chinese restaurant for years going to try this recipe this Saturday but I like to put mines on top of white rice thanks for the recipe can’t wait to taste it.
Such a great idea to cook together and try new things! Come back and let me know what you think after trying it!
Glad I came across your site. Had it saved for a couple of weeks and just made this for dinner tonight. Was AMAZING! Made exactly as directed. Will be on the regular rotation for sure. Made crispy sesame ginger noodles to go with it and the sauce worked great on it.
Darlene
I’m so glad you made it and then came back to tell me about it! I look forward to seeing you around the site!
Love Mongolian Beef… I cook it all the time. I used thin sliced chicken breast still amazing!!
This meal was quick, easy and inexpensive…and it turned out Delicious. Only adjustment I made was adding crushed red pepper, no need for PF Changs when you can make this at home. Thank you for the great recipe, my family loved it!!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
The beef was tender and delicious. Thank you for the new cooking skill for slicing flank steak – I followed the freezer method and used an electric knife. I cooked in careful batches so as not to crowd the pan to allow proper searing. I pretty much made the recipe exactly, but it seemed to require more cornstarch to cover the meat, so I increased it be a few tablespoons. Maybe that increase caused my sauce problem later on. My housemate said that he liked it better than his favorite Mongolian lamb that he loves to order at a local Chinese restaurant. I would have liked there to be more sauce. Perhaps I let it reduce too much, but it was worth it. I wonder whether I should increase the sauce recipe next time so as to make nice drippings over the white rice. Should I double to sauce recipe or just increase by half? This dish was a winner that I would make again.
I’m so glad you’re loving this recipe! You could definitely double the sauce and serving it over rice sounds fantastic! I would even add carrots or broccoli as well. Thank you so much for the 5 star rating!!
I forgot to pick up brown sugar? Think I can’t substitute honey….? Out of reg sugar too ?
My suggestion would be to substitute with sugar and molasses but if you’re out of white sugar too, I’m not quite sure what would work to get the same flavors. So sorry.
Tried this recipe tonight and it came out amazing!! No need for take out! I did add some crushed red pepper flakes when I added the onions for a kick. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Novice question. My cornstarch is 2 years expired, can I get away with using flour or something else? Thanks! Recipe looks great!
What if you don’t have dark brown sugar on hand but do have light brown sugar and molasses? Would adding a little molasses help?
Yes, that would intensify the sugar flavoring to closer match dark brown sugar. Enjoy!!
Hi there .,this looks delicious and you have a great site. one question, is there any way to make this ahead of time for say 6-8 people and reheat this way i dont have to cook while company is over? thanks
dave
Probably not with it staying crisp or without the sauce thickening. Most stir fries, even chicken, benefit from immediate serving. Reheating is a definitely a step down from fresh.
Will most definitely be making again. So delicious and full of flavor. Served with rice and bok choy, such a great meal. Thank you!
Thanks, Courtney! So glad you enjoyed it!!
This recipe came out so delicious! my family loved it so glad I tried it!
Thanks, Lauren!
Just made this tonight and am so thankful you posted this recipe! It’s very forgiving. (I “eyeballed” all measurements and probably used more garlic/ginger than called for.) I know people get touchy about changing recipes, but I wouldn’t dare take credit for adding a few things I know I like to the mix. Used the white part of scallion in the garlic/ginger mince. Also, added a teaspoon-ish of imported honey, three drops of sesame oil and two good pinches of crushed red pepper to the soy sauce mixture. (The recipe was so good and easy, would get a hands down 5 stars without my mix ins.) My boyfriend loved it and jokingly proposed. 😀 Thank you!!!
Who knew Mongolian Beef was the recipe for engagement! Even joking ones haha. Glad you both enjoyed it!
Tried this recipe and it was great. The best i ever had mongolian beef. Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back and leaving a review!
Great recipe! Not too difficult for chinese food. Thank u so much. Ill definitely make it again
So glad you enjoyed it Danna!
Sabrina, you may want to change the meat slicing instruction to say “with the grain” not “against the grain.”
Otherwise, we made this dish last night and it was fantastic. Great recipe.
