Mongolian Beef
Takeout-style bold flavor without the fuss,
Mongolian Beef is a quick stir fry featuring thinly sliced beef tossed in a rich, glossy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. The beef gets lightly coated in cornstarch before cooking, which helps create beautifully browned edges while giving the sauce something to cling to.
My version keeps the ingredient list short and the technique simple, making it an easy way to get those crave able Asian-inspired flavors on the table.
Why you’ll love this recipe.
Ready in minutes, everything comes together quickly
Big flavor, few ingredients
Take out texture and flavors without complication
Perfect for busy nights
What is Mongolian Beef?
Despite its name, Mongolian beef isn’t a traditional Mongolian dish. It’s generally associated with Chinese American restaurant cuisine. Traditional restaurant versions can involve deep-frying or more elaborate preparation to achieve very crisp beef and thick, glossy sauce. This home version simplifies the process by lightly coating the beef with cornstarch and pan-frying it in a small amount of oil rather than deep frying.
The result isn’t meant to be a historical authentic Mongolian dish. It’s an easy, home kitchen interpretation of the familiar sweet, savory, gingery beef that people love.
Ingredient spotlight.
Cornstarch should not be overlooked! It’s doing two important jobs here.
First, it creates a light coating that helps the beef develop browned, slightly crisp edges. Second, that coating helps the flavorful sauce to cling to every piece of beef. It’s one of my favorite simple tricks for making a quick stir fry feel much more like restaurant food.
Brown sugar balances out the strong saltiness of the soy sauce, giving this dish the familiar sweet and savory boldness of asian takeout.
Easy ingredient swaps.
Beef: Flank steak is a great choice, but sirloin, skirt steak, or another tender quick-cooking steak can work.
Brown sugar: Honey can be substituted, although it will make the sauce slightly different in texture and flavor.
Fresh ginger: Ground ginger can work in a pinch, but fresh grated ginger gives much better flavor.
Green onions: Chives or garlic chives can work as a substitute, although they won’t have quite the same texture.
Beginner tips for success.
Slice the beef thinly. For tender pieces, slice against the grain. If the beef is difficult to slice thinly, place it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes first.
Don’t skip the cornstarch. It helps create a texture that makes this dish so satisfying.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. If the beef is packed together, it will steam instead of browning. Cook in batches if necessary.
Use high heat. You want the beef to brown quickly rather than slowly release moisture into the pan.
Have everything ready before cooking. Once the beef hits the pan, things move quickly. have the garlic, ginger, sauce ingredients, and garnishes prepared ahead of time.
Watch the sauce. The brown sugar can caramelize quickly. Once the sauce is glossy and coats the beef, you’re done.
What to serve with Mongolian Beef.
Steamed jasmine or white rice
Brown rice
Fried rice
Steamed veggies
Asian cucumber salad
Spring rolls or dumplings
Make it a complete meal.
For a simple family dinner:
Main: Mongolian Beef
Side: Steamed Jasmine Rice
Vegetable: Steamed veggies (broccoli, snap peas, or bok choy)
Dessert: Fresh orange or pineapple slices
Mongolian Beef
Make easy Mongolian Beef at home with tender sliced beef, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and brown sugar. A quick, flavorful takeout-style dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 stalks green onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place the sliced beef in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss until the beef is lightly and evenly coated.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high to high heat.
- Add the beef in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook until browned and lightly crisp on the edges, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Reduce the heat slightly. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce begins to bubble. Once the sauce is glossy and coating every piece of chicken, it is done.
- Quickly add the sliced green onions, sesame oil and sesame seeds, give it a quick stir. Turn off the heat and serve immediately over rice.
Notes
- Slice against the grain for more tender beef
- For the best browning, don't overcrowd the pan.
- If your soy sauce is particularly salty, you may want to start with slightly less and adjust to taste.
- The sauce thickens quickly, keep an eye on it.
- For extra vegetables, add broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, or box chop to make this a complete one-pan style dinner.
Get ready to cook the world with my free basic guide to a global flavored pantry.
Make easy Mongolian Beef at home with tender sliced beef, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and brown sugar. A quick, flavorful takeout-style dinner.