This Mongolian Beef is a popular restaurant favorite. It’s so simple to make and is even better than the original! Loaded with Asian flavors and ready in a flash, this recipe features tender pieces of beef coated in a sweet garlic soy sauce.
Easy Mongolian Beef At Home
Ever since I stopped working in the US, I’ve definitely missed some of my favorite dishes from places like PF Chang’s. It used to be my go to spot to grab an awesome lunch when I worked in Michigan so obviously I was highly motivated to replicate it here!
My version here is as addictive as candy, trust me you won’t be able to stop eating. With such an easy recipe, just a few steps and simple ingredients will help you bring to life the most delicious Mongolian Beef you’ll ever try! So let’s get copycat’ing!
Mongolian Beef Highlights
- Sweet And Savory. If you love the combination of sweet and savory, then you’ll love this thinly sliced beef with this incredible sweet and savory sauce.
- Quick And Easy. This recipe, although it may look complicated, it’s seriously quick to put together and easy to make. While the sauce is reducing, simply cook the beef to speed up the process.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Beef – Flank steak is best for this recipe, as it cooks well when sliced up nice and thin. Other options would be sirloin or skirt steak.
- Vegetable oil – For our sauce and later for frying, be sure to use something neutral tasting such as canola oil or sunflower oil.
- Cornstarch – We’re going to use this to crisp up the beef so be sure not to skip this important ingredient.
- Soy sauce – Low sodium as usual, we want to control our sodium content.
- Brown sugar – We need a bit of sugar to sweeten up this sauce. I prefer a dark brown sugar, but light brown sugar will work as well.
- Garlic – Use as much or little as you like. You can also use a garlic ginger paste.
- Garnish – I love to garnish this with sliced green onions and some toasted sesame seeds.
How To Make Mongolian Beef
- Prepare the beef: Slice the steak into small thin pieces against the grain. In a large ziploc bag add the cornstarch and add the beef pieces. Close the ziploc bag and shake really well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the sauce: In a small sauce pan add the 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and water. Stir and cook over medium heat until sauce thickens. It took me about 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce thickened and reduces by about half. Set aside.
- Fry the beef: In a non stick skillet heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add a few pieces of beef and cook until browned on both sides. The beef will cook quick, about 2 minutes. You will have to do this in batches, so the beef doesn’t stick together, it took me 3 batches to finish all the beef. Add more oil, between batches, if needed. Remove beef from skillet to a bowl and discard any leftover oil from the skillet.
- Toss the beef with sauce: Return all the beef to skillet and pour all the sauce sauce over it. Toss everything together well and cook for 2 more minutes, just until the beef heats back up.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with sliced green onions and/or toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot over rice.
What Is Mongolian Beef
This dish is pretty dang westernized, so it’s safe to say it’s not quite Mongolian fare. Especially since you mostly see it in Chinese American restaurants! It consists of sliced beef nice and thin and cooked down in an amazingly rich, sweet and savory sauce.
What Kind Of Beef Can I Use?
I strongly recommend using flank steak in Mongolian Beef because it’s inexpensive and it’s best for this kind of dish since it cooks really well when sliced nice and thin. Another option would be to use sirloin steak or skirt steak.
What Other Ingredients Can I Add To This Dish?
Just because the name of the recipe states beef, doesn’t mean that beef is all we can use! Try some thinly sliced chicken breast or thighs, or even thinly sliced pork tenderloin.
Expert Tips
- To easily slice the flank steak, place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes before slicing. This will make it so much easier to slice it as thinly as possible. Always slice the beef against the grain.
- Make sure to toss the beef with cornstarch before cooking and let it sit for 5 minutes before searing. This is known as velveting and you’ll end up with very tender and cripsy meat. Do not use flour, the results will not be the same.
- For even more tender beef, you can marinate the beef after slicing in some baking soda for a few minutes. Rinse and continue with the recipe as instructed.
- Don’t overcrowd the beef when frying. Do it in 2 or 3 batches and add more oil if needed in between batches.
Leftovers
This Mongolian beef can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze in single portions in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Just reheat in the microwave or oven straight from the freezer.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram
Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 2 pound flank steak
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup vegetable oil
For sauce
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup water
Optional Garnish
- 2 green onions chopped
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the beef: Slice the steak into small thin pieces against the grain. In a large ziploc bag add the cornstarch and add the beef pieces. Close the ziploc bag and shake really well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the sauce: In a small sauce pan add the 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and water. Stir and cook over medium heat until sauce thickens. It took me about 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce thickened and reduces by about half. Set aside.
