This easy Mongolian Beef recipe is a healthier take on a restaurant favorite. It stars tender slices of beef simmered in a sweet, tangy and oh-so-addicting sticky sauce. Serve it over rice with a side of bok choy for the ultimate 30-minute meal!
Table of Contents
What is Mongolian Beef? This simple stir fry stars thin slices of flank steak, minced fresh garlic and ginger, dark brown sugar and soy sauce. Toss it all together and 30 minutes later you’ll be chowing down on a homemade take on takeout, instead of waiting for the delivery guy. Welcome to the DIY party, 30-Minute Mongolian Beef!
The key to mastering classic Chinese food at home is a technique known as velveting, which is essentially an egg white, cornstarch and sherry marinade that preserves the moisture of the meat.
This recipe includes an abridged version of velveting that still delivers tender slices of steak bathed in a rich reduction of soy sauce and brown sugar, which are the classic elements of all quality recipes for Mongolian Beef.
And don’t forget the homemade fortune cookies for dessert!
- Garlic: Adds a robust and aromatic flavor to the dish. Garlic is a fundamental ingredient in Asian cuisine, providing depth and complexity.
- Ginger: Always go for fresh ginger when possible. The warmth and spiciness it brings are unparalleled. In a pinch, ground ginger can be substituted, but use it sparingly as it’s more concentrated than fresh.
- Low sodium soy sauce: Soy sauce is the backbone of the dish, providing saltiness and umami. Just like my recipe for beef and broccoli, using low-sodium soy sauce is essential. Regular soy sauce will result in a final dish that’s way too salty!
- Dark brown sugar: Adds sweetness to counterbalance the salty and savory elements. The dark brown sugar also contributes to the rich color of the sauce.
- Flank steak: The star of the dish, flank steak is a lean cut with a robust flavor. Slicing it thinly against the grain ensures tenderness. If flank steak is unavailable, sirloin or skirt steak can be excellent substitutes.
- Cornstarch: Helps to tenderize the beef and also helps to thicken the sauce.
- Scallions: Adds a fresh and mild onion flavor, along with a pop of color and texture to the finished dish. While I personally prefer using only the green parts for a milder taste, feel free to incorporate the white parts as well if you enjoy a stronger onion flavor.
Pro Tip: Opt for a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or canola oil. These oils have high smoke points, ensuring a crisp and golden finish when stir frying.
With my easy-to-follow recipe, you can bring the magic of your favorite Chinese restaurant right to your dining table.
- Prepare the sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and water, stirring to combine. Stir in the brown sugar and increase the heat to medium. Bring the sauce to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside.
- Prepare the flank steak. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch pieces, then toss it with the cornstarch. Place the coated pieces of steak in a sieve and shake off any excess cornstarch. Allow the steak to sit 10 for minutes.
- Cook steak. Heat ⅓ cup vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the beef to the pan and sauté until it is seared on all sides but barely cooked in the center, about 2 minutes. Remove the steak from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer it onto a paper towel-lined plate. Pour any excess oil out of the skillet.
- Finish the dish. Place the skillet back over medium heat. Add the prepared sauce to the hot pan (it should come to a boil almost immediately), then add the reserved steak and cook at a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of syrup, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced scallions and stir to combine.
- Serve it over a bed of steamed rice, noodles, or even with a side of vegetables, like Chinese garlic green beans or garlic bok choy. With minimal prep time and quick cooking, you’ll have a restaurant-quality dish on your table in no time!
- Slice Against the Grain: For maximum tenderness, slice the flank steak thinly against the grain. This technique shortens the muscle fibers, resulting in a more tender bite.
- High Heat for Quick Cooking: Use high heat when cooking the steak for a quick sear. This locks in juices, maintains tenderness and creates a beautiful caramelization on the meat.
- Avoid Overcrowding the Pan: To ensure the steak gets golden brown and crispy, avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook in batches if necessary, allowing each slice enough space for optimal browning.
- Bring It to a Boil: The key to cooking with cornstarch is that it must come to a boil to work as a thickener and give the sauce the perfect syrupy consistency.
- Experiment with Additional Heat: Spice up the dish by introducing a touch of heat with dried Thai chilies, crushed red pepper flakes, or a dollop of chili sauce such as sriracha or sambal.
- Use Chicken: For a tasty variation, swap out the beef with thinly sliced chicken.
Common Questions
Sirloin or any quick-cooking beef works great!
Certainly! Adjust the quantity of brown sugar to tailor the sweetness to your liking.
