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A bowl of Mongolian Beef and white rice with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
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Mongolian Beef

This Mongolian Beef recipe has a sweet and savory sticky sauce with tender bites of beef and dried red chilies. It tastes just like takeout and is perfect with rice!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 363kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Sauce

  • ¾ cup beef broth
  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha can sub hot sauce
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil

Beef, etc.

  • 1 lb. Flank steak can also use Skirt, Sirloin, or Strip Steak. See notes.
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil can sub avocado or olive oil
  • ¼ cup dry white wine see notes
  • 3-4 dried red chili peppers optional. See notes.
  • 3 green onions sliced

For Serving

  • Steamed rice see notes
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside in a cool place. (Make sure the liquid isn’t warm so that it doesn’t activate the cornstarch.) Measure out the remaining ingredients before beginning.
  • Place saran wrap over the beef and use a meat tenderizer to pound it on each side. This makes it much more tender. Cut away any large areas of fat if needed.
  • Slice the meat (against the grain) into strips ¼-inch thick, the meat will plump up more when cooked. Pat it completely dry, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to coat on all sides.
  • Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meat in batches for 3-4 minutes per batch, (overcrowding the pan will cause the beef to steam instead of fry). Set aside.
  • Turn the heat off and add the wine, then set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, this will add more flavor to the sauce. Reduce by half, 2-3 minutes. If using dried red chilies, add them during the last 30-60 seconds.
  • Stir the sauce and add it to the skillet. Bring it to a boil. Once thickened, reduce to a simmer. Add the beef back and toss to coat in the sauce for 2-3 minutes, it’ll thicken a little more. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with rice!

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Cuts of Beef: Flank steak, strip steak, skirt steak, or top sirloin are your best options for this recipe. Be sure to slice it against the grain so it's easy to chew!
  • Wine: Pinot Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc are great wine options to deglaze the pan with. An equal amount of chicken or beef broth may be used if you don’t cook with wine.
  • Dried Red Chili Peppers: These are optional but are commonly found in Mongolian beef. They have varying levels of heat which should be indicated on the package. To reduce their heat, soak them in water and remove the seeds. 
  • To Control the Sodium in this recipe, consider using low sodium soy sauce and/or reduced sodium broth.
  • Sriracha: The sriracha in this recipe doesn’t make it hot/spicy, it’s just a small amount that is used to enhance the other flavors. I use Frank’s Sriracha Sauce.
  • Toasted sesame seeds can be used as a topping as well, and be sure to try my Orange Chicken next!
  • Serve this with: White rice or my Vegetable Fried Rice!
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 
My process for perfectly cooked rice:
  • Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. (I add 2 chicken bouillon cubes to the water for enhanced flavor.)
  • Add 1 cup of white long grain rice and let the liquid come back up to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. (I set my heat to low.)
  • Remove from heat and let it stand in the pot for 10 minutes with the lid on, any rice stuck to the bottom will release.
  • This yields 3 cups of flavorful, perfectly cooked rice. I use a Dutch oven for this which conducts heat well.
  • Note that other varieties of rice may require different liquid measurements and/or cooking times.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 1026mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg