Mongolian Beef

This Mongolian Beef recipe features tender steak bites packed with Asian inspired flavors. Serve it over a generous serving of white rice topped with sesame seeds and green onions.

Ingredients to Make Mongolian Beef  Recipe

Asian inspired takeout is universally appealing regardless of your geographic location. Mongolian Beef is easily recreated at home with the bonus of being able to be personalized. It features tender pieces of steak that’s coated and fried then simmered in a homemade sauce made with beef stock, soy sauce, fresh ginger and red pepper flakes for a little heat. Serve it straight from the skillet over sticky rice or long grain white rice sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onions. Ingredients to make Chinese-American Mongolian Beef on the stove top: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Beef – Cubed or thinly sliced sirloin steak. 
• Coating – Cornstarch, granulated garlic and salt.
• Sauce – Beef stock, low sodium soy sauce, light or dark brown sugar, cornstarch for thickening.
• Seasonings – Fresh garlic cloves, fresh ginger and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Oil – Vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil for frying.
• Garnishes – Sesame seeds and green onions for garnishing.

How to Make the Best Mongolian Beef

• Make Beef Coating – In a large bowl mix together cornstarch, granulated garlic and salt.
• Steak – Add steak then seal and toss together. Open bag and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Make Sauce –  In a medium bowl whisk together beef stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir until well combined.
• Heat Pan – Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet (12-inch skillet), saucepan (or wok) over medium-high heat.
• Cornstarch – Remove steak from bowl and toss with reserved 1/4 cup cornstarch.
• Stir Fry – Add steak to skillet in a single layer. Cook in batches, if needed. Brown steak on both sides, remove to a platter.
• Garlic – Drain oil from skillet reserving 1 tablespoon, then turn heat to medium. Add reserved minced garlic cloves to pan cook just until softened and fragrant.
• Sauce – Add sauce to pan, bring to a boil then immediately lower the heat to simmer on medium-low.
• Combine – Add steak back to sauce and simmer just until the steak is cooked through and sauce has thickened.
• Serve – Serve immediately over white rice or noodles garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.

Tips for Making Mongolian Beef Recipe

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: A large 12-inch skillet, three medium bowls or two bowls and one large plastic storage bag (to coat the steak), measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife and cutting board.
• Use a Large Ziploc Bag: For easy clean-up when coating the steak, place the cornstarch, granulated garlic and salt in a plastic storage bag, seal and shake vigorously to coat.
• Adjust the Cooking Time Based on Size: The size of the steak pieces will directly affect the cooking time. You can make the cubed steak any size you like or you can slice the steak into thin strips, but adjust the time in the recipe accordingly.
• Allow the Crust to Form: When cooking the steak pieces initially we’re just wanting to crust the exterior not cook all the way through. Turn the steak pieces for even crusting.
• Adjust the Thickness of the Sauce: The sauce starts out thin, but it will thicken quickly once it starts to cook. If you like more sauce, it easily doubles. You can adjust the thickness of the sauce, if desired. To do so, after adding the prepared sauce to the skillet test the thickness. To thicken further, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in just enough cold water to dissolve and add to the sauce. You can repeat this process until the consistency is reached that suits your taste.
• How to Thin the Sauce: Likewise, you can thin the sauce by adding additional beef stock or water.
• When to Serve: Serve this Mongolian Beef for family weeknight dinners, entertaining, movie night with the kids, pack it up for picnics or meal prep.

Recipe Variations

• Steak Substitution: Sirloin steak works great with this recipe, but flank steak is also a great option because they’re both tender. Be sure it is sliced very thin (about 1/4 inch thick) in order to cook evenly.
• Protein Variation: You could adapt this recipe using chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
• Sauce: You can also add a few tablespoons of hoisin sauce to the skillet to create a slightly different flavor.
• Vegetables: You could also add sugar snap peas, carrots, broccoli or other vegetables to this dish.
• Spice: Add more or less crushed red pepper flakes to get the level of heat that you like. It’s pretty mild with only ⅛ teaspoon and adding one teaspoon will bring more heat. Adjust to your personal taste.
• Salt: Thee amount of salt and seasonings can be adjusted to your liking. Soy sauce will add sodium to the dish, so taste and adjust the amount, if you feel it needs more. That call is purely subjective. What’s too much salt to one person is not enough to the next.
• Serving Options: You can serve this over sticky rice or noodles.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store Mongolian Beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat gently in single servings in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Freezer Storage: You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.

More Easy Beef Recipes to Make

• Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches are delicious served open faced over mashed potatoes and Texas toast.
• Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup comes together in no time flat.
• This flavorful Beef Brisket Recipe is tender and delicious.
• Use ground beef to make this Teriyaki Beef Fried Rice.
• Nacho Beef Rotini Skillet is a one skillet fiesta.
• My recipe for Teriyaki Steak Bites is a fan favorite.
• Korean Ground Beef Stir Fry from Joyous Apron.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Skillet
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils
• Knives and Chopping Board