Yes, you can make the sauce ahead and refrigerate it. Just reheat when ready to use, adjusting the consistency if needed.
While not traditional, you can include bell peppers, broccoli or snap peas for added color and nutrition.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 lbs flank steak
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 scallions sliced into 1-inch pieces (green parts only)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and water, stirring to combine.
- Stir in the brown sugar and increase the heat to medium. Bring the sauce to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside.
- Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch pieces, then toss it with the cornstarch. Place the coated pieces of steak in a sieve and shake off any excess cornstarch. Allow the steak to sit 10 for minutes.
- Line a plate with paper towels.
- Place a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add ⅓ cup vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the beef to the pan and sauté until it is seared on all sides but barely cooked in the center, about 2 minutes. Remove the steak from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer it onto a paper towel-lined plate. Pour any excess oil out of the skillet.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat. Add the prepared sauce to the hot pan (it should come to a boil almost immediately), then add the reserved steak and cook at a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of syrup, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sliced scallions and stir to combine. Serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- This recipe will serve two to four people, depending on your preferred serving size. It can also be easily doubled.
- For maximum tenderness, slice the flank steak thinly against the grain. This technique shortens the muscle fibers, resulting in a more tender bite.
- The key to cooking with cornstarch is that it must come to a boil in order to work as a thickener and give the sauce the perfect syrupy consistency.
- For a tasty variation, swap out the beef with thinly sliced chicken.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
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Recipe inspired by Food.com.
Hi Kelly made this last night absolutely loved it just added carrot, broccoli and zucchini. will be making this again…. from Australia
I’m so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Nola!!
Delicious recipe another winner Kelly everyone loves. 10/10
Recipe was tasty and so moreish! I only wish that I didn’t put in as much sugar as the recipe said, it turned out a bit too sweet for my liking. Will definitely make again but with less sugar.
Thanks for your feedback, Rebecca. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Cooked this for the first time tonight and wish I’d doubled the recipe. It was delicious and hubby was most disappointed there wasn’t enough for seconds!
I’m thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe, Rachel!
I love your recipes they are easy to do and delicious.
I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying Just a Taste, Judy Lee!
My boyfriend had been wanting Mongolian Beef for a couple of weeks and I came across this recipe and decided to make it, it was quick and simple and hard to stop eating. It was absolutely amazing and I will definitely be making it again. We added some crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce just to spice it up a bit and it was so delicious! Wish I could upload the picture I took of the plates when it was finished! It’s so glossy and smells Devine even before you taste it!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you and your boyfriend enjoyed the recipe, Amanda! :)
This was good but I urge any future cooks to heed the warning on multiple comments. This is SO sweet, to the point of too sweet even if you like sweet sauces. It makes my super sweet energy drink taste bitter. I will be making this again but next time I’ll be cutting the sugar down by at least half. (Also probably reducing the amount of sauce. Even letting it thicken a lot there was just too much.) Other than that it’s very good and potentially cheap depending what meat you find. Was able to make a super filling meal pared with rice that lasted 2 days which is nice.
Thanks for your note, David. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Definitely easy and tasty
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Debi!
Oh my lord.. this was amazing. I didn’t read the comments till just now. So I didn’t have brown sugar only raw to use. Also I only had 1/3 cup so it wasn’t as sweet but was mouth watering. Will have this regularly.
Woohoo! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Lisa!
So easy, cheap and delicious
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Priscilla!
This recipe is fantastic! the only thing I changed was I added some red chili sauce to give it a little more tang.
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Linda!
Easy and delicious
Kids love it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Added a lil red ppr flakes and sautéed onions. Yum!!!!! I plated it and forgot to take the pic. Lol
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Diana!
I’m from England so what can I use instead flank steak?
Thanks x
Hi Laura – Sirloin or any quick-cooking beef works great!
Made this for dinner last night….so easy following the recipe to make this awesome beef. Serve it with rice. Will be making this again and again….Thank you so much.
Thanks so much, Diane!
love this recipe. I add lots of veggies for me and my hubby enjoys the beef!
I’m thrilled you and your husband have been enjoying the recipe, Kathy!
You mention egg white & sherry but it is not in the recipe ingredients ?
Hi Louise! I mentioned that instead of using egg white, cornstarch and sherry, this recipe uses an abridged version of velveting with just cornstarch. :)
Thank you so much for your response. I promise to read the recipes more carefully. LOL
No worries, Louise :) I hope you enjoy the recipe!
This is delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
You are so welcome, Peggy! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
How do you make this in a electric pressure cooker? Also, how do you velvet meat? I am making the mongolian beef.
Hi Johanna – This recipe includes an abridged version of velveting by tossing the pieces of steak in cornstarch and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes. Also, I haven’t made this in a pressure cooker so unfortunately, I can’t weigh in on how to do it.
I cooked this dish exactly as instructed in this article and I must say it is delicious! My partner wanted me to cook this dish again. I wanted my dish to be spicy, so I added a chilli powder on top.
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Chen!
I make this recipe often. Probably 1-2 times a month. Our family loves it. The only thing I do different is double the ginger because we love the tang of ginger root.
Amazing! I’m so thrilled your family has been enjoying the recipe, Linda!
Great recipe but next time we fix it we will be cutting back on the brown sugar for us too sweet other wish great
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tony!
Awesome, easy, delicious, fantastic, thank you! I’ve made it four times in 3 months!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Dave!
I had some blanched broccoli so added that in place of the onion greens. My husband and myself really enjoyed the meal. Will prepare again soon with the onion greens this time.
Awesome! I’m so thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe, Linda!
Looks and smells so good! I had to make 70 portions for work, will be making again for the residents
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Whitney!
Made this tonight and our taste buds are still dancing! Perfect combination of flavours. Easy to follow recipe. I through in some broccoli and beans :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
First time I have ever made Mongolian Beef EVER tonight and it was delicious!!! I was very impressed, tasted so good, my husband and I loved it!! This was a simple, easy recipe to use but I used top sirloin steaks instead of flank and it was delicious!!! I will definitely be making this alot more in the future!! You must try this at least once, you won’t be disappointed and you will want to make more often then you thought once you taste it!! 10 STARS!!!!!!!!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe, Tricia!
I found this recipe not long ago and we are after having this 3-4 times a week!! This is honestly the best Mongolian beef recipe I have found!!!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Kris!
Yummy
Yummy, my husband loved it. I just added red pepper flakes, he likes the heat, and I had an extra carrot that I sliced up thin. Definitely a keeper
I’m so thrilled to read this, Nicole!
Kelly
Made this this tonight, gotta say I/we loved it. Read some of the reviews for pointers and some said it was too sweet but i kept to the amounts, glad i did. I`m no cook and am looking for recipes that i`d like to make again and again and get better at, this has been added to my AGAIN list. This was my first go at one of your recipes. will be trying some more.
Thank You
Yay! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Chris! Welcome to Just a Taste!
Awesome
Children loved it
I’m so happy to read this, Yasmin!
Made this tonight for my husband & myself, we just flipped, truly a keeper!
I’m thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe, Renee!
Its a quick and easy recipe I made for my family. (We are in jamaica). The recipe was a little sweet for us, but otherwise delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Omar!
I make this recipe all the time.I add pineapple tidbits to it ,delicious.
I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Pam!
My husband’s first introduction to Indian food and it was a success! I made it a little more spicy by keeping the seeds in the jalapeno and adding some red pepper flakes, but absolutely delicious!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Susan!
Awesome. Best I’ve had!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Mary!
My husbands favourite, choose really good flank steak and I add vegetables like bok choy, celery, capsicum, sliced mushrooms etc. Quick and delicious meal.
Excellent. Easy to prepare and not too sweet. Perfect
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Margaret!
I made it. It was awesome
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Denise!
Followed the recipe exactly and it is delicious! My husband said “bookmark this one”
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled to read this, Stephanie!
Very happy evening meal with fairly picky children….plates all empty at the end. Thank you.
I’m thrilled to read this, George!
Can you use skirt instead of flank???
Sure!
EXCELLENT RECIPE AND MEAL!! EASY TO MAKE AND DELICIOUS TO EAT!!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Sandy!
Simpleton to make and so good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Chuck!
Growing up in San Francisco this was always my go to Chinatown dish. This is as good as what I grew up with. This is my 5th time making it in the last 2 months.
Love reading this, Adam! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Delicious delicious delicious
I’ve made this recipe several times and it is always a hit and not a hard recipe; it’s also made with things you have in your kitchen – no weird ingredients. I love PF Changs Mongolian Beef and this is a very close second. But it’s better because you can make it for so much less.
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Beth!
The recipe is quite good as is, but for a family that doesn’t eat a lot of sugar I cut back on the brown sugar to lessen the sweetness of it. The people with a high amount of sugar in their diet thought it was fantastic as well
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Brian!
Me ha encantado, Muchas gracias
Estoy tan contenta de que lo hayas disfrutado!
