Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe
A Chinese American Favorite Take-Out Dish!
My Mongolian beef recipe is so simple to make. So, save your coins and make this delicious dish at home. Not only is homemade Mongolian beef better when made at home, it can be made in under 25 minutes. This is one of my favorite top takeout recipes to make. It tastes just as good as in the restaurants. This recipe has the perfect balance of sweet and savory! Plus, it’s a budget friendly meal to make for the family to enjoy.
Thin slices of beef are fried in some olive oil, then coated in a delicious sauce. A Mongolian beef sauce filled with ginger and fresh minced garlic. When making Mongolian beef, Flank steak is usually the meat of choice. But feel free to use sirloin if it’s cheaper. If you’re cooking for 1 or 2 people a cut of ribeye steak is good as well. Use whatever you can with your budget. The meat should be cut against the grain in 1 to 1 1/2-inch strips. I recommend allowing the meat to come to room temperature before marinating in the marinade sauce. An important reminder is to not skip out on the cornstarch, it serves as a tenderizer.
When preparing the Mongolian beef brown sauce, it’s better to use hot water, this allows the brown sugar to dissolve quickly. Feel free to make any adjustments to the sauce if needed, and don’t hesitate to do a taste test. The green scallion, garlic, and ginger are a must for this recipe. It helps to give this dish so much good flavor. I like to use sherry cooking wine for my recipe, but you may use shaoxing wine as a substitute. Pair this dish with a side of white or brown rice. If you want to throw in a side of veggies- steamed broccoli is a great choice. I hope you enjoy this delicious Mongolian beef recipe. It’s better than takeout!
Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Ib Flank Steak Alternative: Sirloin or Ribeye
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tsps Sherry Cooking Wine
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tsps Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Ginger Paste or Minced Ginger
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 5 Scallions
- 1/2 White Onion Sliced
- Cornstarch Slurry Mix 1 Tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tsps of Water
- Optional Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
Mongolian Beef Sauce:
- ¾ to 1 Cup Hot Water
- 3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tsps Sherry Cooking Wine
Instructions
- Clean & prep the meat beforehand. Cut the steak into strips by slicing very thinly against the grain into about 1 to 1 ½ inch strips.
- Marinate the steak: Add the steak to a bowl and coat with the sherry cooking wine, soy sauce, & cornstarch. Mix everything together & marinate the meat for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
- Next, prepare the Mongolian beef sauce. In a large bowl add the hot water, brown sugar, soy sauce, and sherry cooking wine. Mix until the sugar dissolves, then set the sauce to the side.
- Over medium-high to high heat, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to a wok/skillet. Once the oil is hot add the steak strips and sear until the meat is browned and crispy (About 2 to 4 minutes). You may have to brown the meat in batches. Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside. scrap any meat drippings stuck to the skillet.
- Next, add the sliced white onion and sauté for a minute or two. Add the ginger paste and fresh minced garlic, sauté for a few seconds or until fragrant.
- Mix everything together and pour the Mongolian beef sauce into the wok as well as the cornstarch slurry.
- Stir everything together and allow the sauce to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked steak strips & mix into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens up.
- Toss the sliced green onions into the wok. Stir everything together and Cook a few seconds. Optional: you can add a pinch of crushed red pepper.
- The sauce should thicken up but keep an eye on the sauce to prevent burning.
- Tip: Most recipes call for the sauce to thicken up so much that there is no liquid in the pan. But I like to have a little bit of sauce/liquid to pour over my rice. It this is completely optional.
- Serve over rice. Enjoy!
