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!

Mongolian Beef and vegetables over a bed of rice with a spoon and a napkin.

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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.

Mongolian beef and broccoli garnished with chives and sesame seeds

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.
  • VegetablesJulienne 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.
  • Saucethe 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.
Prepared ingredients with beef, vegetables and ramekins of sauce ingredients

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.
Step by step collage how to make Mongolian beef.

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:

  • Ricefluffy 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.
Leftover Mongolian Beef with vegetables smother in a sauce in a skillet with two spoons and a towel.

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

5 from 268 votes
Mongolian beef and vegetables over white rice
EASY Mongolian Beef recipe with the BEST sauce! Thinly sliced beef with vegetables in flavor-packed sauce ready in under 30 minutes!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 4 people

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

Substitutions: 
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

377kcal Calories32g Carbs26g Protein16g Fat5g Saturated Fat76mg Cholesterol816mg Sodium596mg Potassium2g Fiber20g Sugar3651IU Vitamin A42mg Vitamin C59mg Calcium3mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Mongolian Beef
Amount per Serving
Calories
377
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Cholesterol
 
76
mg
25
%
Sodium
 
816
mg
35
%
Potassium
 
596
mg
17
%
Carbohydrates
 
32
g
11
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
20
g
22
%
Protein
 
26
g
52
%
Vitamin A
 
3651
IU
73
%
Vitamin C
 
42
mg
51
%
Calcium
 
59
mg
6
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Keyword: mongolian beef, mongolian beef recipe, PF Changs Mongolian Beef
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 377
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

More Easy Asian Recipes

5 from 268 votes (152 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Donna
    August 21, 2020

    I’m making this evening! Thinking of using sesame oil for 1/2 the oil requirement. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 21, 2020

      Hi Donna, I have not tested this with sesame oil to advise. If you happen to experiment I would love to know how you like that.

      Reply

      • Donna
        August 21, 2020

        Thanks! I’m gonna try! Will report back! A.lso,do you think it would be ok to toss the beef with the cornstarch about 2 hours ahead? Trying to prep early!

        Reply

        • Natasha
          August 22, 2020

          Hi Donna, I would probably do that step before cooking or it will get gummy and might clump.

          Reply

  • Luda
    August 18, 2020

    Valentina and Natasha, I don’t think i even have the right words to describe how delicious this mongolian beef was!!!!! SO SO YUMMY! last time I made it, it was just gone! So, today I doubled the meat recipe aaaand tripled the sauce recipe! It is definitely our family favorite and the best part is that our kids love it!!! thank you so much! I love both of your blogs

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 18, 2020

      You’re welcome Luda! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!!

      Reply

  • Jill
    August 9, 2020

    Hi Natasha, the beef was so tasty and easy to make. Every bit as good as our favourite takeaway.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 9, 2020

      So glad you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Theresa Will
    August 7, 2020

    Natasha you are the best! Your recipes always please. This Mongolian Beef recipe was no exception. Delicious! I used a flat iron steak which was very juicy and tender. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 8, 2020

      You’re welcome, Theresa! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!

      Reply

  • Audra Smith
    July 30, 2020

    Mongolian beef was great!! My kids enjoyed prepping with me. My 4 year old boy is mostly a carnivore so he inhaled the beef!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 30, 2020

      I’m so glad you all enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback.

      Reply

  • Semida
    July 1, 2020

    Super yummy and easy to make! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 1, 2020

      You’re welcome Semida! I’m glad you enjoyed that!

      Reply

    • Sue Goudas
      July 20, 2020

      Delicious .. my family loved it.This is the first recipe I have tried since following your Facebook page and I am excited to try more!

      Reply

  • Angela Foster
    June 28, 2020

    This recipe was so amazing and so delicious! The meat was tender and a little crispy and the sauce was just the best! I served this over basmati rice and this will be a keeper for sure as I have already been asked to make this again soon! Thank you Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 28, 2020

      My pleasure! So great to hear that you loved this recipe, thanks for your sharing your wonderful experience with us!

      Reply

  • Von
    June 27, 2020

    I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made this 3 times so far & will keep on making this. Local restaurants can’t make this tasty dish as great as this recipe! Thanks again Natasha!😃

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 28, 2020

      You are so welcome, Von. Sounds like you found your favorite recipe!