Very tasty.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Gary!
Yes I have done this type of cooking. That extra step is so worth it to get the right consistency on the meat. Your sauce recipe looks so good and easy enough. Thanks for sharing
Make sure not to boil sauce for too long at the end because mine began to congeal a bit and the oil separated in a weird way. Kind of a bummer considering it was the very last step and everything else was going well.
Hi Bella! I’ve never experienced the oil separating, but the longer you boil the sauce, the thicker it’ll get.
All I can say is this recipe delivered! Delicious!
Woohoo! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Linda!
Opps forgot the ⭐️
I used 1/2 cup of sugar and it was delicious
Thank you
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Tony!
Any way to make this vegitarian?
Tofu would be delicious!
Great recipe but WAY too much sugar. I did 1/2 a cup instead of 2/3 and it was still sickeningly sweet. Should have tried 1/3 like I originally thought. I did enjoy the meal besides all the sugar.
Thanks for your feedback, Meaghan.
yum!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Kellie!
Wow. My family went nuts over this. I tripled the recipe and there were still no leftovers! I made some stir fry veggies on the side and served with rice. Will definitely cook this one again.
I’m so thrilled to read this, Matthew!
I followed the recipe exactly. The consistency of the sauce was good. However, I found it too sweet. Way, way too sweet. It was the first time I’ve ever made Mongolian steak. I’ll give it another try, with lots less sugar.
Thanks for your feedback, Mary. I look forward to hearing your results when you cut down on the sugar. :)
My whole family, including my autistic son loved this recipe!yummy!
Even my picky husband broke out the chopsticks for this one. Definitely a keeper!
Woohoo! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Livia!
In your email for the 30-Minute Mongolian Beef recipe, it calls for ‘dark brown sugar‘, but when I clicked on the link to view the entire recipe, it says ‘light brown sugar’. I will be going shopping this week for the ingredients and wanted to confirm which sugar to use.
Thanks and I look forward to making the Mongolian Beef this weekend!
Thanks for catching this! You’ll want to use dark brown sugar. :)
I am interested in the technique of velveting. When does that happen in this recipe? Do you use that at the marinating point or the stir fry point I think that is what my Chinese recipes is missing. I am excited to try the Mongolian beef recipe.
Hi there, Gigi! This recipe includes an abridged version of velveting by tossing the flank steak in cornstarch and allowing it to sit 10 for minutes. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I would love to have the recipe for the marinade to keep the beef moist.
Hi Gabrielle! Just follow the recipe as written and you’ll have moist, tender slices of steak. :)
Beef not as soft as I would have liked but sauce was tasty and had great consistency.
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Ana!
I give this 5 stars! It was excellent, thanks so much.
You are so welcome, Debbie! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
This was a very good recipe. Easy to make and tastes delicious.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, Caz!
Making my 20 year old his favors this week prior going back to School. He loved it. It was so easy. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Carmel! I’m thrilled to read this!
Looks delicious! Will be trying this out this coming weekend! Thanks so much, love your site and am excited to have found it.
Welcome to Just a Taste, Trish!
Just tried this today and it is FABULOUS! The hubs said no more buying it, we’ll just make it! Not complicated, didn’t take a long time and is absolutely scrumptious!
Love reading this, Hope!
I really enjoy this recipe as do my young children, however I am on a calorie controlled diet now and I was just wondering If you knew how many calories this dish has per serving please. Many many thanks.
Hi Danielle! You can find the estimated nutritional info for one serving by clicking on the purple button below the recipe that says ESTIMATED NUTRITION INFORMATION. :)
If I want to use the white ends of the scallions, too, would you sauteé them with the ginger/garlic, the beef or alone? I’d still add the green tops when you do. I’d like them to remain a bit firm, but my fav restaurant’s dish uses the entire scallion, cut in 1-2″ lengths.
Absolutely, Bea! That would work great :)
great recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello Kelly
I made your Mongolian beef and it was fantastic !
Thank you.
The dish was authentic and so easy & the ingredients were accurate to the taste expected.
Can I pls ask if you have a quick & easy traditional Chinese Fried Rice recipe please-just like you would get in a restaurant –
Thanks Wendy
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Wendy! Here’s a link to my go-to Fried Rice recipe: https://www.justataste.com/easy-pineapple-chicken-fried-rice-recipe/
I used your recipe with sirloin because I have a freezer full. I also used chili arbol and Gochuang Korean chili paste to spice it up a little. Oh and I used only dark sesame oil to fry in!
Great base recipe!~
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Chad!