I’m so glad you loved it! But you do want to cut it “against the grain” which gives you a more tender cut otherwise you end up with a stringy, more difficult cut to chew.
Made this last night and it was amazing! Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe
Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know how much you enjoyed it!
I have a family of 6, so I’m needing to make a much larger batch. What suggestions do you have for doubling the recipe? It’s seems like just doubling all ingredients would be too much sauce, but I’m definitely no chef!
I would suggest doubling the entire recipe. Enjoy!
Can I use flour instead of corn starch?
Unfortunately it’ll end up gummy, sorry.
I made it today and it was perfect. I could not stop eating it. so easy and fast. Thank you very much for sharing this fantastic recipe with us. I will recommend it to all my friends. PS. MY hubby loved it too. Will be making it more often.
Love it! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how much you enjoyed it!
OMG! I made this at home so we can have the feel of dining out without the bill and I tell you, it was amazinggg! I am so happy that you have shared this recipe with the rest of us as it tastes just like when you head out to the restaurant. The best part is, I didn’t have to mess with ingredients I did not recognize as that can be challenging when cooking foods outside of what one is generally accustomed to. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! I love the ease of making these dishes at home too.
Thank you for such a great recipe! I had first tried a spice mix found at supermarkets and just wasn’t happy with it, so I tried to find a real deal recipe instead. Yours was so much better and so amazingly simple!
Thank you so much for the 5 stars! I’m glad you enjoyed it!!
Oh. My. Word. I made this tonight exactly by the recipe and it is outstanding!! I did some jasmine rice and stir fried red bell peppers and broccoli as side dishes. We loved it!! Will fix this again very soon!! Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed it Melissa! Thanks for the 5 stars!!
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing. made it to your recipe but used Ny strip it is my wife’s new fave I am going to add a little hot oil next time .
You’re welcome Jeff! So glad you both enjoyed it!
Let me begin by conveying that the flavor of this dish was Heaven! I too wondered if 1/2 C of brown sugar was over the top but trust me, (and the Chef who blessed us with this recipe) it’s perfecto!
My only reason for a 4 star rating, as opposed to 5 is the grease firestorm which overtook my kitchen! With that said, I’m partially at fault, as I knew in my gut what I would’ve and will next time execute. And to any Chef who is brave enough to share recipes, full well knowing that every individual thrives in a different kitchen, with various types of equipment etc, you are a trailblazer!
Now, down to the details… the thin sliced beef – dredged in corn starch and browned over high heat is epic! I often see where oven baked potatoes are dusted with corn starch in order to extend a crispy texture and with this thin sliced beef – wow! And of course, it doubles as a thickening agent. I also used the entire scallion, not just the green part. Yum!!!
The only thing I’d modify is the use of less oil (canola being the best), and a reduction of temperature. But I’m using a very heavy Calphalon deep skillet. I’m certain that I’d achieve the same crispy browned texture which is key with this dish.
Thank you Sabrina for another culinary delight!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Lise! I do know that everyone is talented in the kitchen in different ways but I really love sharing all of these recipes and encouraging people to have fun in the kitchen and try new things. I appreciate all you suggestions and feedback!
Delicious! I subbed flat iron steak & it worked fine.
Posting on my most used recipes board, thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Soft beef and very delicious. My husband love it. Thanks Sabrina
So glad you both enjoyed it Chistina!
I’m making this now. Im using ribeye, because that’s what I have. Wish me luck!
Hope you enjoyed it Kari!
I was hoping to try your recipe tonight but have sirloin on hand. Do I need to adjust cooking time to use it in your recipe? Can’t wait to cook this as it sounds and looks delicious!
Sirloin in more tender than flank so depending on how thin you are able to cut it, it may a take a little bit less time or about the same.
Totally restaurant-worthy! My husband said it was the best thing I’ve made ever. This will be in regular rotation in our house. I agree with adding a little chili oil. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Wow, Jennifer, what a great compliment! Thank you!!
Can you tell me how much and what kind of Chili Oil?
Oh no! I’m so sorry the print option isn’t working properly. I have a new recipe plug in and am still working out the kinks. Thanks for letting me know.
