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This better-than-takeout Mongolian beef recipe is thinly sliced beef crisped to perfection and finished in a velvety, sweet, and savory sauce. This Chinese take-out classic takes 30 minutes to make at home!

A pan of cooked beef strips in rich sauce, garnished with chopped green onions.
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Imagine the sizzle of a pan, the smell of a sweet and savory sauce, the crunch of crispy, yet tender beef… yum. There’s nothing like making your favorite restaurant meal at home. This Mongolian beef is a mouthwatering DIY version of a classic Chinese take-out dish. It’s SO simple to make, too.

Thin slices of tender beef are crisped to perfection and coated in a velvety sauce filled with the flavors of zesty ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Add a pop of color from sliced scallions and call it a day. So before you pick up the phone to dial takeout, think again!

A bowl of white rice topped with Mongolian beef and garnished with chopped green onions.

Why You’ll Love This Take-Out Mongolian Beef Recipe

This better-than-take-out Mongolian beef is a favorite for many reasons. Allow me to name a couple.

  • Quick and easy. This homemade Mongolian beef is easy to make in 30 minutes.
  • Customizable. Making this Mongolian beef at home will give you peace of mind knowing that you’re using less grease and quality ingredients. Customize the flavors and add-ins however you’d like!
  • Crispy and flavorful. The flavor-texture combo of this dish is to die for. The sweet and savory sauce matched with beef that is perfectly crispy on the outside and delightfully tender on the inside will have you coming back for seconds.

What Is Mongolian Beef?

Mongolian beef is a popular dish served in Chinese restaurants. Contrary to the name, this dish comes from Taiwan, not Mongolia. The typical Mongolian beef found in American-Chinese restaurants consists of thinly sliced beef stir-fried in a wok with green onions and finished in a luscious, sweet, and savory sauce.

A bowl of white rice topped with Mongolian beef in a dark sauce, garnished with green onions. Chopsticks rest on the bowls edge.

Using Other Cuts of Beef

Flank steak is my top pick, but you can achieve a similar result with skirt steak or thinly sliced chuck roast (like you’ll find in my Vietnamese boc luc lac). Whichever beef you choose, look for a cut that has some fat in it. Fat adds to the flavor of the dish and leads to a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth entree. Interested in learning about the various cuts of beef? Check out this informative article.

Tips for Success

Want to know how to take your Mongolian beef to the next level? Here are some tips and tricks that will help you achieve a successful outcome.

  • Don’t skip the cornstarch. Cornstarch is crucial in this recipe for 2 reasons. (1) It contributes to the crispiness of the beef once seared and (2) it is responsible for the thickening of the sauce at the end of the recipe. So don’t forget to coat the beef in cornstarch.
  • Don’t coat the beef too long in advance. Aim to toss your beef slices in cornstarch about 10 minutes ahead of cooking. Allowing the beef to sit in the cornstarch for too long will cause it to get mushy, and no one wants that.
  • Use enough heat. Attempting to sear the beef in a pan that isn’t quite hot enough will leave you disappointed. It will not caramelize properly and will spend too long in the pan, causing it to toughen and release liquid. Also, the cornstarch will not activate as a thickening agent unless it has enough heat to work with.
  • Sear in batches. If you crowd the pan, it will cool down quickly, making it harder to get the sear you are looking for. The beef will release its moisture, leaving you with a less-than-crispy, tough bite.

What Does Coating Beef in Cornstarch Do?

In Chinese cooking, coating meat in cornstarch is called velveting, and it’s the secret to moist, tender, and crispy beef in classic Mongolian beef recipes. Meat that’s left uncoated will release its liquid as it cooks. Cornstarch locks in the juices while crisping the outside, making the meat more tender.

A close-up of crispy Mongolian beef garnished with green onions, served over white rice in a bowl. Chopsticks are picking up a piece of beef.

What to Serve with Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef is often served over steamed white rice, but feel free to try it with take-out-style fried rice, or more easy side dishes. Here are some of my favorites.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Chinese (better than take-out) leftovers? Yes, please. Make a double batch of this Mongolian beef and enjoy it in the coming days. Here’s how to go about storing and reheating.

  • Storing. Allow the dish to cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating. Heat a bit of oil in a pan and saute until sufficiently warm. You can also use the microwave. If you are reheating from frozen, allow the dish to thaw in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight) first.
A bowl of white rice topped with Mongolian beef and garnished with chopped green onions.
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5 from 3 votes

Mongolian Beef

By: Julie Chiou
This better-than-take-out Mongolian beef recipe features thinly sliced beef crisped to perfection and finished in a velvety, sweet, and savory sauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • Vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ cup (237 ml) low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • ¾ cup (237 ml) water
  • ⅓ cup (73 g) dark brown sugar
  • 2 pounds (907 g) flank steak, sliced
  • ½ cup (64 g) cornstarch
  • Green onions, sliced

Instructions 

  • In a small saucepot, over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
    Vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, 4 garlic cloves
    Chopped garlic and ginger sautéing in a white pot, surrounded by bowls containing water, soy sauce, raw meat, herbs, and brown sugar on a white countertop.
  • Add the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
    1 ½ cup (237 ml) low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, ¾ cup (237 ml) water, 1/3 cup (73 g) dark brown sugar
    Soy sauce is being poured from a measuring cup into a white pot on a countertop, surrounded by chopped green onions and a bowl of raw meat.
  • In a large bowl, toss sliced flank steak with cornstarch, shaking off the excess. Place in fridge for 10 minutes to allow coating to stick better on the beef.
    2 pounds (907 g) flank steak, 1/2 cup (64 g) cornstarch
    A white plate filled with raw, flour-dusted beef slices and a pair of metal tongs on the side, placed on a light-colored surface. Green onions on a separate dish in the background.
  • After 10 minutes, in a heavy bottom saucepan, over medium high heat, add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and add the beef to the pan, in batches, to sear the outside on all sides, but barely cooked in the middle.
    Slices of beef frying in oil in a round black skillet.
  • Remove and let drain on paper towels as you finish up the rest of the beef. Pour out any excess oil in the saucepan.
    A plate of cooked beef strips on a paper towel.
  • Place the saucepan back on the burner, but on medium heat, and pour in the sauce from earlier. It should come to a boil immediately. Add in the steak and coat with the sauce. Continue cooking beef and sauce at a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken gradually.
    If you find it's not thickening to your desired sauce thickness, take 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and dissolve it in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the skillet. Add in the scallions.
    Green onions
    A pot filled with strips of beef coated in a rich, dark sauce. A spoon rests on the edge of the pot.
  • Serve hot over white or brown rice.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 506kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 58g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 136mg, Sodium: 4075mg, Potassium: 1168mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g
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Photographs by Jess Gaertner Creative

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158 Comments

  1. Michael Russell says:

    This recipe made a fantastic dinner. The beef was perfect, just like a restaurant. Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Sarah says:

    Can this be made in the slow cooker please?

    Reply
    1. Julie Chiou says:

      no, this recipe won’t be good in a slow cooker

      Reply
  3. Barbara says:

    I made the Mongolian Beef tonight for my dinner. I made brown rice to go with it. The meal was delicious. I’m glad I have leftovers for tomorrow night.

    Reply
  4. Wendy says:

    I make this recipe all the time. I usually sub the beef with chicken thighs. This recipe is so delicious!! Yum yum good!

    Reply
    1. Julie says:

      Ohhh, good idea!

      Reply