I love Mongolian Beef, This recipe is excellent, I served it over fried rice noodles. Thank You so much
You are so welcome, Mary! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
This was easy and delicious! This made 4 generous servings for us.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Chris!
This is a wonderful recipe! So easy to follow. I tweaked it a little bit because I didn’t have brown sugar, so instead I used honey. It still turned out great!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Patty!
This turned out amazing and I used beef stew meat! I was shockingly surprised at how delicious this turned out!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Kelly!
This turned out great! I didn’t have low sodium soy sauce (and I’m stuck at home) so I used regular. I highly recommend following the recipe and using low sodium. When the “stay at home” order is lifted, I’ll be sure to buy the right one. Even so, it was delish!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Gretchen!
My family and I loved and and tough it was a much better alternative than ordering take out
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Wonderful flavor, tasted like we got take out! My 3 year old son and hubby both said I was the best chef after I made this!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Alison!
Thank you so much for this recipe! So simple yet so delicious!! I made it tonight and everyone in my family loved it.
I’m so thrilled you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Fida!
Hello,
Just a question about the cornstarch. I understand the directions, but at the end of the recipe it says ” The key to cooking with cornstarch is that it must come to a boil in order to serve its purpose as a thickener”. Just to clarify, the cornstarch only is to coat the meat? and not go into anything else, (sauce)?
Thank you!
Colleen
Yes, that’s correct!
I make this with chicken instead of steak, it’s always a favorite, probly don’t need as much oil as it calls for, but it’s delicious
So glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe using chicken, Susan!
looking forward to cooking new stuff
Welcome to Just a Taste, Consuelo!
Keeper. Made it for the first time yesterday and it’s SO GOOD. THANK YOU!
You are so welcome, Patti! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Can any of these beef recipes go Chicken style?
You definitely could, Shanna, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Let me know if you give it a shot!
This is delish and easy. Thank you ❤
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Toni!
Very nice…very special…I however used baking soda to ‘velvet’ the meat….nice.
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I WILL NEVER EAT AT A CHINESE RESTAURANT AGAIN I TRIED YOUR RECIPE & MY WHOLE FAMILY SAID IT WAS FANTASTIC THANKS FOR THE ADVISE IT WAS VERY HELPFUL I COOKED THE MEAT IN 2 DIFFERENT TIMES THIS AVOIDED CLUMPING IN THE WOK ADDED CAPSICUM & CARROTS WORKED NICELY WITH THE DISH
Woohoo! Love reading this, Adam!
Hey,
Awesome Beef Recipe I love Beef very much. This is my favorite food so sometimes I find new recipes on different blogs.Thank you very much for your recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this recipe several times and my whole family loves it. My only problem is the mixing of the steak with the cornstarch. I have a hard time coating the meat evenly, and when I add it to the pan it tends to come together in a clumpy mess. Then the pieces don’t brown at the same rate because I’m trying to separate them. Any idea what I’m doing wrong? It still turns out delicious, but I’d love to figure this out. Thank you! :)
Hi Mia! Are you placing the coated pieces of steak in a sieve to shake off any excess cornstarch? I’m so thrilled you and your family have been enjoying the recipe!
Can this be made ahead?
Hi Donna – This really is best enjoyed fresh as beef can often get tough when re-heating.
OMG….I just made this for my ridiculously picky teen. He loves Asian style foods but always complains about one thing or other. It’s exhausting.
I doubled the batch and cut down on the brown sugar by 1/3 cup, added a cup more water in the simmering process and added bok choy along with the scallions. He tried to eat the entire meal!
Thank you!!!!
So glad you all enjoyed the recipe, Leslie!
Hi, I subscribed and still waiting for the recepies book…
Hi there Oana! We are seeing on our end that you didn’t confirm your subscription. Did you receive the subscription confirmation email? Once you click on that, the recipe book will be emailed directly to you. I’ll shoot you an email now, too!
Lots of really great explanations, in addition to a wonderful recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!!
You are so welcome!
This recipe was excellent. Thanks for sharing it!
You are so welcome, Kelly! Glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
I made this but I made it with Chicken. Kids loved it! I would make this again
I just made this…it was great! I doubled it and it was easy and I will definitely make again. I like the ideas of adding broccoli and red pepper flakes. Thanks so much!
Woohoo! Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Christy!
Hi. This looks so yummy. Do you have the calorie count on each serving? And what do you consider a serving portion? Thanks
Hi Susan! We’re working on providing nutritional information for our recipes. Stay tuned!