I’m off to get some flank steak. This recipe sounds fantastic! You mentioned “1/4 cup canola oil oil divided”, but it looked like you added it all at once
Thanks in advance for your e-cookbook!
Sharon
Thanks for catching that, just edited it 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Made this for the second time in two weeks. Amazing recipe and so easy. Loved all the flavors and the meat is so very tender!! Thank you for this great recipe. Truly is a 30 minute recipe
So glad you loved it…it really is such a quick and delicious meal!
I just made it!! Its definitely a keeper. I did reduce the amount of sugar. Just a personal preference. Awesomeness
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you for taking the time to come back to let me know.
Made this tonight – it was a huge hit! My Gus band said it tasted just like something you’d get from Chinatown ??
I used full sodium soy sauce, as it was all I had. Do yourself a favor and definitely buy low sodium soy sauce,
– it is otherwise wicked salty.
So yummy and satisfying!
Yay! I love it!! Thank you for letting me know how much you guys enjoyed it!
Erin, could you come from Boston, we are the only ones that use “wicked”
Tried this recipe tonight and it was really good! Next time I will add a little chili oil to give it a kick.
(* now if anyone can give me the secret for preventing popping oil while cooking meat at high heat I would be forever grateful!)
Yay! So glad you loved it! To help prevent popping oil, have you tried using a splatter screen? It really helps in my house!
Would using olive oil as a substitute for canola affect the flavor too much?
No, you can substitute with olive oil 🙂
Hi Lisa, You can buy a splatter cover at most kitchen material stores for short money and that should do the trick.
Regards
Richie,
Add it afterwards! The chili oil doesn’t need to actually cook…..or use gocuchong at the table. That way everyone can customize the “kick”!
Super tasty? Will be my go to when having a Chinese food craving ??????????
Fantastic! So happy to hear you loved it!! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
VERY novice cook here – once you cook/fry the steak, do you leave all the oil in the pan when proceeding to the next step of adding the ginger and garlic to the pan?
Yes, just leave it in the pan. It’ll help when sautéing the ginger and garlic and keeps building the flavor. Hope you enjoy the dish!
Really delicious — great recipe! Next time I think I’d omit half or a third of the sugar, as it was pretty sweet for me. My kids really loved it. It did make an insane mess on and around the stove, so be forewarned!
I know how picky kids can be so I definitely take that as a compliment! So glad you enjoyed it!
OMG Sabrina this looks so good! I would definitely be happy with some beef cooked in BROWN SUGAR! I need this in my life so much!
You’re going to love it! Enjoy!!
Photos great as usual 🙂 Of course, the dish is great! Will do; thank you !
One of my favorite meals to eat and make.
Enjoy reading and trying your recipes. This Mongolian beef will be my second….
Keep up the delicious and easy recipes.
So glad you’re enjoying them! Thank you Pieri!
I cannot wait to make this for my family! I’ve never made takeout at home, and since we all adore Mongolian beef, I have a feeling this will be a hit!
You’ll have to let me know what they think!
We LOVE Mongolian Beef here… totally going to have to give this recipe a try soon!
I love the way the beef looks. Mine always turns out pale. I like how you prepared yours.
Thank you Michelle!
One of our favorite take out meals! Can’t wait to try this one at home!
It’s so good and also saves you from having to leave the house!
Mongolian beef is one of our families favorites! Looks incredible!
Oh my goodness, you had me at 30 minutes! I love Mongolian beef, but have never tried it at home. Definitely going on the list to try!
30 minute meals are so helpful for those busy nights! Enjoy!!
Wow I cooked this steak and I have say it came out perfect. To be honest with you I nearly cut down on the sugar as I thought that it would be to sweet. But I’m glad that I cooked it to the recipe. Thanks for all your recipes I have HD some wonderful meals since I got onto your site. Oh and yes I used dark brown sugar as well.
I’m so glad you loved it and came back to let me know! See you around the site!
My family absolutely loved! Saved the recipe! Thank you Sabrina!
Awesome!! Thanks for the 5 star rating 🙂
I made this tonight and it was awesome! I didn’t have flank steak so used New York sirloin I also only had regular soy and it was a tad salty even out added salt. I didn’t have fresh ginger either so used ground…. will make again for sure!