This recipe for Easy Mongolian Beef has tender strips of beef, onions, and green bell peppers coated in a savory garlic-ginger sauce, with plenty of extra sauce for spooning over rice. It's ready in about 30 minutes, making it a quick swap for takeout on a busy night.
Why we love this recipe
- This is the perfect homemade version of one of our favorite takeout dishes that the entire family enjoys.
- This easy Mongolian Beef recipe is ready in about 30 minutes and can be prepared even on busy days.
- We love extra sauce with our rice, and this recipe has us covered.
Mongolian Beef Ingredients
- Steak - the star of the dish. I like New York strip since it's easy to find and slices up well, but flank steak and sirloin work too.
- Cornstarch - coats the beef before cooking, which gives it that classic slightly crisp texture and also helps thicken the sauce.
- Onion and Green Bell Pepper - add color, crunch, and a little sweetness alongside the beef.
- Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil - for searing the beef and veggies in the skillet.
- Fresh Garlic and Fresh Ginger - build the savory, aromatic base of the sauce.
- Soy Sauce - the salty backbone of the sauce. Low-sodium soy sauce works fine here if you want to control the salt yourself.
- Brown Sugar - balances the salty soy sauce with a little sweetness and helps the sauce glaze the beef.
- Beef Broth - adds body to the sauce so there's plenty of it for spooning over rice. Low-sodium beef broth works too, just taste and adjust the salt before serving.
- Salt and Pepper - for seasoning the beef as it cooks.
- Red Pepper Flakes - optional for a little heat; leave them out if you're serving kids and let everyone add their own spice at the table instead.
- Green Onions - for topping the finished dish.
Which Cut of Beef Works Best in Mongolian Beef
Flank steak is the most traditional cut for Mongolian beef, but sirloin and New York strip both work well too and I usually go with New York strip since it's easy to find and slices up nicely. Whichever cut you choose, look for one that's easy to slice thin.
For the most tender bites, slice the steak thinly against the grain - cutting across those long muscle fibers instead of with them is what keeps the meat from turning chewy. If you're having trouble getting even, thin slices, pop the steak in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes first; it firms up just enough to make slicing much easier.
How to Make Easy Mongolian Beef
Start cooking your rice, if you are using it. Either white rice or brown rice will work. It is personal preference.
Cut the onion and green bell peppers into bite size pieces. Mince the fresh garlic and ginger.
Thinly slice the steak and place it in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and mix together. Set aside until ready to use.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Drizzle olive oil into the skillet and add the onions and green bell peppers. Cook and stir for a minute or so until they start to soften.
When the veggies have softened, move them to the outside edge of the pan and pour another drizzle of oil in the center. Add the steak, red pepper flakes if using, salt and pepper, ginger and garlic. Stir and cook until the meat is just brown.
Mix together the soy sauce and brown sugar. Add the mixture to the pan and give a quick stir.
Next, add the beef broth. Stir well and bring to a boil. Simmer about 5 or so minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly because of the corn starch used on the beef.
Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. To add a bit more heat, add more red pepper flakes.
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Serve the Easy Mongolian Beef over rice topped with some freshly cut green onions. Enjoy!
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Mom Tip
This is one of my husbands favorite takeout orders, and I love that I can make it exactly as spicy (or not) as everyone at the table wants. I usually kept the red pepper flakes light, or skipped them altogether, when the kids were young. Then everyone would spice up their own bowl at the table. My husband would often add a bit more heat to his with chili garlic sauce and/or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Mongolian Beef FAQs
No, there is no marinade for this recipe. Just toss the strips of beef with the cornstarch before cooking.
No, cornstarch is necessary to create the texture on the beef and to thicken the sauce.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
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Complete Recipe
Easy Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil or vegetable oil
- 1 Onion cut into bite size pieces
- 2 Green Bell Peppers cut into bite size pieces
- 1 pound Steak thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoons Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger minced
- 2 teaspoon Fresh Garlic chopped or minced
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 15 ounces Beef Broth
- 3 Green Onions sliced
Instructions
- Cook the rice and set aside until the Mongolian Beef is ready.
- Cut the onion and green bell peppers into bite size pieces.
- Mince the fresh garlic and ginger.
- Thinly slice the steak and place it in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and mix together. Set aside until ready to use.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Drizzle olive oil into the skillet and add the onions and green bell peppers. Cook and stir for a minute or so until they start to soften.
- Move the veggies to the outside edge of the pan and pour another drizzle of oil in the center. Add the steak, red pepper flakes if using, salt and pepper, ginger and garlic. Stir and cook until the meat is just brown.
- Mix together the soy sauce and brown sugar. Add the mixture to the pan and give a quick stir.
- Next, add the beef broth. Stir well and bring to a boil. Simmer about 5 or so minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly because of the corn starch used on the beef.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. To add a bit more heat, add more red pepper flakes.
- Serve the Easy Mongolian Beef over rice topped with some freshly cut green onions. Enjoy!
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