      Reply

  • Natalia
    June 23, 2020

    Amazing!!! Loved everything about this recipe, will be making again and again.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 23, 2020

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!

      Reply

  • Katerina Chern
    June 14, 2020

    Delicious! My husband loved it!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 15, 2020

      Thank you so much!

      Reply

  • Katerina Chern
    June 14, 2020

    Delicious! My husband loved it! The flavors really come together.

    Reply

  • Madeline Concepcion
    June 10, 2020

    Wow! Excellent recipe! I just made it today and we all enjoyed it very much! I did it with 2lbs of ribeye steaks and used 2/3c of soy sauce and 1/3 of siracha to compensate for the extra pound of beef. I made a mistake with the green onion and read thinly sliced instead of thickly, but it was absolutely delicious nonetheless! Tomorrow I will be making your Beef Stroganoff for dinner! So excited!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 10, 2020

      I hope you love the beef stroganoff recipe! Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Fatin
    June 6, 2020

    Love it 🙂

    Reply

  • Teresa Pederson
    June 5, 2020

    Love, love your recipes!
    Did you use Sriracha sauce or a dry Sriracha seasoning?
    AND when will you be doing a cookbook? I need one out by Christmas so my husband can get me one

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 5, 2020

      I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes, Teresa! We used Sriracha sauce for heat. We do not have one at this time but we are working on one. Stay tuned!

      Reply

  • Pearl
    June 4, 2020

    Thanks for the wonderful recipe Natasha – the whole family enjoyed it immensely 🙂 I used rump steak instead and added leftover broccoli to the vegetables listed – just perfect!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 5, 2020

      That is awesome, Pearl. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your wonderful review.

      Reply

  • Kelly Jones
    June 1, 2020

    Loved this! My hubby said it needed to go on our monthly menu. I used a sirloin steak and it was tender and delicious. Next time I’m going to add some broccoli to it!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 1, 2020

      That’s so awesome! Thank you for that great review! Sounds like you found a new favorite!

      Reply

  • jessica
    May 29, 2020

    I really liked the recipe but had a problem with a meat sticking the the bottom of a dutch oven while frying. Did you have the same problem? What kind of skillet would you advise to use for it? Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 30, 2020

      Hi Jessica, A dutch oven isn’t truly non-stick. I would suggest using a non-stick pan if you are having trouble in a dutch oven.

      Reply

  • Marlen
    May 29, 2020

    Natasha, I have to tell you, once again you have blown me out of the water with this recipe. Easy, as delicious, if not more as the restaurants and definitely will be making it again. I did have an issue though and it had nothing to do with the recipe, but probably my limited cooking skills, but my flank steaks pieces, even though very tasty, they were very chewy. Would that be because of my cooking, did I over cook or is there a specific way/direction to cut the meat? Please help, I know I will be making this recipe again, very soon. Love the flavors and the ease of making it.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 29, 2020

      Hi Marlen, make sure to cut the flank steak against the grain and also thinly slice. It helps to slice thinly if you freeze the steak for 30 minutes before slicing. I hope that helps.

      Reply

      • Marlen
        June 1, 2020

        Hello Natasha, thank you for the advice. I am truly looking forward to trying the recipe again with your pointers.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          June 1, 2020

          You’re welcome!

          Reply

  • Raquel
    May 27, 2020

    This was easy and delicious!! A new favorite for my recipe box!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 27, 2020

      Yay so glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing that with us.

      Reply

      • Deborah Roland
        October 18, 2020

        Hi Natasha, I just your recipes. Question, I have a “eye of round roast” in my refrigerator that I need to cook. Would this cut of beef work for this recipe. Thank you

        Reply

        • Natasha
          October 18, 2020

          Hi Deborah, it isn’t ideal and might be a little tough. Make sure to thinly slice if you use it.

          Reply

  • Anna
    May 24, 2020

    This was the best homemade Mongolian Beef. Thank you for posting your recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 24, 2020

      You’re welcome and thanks for giving this recipe a great feedback!

      Reply

      • Almadavis11@gmail.com
        May 31, 2020

        Hola hope all is well in your family just one quick question do I need to change anything if I make it with chicken?

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          June 1, 2020

          I honestly haven’t tried this recipe using chicken to advise but I imagine it may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe

          Reply

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