This Homemade Mongolian Beef recipe is a quick and easy 30-minute recipe that the whole family will love. The caramelized tender beef and saucy vegetables are delicious with the sweet and savory garlic and ginger sauce. Serve this over rice, quinoa, or noodles, and dinner is made!
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Mongolian Beef
We love recreating our favorite takeout recipes, such as Chow Mein and Chicken Fried Rice. This Chinese restaurant-inspired Mongolian Beef is so EASY to make and tastes just as amazing as P.F. Chang’s Mongolian beef bowl. Thinly sliced beef seared until crispy with carrots, bell peppers, and green onions in a sweet and spicy sauce that adds so much flavor to the beef.
Ingredients for Mongolian Beef Stir Fry
- Beef – When sliced into thin strips, flank steak is ideal for a tender stir-fry that won’t become tough and chewy. You can substitute top sirloin, skirt steak, flat iron steak, top round, or even rib-eye steak with great results. Cut the beef against the grain.
- Vegetables – Julienne the carrot and red bell pepper, and slice the green onions or scallions into longer pieces which is nice for a stir fry. Authentic Mongolian Beef is made with just the green onion so if you want to skip the veggies, you can but we love the flavor and texture they add.
- Cornstarch – adds a slightly crisp layer to the outside of the beef, tenderizes the beef, and also helps to thicken up and stabilize the sauce.
- Sauce – the homemade savory-sweet stir fry sauce combines warm aromatic flavors of ginger and garlic with the sweetness of brown sugar and is balanced by savory soy sauce and a hint of spice from sriracha. If you like it spicier, you can also add red pepper flakes.
Natasha’s Tip for Thinly Slicing Beef
If you freeze the beef for 30 minutes, it’s easier to achieve even and thin slices. Also, slicing against the grain helps break down the muscle fibers, preventing the beef from becoming too chewy.
How to Make Mongolian Beef
This recipe comes together quickly and is best when served fresh. Whenever you are making a stir fry over high heat, it cooks fast so make sure all of the ingredients are measured and prepped before starting the recipe.
- Coat the Beef – Add cornstarch to the beef slices and toss to coat completely.
- Make the Sauce – In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
- Sautee Vegetables – Add oil and butter to a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, saute the vegetables to your desired doneness, stirring frequently. Remove from the skillet and cover to keep warm.
- Cook Meat – Add more oil and cook the beef in a single layer until it’s crispy and has a good sear (don’t overcook the meat). TIP: Don’t overcrowd the pan, if needed, cook in batches. Add the vegetables back to the beef.
- Add Sauce – Pour in the sauce and add the green onion, turn the heat down to medium. Cook until the sauce thickens. TIP: If you prefer a spicier sauce, add additional Sriracha to taste. If the sauce is too salty or too thick, add a splash of water. If it’s too thin, simmer a bit longer or add a cornstarch slurry.
Wok vs. Skillet
Traditionally, a wok is used for stir-frying because it’s meant for high-heat cooking, and the shape makes it easy to toss ingredients for even cooking. I have found that a heavy-bottomed skillet can handle the recipe just fine, so use what you have on hand. The key is to use a pan that is suitable for high-heat cooking, retains heat well to give a good sear, and is large enough that you aren’t crowding the pan (overcrowding causes food to steam cook rather than sear).
What to Serve with Mongolian Beef?
Since this dish is so flavorful and saucy, pair it with simple sides:
- Rice – fluffy white rice, brown rice or even fried rice
- Steamed Vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy, snow peas, or mix of vegetables
- Quinoa – a great alternative to rice
- Spring Rolls or Egg Rolls
- Noodles – such as lo mein, udon, or soba noodles
Storing and Reheating Mongolian Beef
- Storing Leftovers – The Mongolian Beef is great for meal prep because it will keep well refrigerated for up to three days. This is also a great recipe to use as meal prep and keep in individual portions to take to work and reheat for lunch.
- Reheating – It’s always best to reheat using the same method a recipe was cooked so reheat on the stovetop or use the microwave if you’re on the go.
Once you give this homemade version of the Classic P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef a try, it will be on repeat for dinner.
Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
Mongolian Beef Ingredients
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil, divided*
- 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain*
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/3 cup green onions, thickly sliced (from 4 stems)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional garnish
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, (packed)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, *
- 1 tsp Sriracha, or added to taste
Instructions
- Place beef slices in a bowl, add cornstarch and stir to completely coat.
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce and stir until well combined, set aside.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 Tbsp oil with 1 Tbsp butter over medium/high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the carrot and peppers and stir fry until crisp-tender or to your desired tenderness, stirring frequently. Remove the vegetables to a separate plate.
- Increase to high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once hot, add the beef and sear for about 2 minutes per side to create a crispy coating. Add more oil if the skillet seems dry. Do not crowd the pan and cook the beef in batches if needed.
- Add the vegetables back into the skillet with the green onion. Add the sauce and stir to combine. Turn heat to medium/low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired and serve.
Notes
Beef – You can also use top sirloin, skirt steak, flat iron steak, top round, or even rib eye steak. Cut the beef into thin slices across the grain. If you freeze the steak for 30 minutes, it will be easier to thinly slice.
Oil – use an oil with a high smoke point such as peanut oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or extra light olive oil
Soy Sauce – Use Tamari Sauce for gluten-free Mongolian Beef. If using regular soy sauce, add it to taste since it has more salt.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Asian Recipes
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Ground Beef Stir Fry
- California Roll Bowls
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
Made this tonight and WOW! So good! Thank you for this wonderful easy recipe! Sent a pic to my kids of the beautiful plate of food- wish I could post. Thank you so much!
I’m so happy you loved it, Jill!!
This was my FIRST recipe of yours and it was a home run! The sauce was perfection. I was afraid the brown sugar would make it too sweet, not so. The soy sauce balanced it out. I kept eating more even though I was full, bc I was just going for the taste.
I prepped the veggies, sauce, and even fried up the meat earlier in day (when I have more energy), then when dinner came, I reheated veggies and meat in pan again, added the sauce and scallions. I had the rice already made too. I needed to use 1 1/2 lbs of flank steak and adjusted the other ingredient measurements accordingly, worked perfectly. YUM. One of the best Asian dishes I have ever made.
Thanks for sharing your experience trying my Mongolian Beef recipe. I’m happy that you enjoyed it!
I made the Mongolian Beef recipe today for my husband and myself and we absolutely loved it! I was afraid that the garlic and ginger would be too much but their addition made the sauce delicious. I have been enjoying your cookbook as well. Thank you, from Texas. ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So very happy to hear that, Bonnie! Thanks for sharing.
Followed the recipe just as it was written. Came out great
So glad you loved it, Nancy!
OMG. This is so good makes me wish I had a longer tongue so I could lick the pan. Thank you!!
Hi Natasha! I made this dish exactly as per your recipe and we absolutely LOVED it! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. I would like to make it for my family however, my DIL is allergic to beef and corn starch. I’m planning to substitute chicken for the beef. What would you recommend as a close substitution for the corn starch? I was thinking either tapioca starch or potato starch. Which one would you suggest?
Hi Nell! I’m so happy to hear you loved it. Either of those substitutions would work fine. You could also use flour, but you’ll need to use more.
Hi Natasha! I had so much left over rare flank steak . I made your recipe eliminating the corn starch and followed exact recipe! It was great. I have made before following your recipe with the raw meat. Did not want to waste . It was delicious!v
Hi JoAnne! That’s a wonderful way to use it up. Thanks for sharing. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
OH MY! SOOO DELICIOUS!!! This was easy to fix on a week night and the flavors were outstanding. I am cutting back on carbs so I served it over cauliflower rice. Very Delicious!! This is a Favorite !! Thank you.
Very easy dish to pull together with ingredients already in my pantry. Delicious!
I “velvet” the meat in ALL my Asian dishes. It makes a world of difference in texture and tastes exactly how an Asian restaurant would prepare it.
I make this regularly. I love your recipes!!! Partners great with cauliflower rice.
Just made this yesterday for our Sunday lunch (served over coconut rice) and we loved it!
Full of flavour and makes a great reheatable left-over lunch to take to work.
So DELISH and easy!!! I substituted 1/4 cup honey for the brown sugar. Will make again!!!
Thank you!!!
Absolutely delicious! The sauce is 10/10. Thank you for another great recipe!