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Mongolian Beef (Easy, 30-Minute Recipe)

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!

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

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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.

Mongolian beef and broccoli garnished with chives and sesame seeds

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.

VegetablesJulienne 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.

Saucethe 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.

Prepared ingredients with beef, vegetables and ramekins of sauce ingredients

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.
Step by step collage how to make Mongolian beef.

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

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.

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.

More Easy Asian Recipes

Mongolian Beef Recipe

5 from 262 votes
Author: Valentina Ablaev
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 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

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 Recipe
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, PF Changs Mongolian Beef
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 377
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Valentina Ablaev

I am Valentina, the creator behind the food blog Valentina’s Corner where I share our family’s favorite recipes. When I am not in the kitchen, I enjoy spending quality time with my husband and 5 children. We invite you to join us on our blogging journey!

Read more posts by Valentina

5 from 262 votes (152 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Susan
    December 29, 2022

    I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Substituted broccoli for the peppers. Will definitely make it again!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 29, 2022

      I’m glad to hear that, Susan! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply

  • Ronda friend
    December 27, 2022

    Really tired of recipes including this one that understate the real time it takes to make them. I am very experienced and took me longer than 30 minutes for sure. Though it was a wonderful dish

    Reply

  • Beverley
    December 19, 2022

    I made this exactly as the recipe lists and it is terrific. We all loved it! I stir-fried some broccoli as a side dish and served it all over rice. Yummy and easy. I will definitely make this again. My husband wants me to add some extra Sriracha to make it a little spicier next time, so I will try that. A+ as is!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 19, 2022

      I’m so glad it was a hit! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply

  • Alishia
    November 29, 2022

    One of my family’s favorite dishes of yours. I was thinking of making this for a holiday party but wanted to make it the day before. We never have leftovers so I wasn’t sure how fresh it would taste if I reheated the next day.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 29, 2022

      Hello Alishia, I would probably toss the beef with the cornstarch before cooking or it will get gummy and might clump.

      Reply

  • Cindy
    November 26, 2022

    I have stew beef meat but no steak. Can I use this in the recipe?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 26, 2022

      Hi Cindy, this recipe will still work with stew beef, but we found the best flavor and results with flank steak.

      Reply

  • Lois
    September 21, 2022

    Excellent recipe. Perfect as is……………………………..

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 21, 2022

      Thank you, Lois!

      Reply

  • Angie
    September 9, 2022

    Hi I was wondering if the 1tsp of sriracha makes it spicy? Or just adds a taste? Wanted to make this for my family but my kids can’t handle spicy!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 9, 2022

      Hi Angie, no, it does not add too much heat. You could leave it out if you’d like and it will still taste great.

      Reply

  • Desiree Sebastian
    July 29, 2022

    Hello
    Love this recipe. My husband asks for this meal every week.
    Just one question- which soy sauce for this recipe – dark or light?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 29, 2022

      Hi Desiree! I use light (all-purpose) soy sauce, the type you’d use for dipping sauce.

      Reply

  • Alicia
    May 31, 2022

    I made the Mongolian Beef for dinner and it was really delicious! I didn’t have any fresh green onion but used fresh chives instead as they are ready to use in the garden, and I used two tsp. sriracha sauce because we love spicy! Excellent meal, love your recipes. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 31, 2022

      Hello Alicia, great to hear that you loved the result! Thank you for sharing your experience trying out this recipe.

      Reply

  • Frieda
    May 30, 2022

    Ik wil het gerecht graag maken maar weet niet wat Sriracha is. Kan U mij dit laten weten AUB zodat ik het kan uit proberen DankU.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 30, 2022

      Hi Frieda, according to their website description: “Sriracha is a type of hot sauce or chili sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt.” I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Ed
    May 29, 2022

    Natasha, out of all the millions and billions of recipes and instructions on the internet, you are absolutely the top best number 1, always such an amazingly delicious recipes and clear instructions nothing left to chance. just a quick question, because carrot is really hard if you don’t add enough salt, it always taste bland cause I try to be careful with salt, so how much salt just for the carrot and bell pepper do you recommend for this particular recipe, thank you so very much, you are awesome, cheers from North Vancouver, BC, Canada. 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 30, 2022

      Hi Ed, thank you for that thoughtful compliment. The sauce in this recipe is sufficient to add enough salt to the entire dish so I don’t add any extra salt to the vegetables.

      Reply

  • Ruthann Dreyer
    May 27, 2022

    Made this last night. It was delicious! There was none left on our plates. I will definitely be making it again. After prep cooking went quickly. Try this you will be happy you did!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 27, 2022

      That’s great! Thank you for the excellent review. I’m so happy to hear it was enjoyed.

      Reply

  • Agata Wesolowski
    May 21, 2022

    I made this delicious Mongolian beef and it was a bummer!!!!!
    Good so much complements how good this dish smells.
    Doing again this weekend!
    Thank you 😊

    Reply

  • Laura
    May 17, 2022

    From the first time I tried this, it’s been my second favorite food, which is saying A LOT. It’s amaaaazing. We’d tried a few other Mongolian recipes and this one is by far the best. My son prefers chicken for everything, so we’ve made it as chicken, and it’s still unbelievable. I dont usually like ginger, but I dont taste it in this, so it’s okay. We hardly ever use recipes as they are… we always make adjustments… but this one is already SO fabulous that we dont need to! We’ve made it a bunch of times over the last year or so. We just made it for the first time in the last couple months, and it was so good that I just felt like crying! Ahhhh thank you SO much!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 18, 2022

      Hello Laura, that’s really some wonderful feedback. Thank you for sharing that with us, I’m happy that you loved this recipe a lot!

      Reply

  • Meg
    May 9, 2022

    This was delicious!!! The sauce was amazing and could be used on all sorts of thing in my opinion. Another great recipe!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 9, 2022

      I bet it can, Meg! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Stacy Chmykhalov
    May 2, 2022

    Wow, this recipe is a keeper!!! I did add broccoli, maybe will add mushroom next time. The sauce is just full of flavor I love it. Thank you Natasha, now I can plan what to cook for the next birthday party!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 2, 2022

      Sounds great, Stacy. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!

      Reply

  • Yas
    May 1, 2022

    I made this today and it was delicious! I had some shrimps in the fridge, added them at the end and it was wonderful! Thanks Natasha for another great recipe! 👌🏼😍

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 1, 2022

      You’re very welcome! Great to know that the recipe was a huge hit!

      Reply

  • Pamela
    April 30, 2022

    This is a delicious recipe, but takes more than 30 minutes. I also made double the amount of sauce. Flavorwise, it’s amazing.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 30, 2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Jane
    March 31, 2022

    We had another wonderful dinner tonight thanks to yet another delicious recipe from your site. I enjoy cooking again because of your variety of easy to follow tasty recipes. THANK YOU!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 1, 2022

      I’m happy to hear that, Jane. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!

      Reply

  • David
    March 26, 2022

    This is an amazing recipe. I tripled the recipe for my family, and it was a big hit! Thank you so very much for this wonderful recipe!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 26, 2022

      That’s the best when it’s a hit with the family, that’s so great!

      Reply

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