This Homemade Mongolian Beef is a quick and easy 30-minute recipe the whole family will love. The crispy yet tender beef and saucy vegetables are delicious with the sweet and savory garlic and ginger sauce. All you need is a steamy bowl of cooked rice and dinner is made!
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The BEST Mongolian Beef Recipe
We love re-creating our favorite takeout recipes like 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. Thinly sliced beef seared until crispy with carrots, bell pepper, and green onion in a sweet and spicy sauce that adds so much flavor to the beef.
Ingredients
Beef – Flank steak is best to achieve very thin slices without becoming 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 bell pepper, and slice the green onions 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 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.
Pro Tip:
TIP: If you freeze the beef for 30 minutes, it’s easier to achieve even, thin slices.
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 Beef – Add cornstarch to the beef slices and completely coat.
- 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.
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
Leftovers
Storing – 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.
More Easy Asian Recipes
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Chicken Gyozas
Mongolian Beef Recipe
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 cornstarch
- 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
Valentina Ablaev
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Could this recipe be made in the slow cooker or the crock pot? Or would the flank steak get too tough?
Hi Melissa! I haven’t tested this in a crockpot/slow cooker yet so I can’t say.
This recipe was soooo delicious! Can’t wait to make it again! Next time we’ll make a larger batch for more leftovers.
Really love this recipe, for a change could I just use chicken instead of beef .
Thanks
Hi Bob! I don’t see why not.
This is a house favorite! So delicious, my husband would have it every day if I made it!
Made this today for lunch!! So good!! Next time I might reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup brown sugar and add a small onion, chopped. If you want it spicy add a lot more siracha. There was no heat at 1 tsp. I don’t believe that it was enough to serve 4 people, but maybe we eat too much! 😉
The best ever. We make this all of the time and it is amazing for leftover lunch!
I’m so glad it’s being enjoyed! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely delicious! This is a keeper! My family loved this! Thank you 🤗
So glad it was a hit, Judy!
Recipe looks great! Can’t wait to try it. I wanted to make a correction on cutting the beef. If you are cutting beef when it is raw, cut with the grain. When cutting meat when cooked, cut against the grain.
Thanks for your suggestion, Kara!
This is a house favorite! So delicious! My husband would have it every day if I made it!
Awesome, so happy to hear that this recipe is always a hit!