- Fry the beef: In a non stick skillet heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add a few pieces of beef and cook until browned on both sides. The beef will cook quick, about 2 minutes. You will have to do this in batches, so the beef doesn't stick together, it took me 3 batches to finish all the beef. Add more oil, between batches, if needed. Remove beef from skillet to a bowl and discard any leftover oil from the skillet.
- Toss the beef with sauce: Return all the beef to skillet and pour all the sauce sauce over it. Toss everything together well and cook for 2 more minutes, just until the beef heats back up.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with sliced green onions and/or toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot over rice.
Video
Recipe Notes
- To easily slice the flank steak, place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes before slicing. This will make it so much easier to slice it as thinly as possible. Always slice the beef against the grain.
- Make sure to toss the beef with cornstarch before cooking and let it sit for 5 minutes before searing. This is known as velveting and you’ll end up with very tender meat. Do not use flour, the results will not be the same.
- For even more tender beef, you can marinate the beef after slicing in some baking soda for a few minutes. Rinse and continue with the recipe as instructed.
- Don’t overcrowd the beef when frying. Do it in 2 or 3 batches and add more oil if needed in between batches.
- This Mongolian beef can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze in single portions in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Just reheat in the microwave or oven straight from the freezer.
- Originally shared April 2014.
This was a hit!!!
Excellent! I will halve the sauce next time, as there was much more than needed…unless I double meat. Lol.
…something I forgot to add; is I wanted this recipe to be perfect and the beef to not be chewy. So I marinated the beef overnight in Olive oil and a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Threw it in the cornstarch as is and also bought a cheap sirloin end from Walmart instead of flank.
I waited all week to enjoy a cheat and this DID NOT DISAPPOINT! This will be a must make again… although not diet friendly with the sugar… but well worth the calories (whatever they are) It’s easy to make and I’m sure the next pot luck – this will be my ‘go to’ to bring!
Could you use London Broil instead of the flank steak? my grocery store didn’t have any 🙁 Would it cook any differently? Your recipe looks delicious!
Yes, London broil is commonly flank or top round steak. 🙂
I want to make this for Christmas day…Just to clarify if I make the beef the day before, I can cook it without adding the sauce, let it cool and store in the fridge, then warm it up and add the sauce on the day..is that right? Thanks!
Yes this will work for the beef!
This was very good. Used shaved beef that I found at local grocery store. Made it really easy.
This is one of my family’s favorite meals. It is wonderful!
I made this tonight and it was even better than P.F. Chang’s. The last time we ordered it at the restaurant it was quite tough. I used sirloin steak and it was fabulous! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
My pleasure, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This was amazing! I love mongolian beef so this was a must try for me. I will post the pics on Instagram later and tag you in it. I’m having trouble getting the sauce to thicken. It’s reduced but not thickening. Any thoughts?
You can add a cornstarch slurry, make sure everything comes to a boil, and it should thicken nicely 🙂 It will also thicken up as it cools!
Mongolian Beef is our favorite dish at PF Chang, but we usually order it “spicy”. I will try the recipe “as is” first, but any thoughts on how to make it spicy?
You can add some sriracha to the sauce! You can also add some chili flakes or full chilis when you stir fry everything.
To add spice, try dropping in two or three whole dried chili peppers… The whole peppers in the dish will remind the diners that the dish is going to be spicy.
This was a grand slam home run! I’ve never had this dish at P.F. Chang’s, but it’d have to be awfully good to beat this recipe. A company-worthy dish, and your guests will never know how quick and easy it was. This goes into regular rotation at our house. Thanks!
So happy you liked it!
It was excellent; thanks
I was wondering about the 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Does this go into the sauce? It’s listed under the meat/cornstarch so I’m confused about where it should go (it seems like a lot!) I tried comparing it to the IP recipe but it’s not part of that recipe!
Hi Andrea! The 1/2 cup of oil is to fry the steak in, not to be added to the sauce. It’s in step 3. Since you’re doing this in 2 batches add 1/4 cup of oil at a time.
I was recommended to your site by trying the Instant Pot Chicken Shawarma recipe (without an instant pot), then I tried your P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef – my husband loved both recipes and now I am hooked on your site. I thank you very much for these recipes.