Yum! Quick and easy! I added red pepper flakes to the sauce while it was cooking for a little kick!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Amber!
Can this be made in a crock pot? I made this recipe and love it. I then tried a recipe for Mongolian Beef and did not like it at all. Only good thing about it was it was made in a crock pot. Tore that recipe up. This 30 minute Mongolian Beef recipe is a keeper and would be a double keeper if I could make it in the crock pot.
So glad you enjoyed it, Joanne! I haven’t made this in a slow cooker, however, I do have a variety of slow cooker recipes. Here’s the link in case you’d like to check them out: https://www.justataste.com/slow-cooker-recipes/ :)
Kelly, Thank you for your response. I think soon I will try your recipe for the Mongolian Beef in my crockpot and will let you know how it came out. Thank you for your crock pot recipe link you sent to me. I love my crockpot and intend to try the recipes out.
Mongolian Beef looks yummy!
LOVE your site. Your pics are incredible, too. :-) YUM!!!
Thank you so much!
Check out the Mongolian Beef at Panda Express. I’ve been to Panda Express lots of times, but never to Mongolia. I like this, and it doesn’t matter to me how they actually make it in Mongolia. Why do you NEED to clear up the difference? This isn’t your website….is it?
The red pepper flakes are important. We prefer to add them to the wok for a few seconds and then saute meat. It infuses some heat to the whole dish, not just the sauce.
Absolutely LOVE your recipes (pictures are great, too!) and decided had to have your newsletter so I would not miss a single one. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your readership!
This was hit at my house! I added broccoli and served it over brown rice-a definite keeper! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This was beyond fantastic. I made this last night but substituted flank for skirt (I’m on a budget). This was so delicious and my boyfriend and I devoured it. We added sautéed broccoli to it, and ate the rest today. Since the flavors were able to marry over night, the leftovers were incredible!!!! I cannot wait to make this again and again. Thank you!
This looks absolutely amazing thanks for the recipe. But i need to clear up one thing you say its a mongolin beef but its chinese food, that is a false statement. Way you make these kind of beef meals in Mongolia is soo different and tastes different too. So name shouldn’t have “Mongolian” in it.
Thanks for the recipe.
You’re amazing
Yum!!! Make sure to use low sodium soya mine turned out soooooo salty but still good.
Awesome dish, made it for the family for dinner tonight and everyone loved it. I will make this again and again, thank you for the recipe?
Can I use filet mignon? I want to make tonight.
Definitely! Just adjust the cooking time so the steak reaches your desired temperature.
Hi, This looks amazing & gluten free too..I am just wondering about the steak, flank steak is a tough steak unless marinated for many hours..how is it that it is tender?
Hi Betty – I’ve never had issues with this steak being tough, but you can marinade it for up to 24 hours.
Thank you!!! A hearty and heart felt thank you. I made this dish last night and it was inhaled by all, including a 2, 4, and 6 year old; and three adults. We are fighting over who gets the left overs.
I have been using several of your recipes with great success, but this one goes into permanent rotation. Thank you for your work and your blog.
Thanks so much for your comment, Rachel! I’m so thrilled you’re enjoying Just a Taste :)
I am a huge fan of this dish and is the one usually ask each time I go to PF Chang’s.
I did it last night as is indicated but there is something missing. At served in the restaurant has an itch that this did not. Perhaps you would be missing a bit of ginger or Tabasco sauce? Any ideas? I think try it again.
I just had to drop a note to say this was absolutely AMAZING… and I didn’t even make it quite right.
I’m not very good at knowing how hot the oil is, so I put mine in before it was ready, and therefore it wasn’t quite crispy.
I lost my fresh ginger root and had to use powdered instead.
Even so, this was to die for. And so quick!!!
I made the mistake of taking a sample bite while I was waiting for my rice to cook. By the time the rice is done, there may be no beef left.
Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Do you think potato starch would work instead of cornstarch? My granddaughter is highly allergic to all corn products.
Hi Cherie – I’ve never made this recipe with potato starch so I can’t say for certain what the outcome would be. Please let me know if you give it a shot!
Isn’t the dish too sweet??? can i add vinegar for the tanginess?
Hi Raymond – This dish isn’t too sweet in my opinion, but feel free to tweak it however you prefer.
Wow, great recipe, easy and tasty. I will put less sugar next time, but we love it.
I cannot wait to try this. Is it okay if I leave work right now to go buy me a slab of flank for cookin’? Surely my boss won’t mind.
Haha! Yes, absolutely :)
1/2 cup orange juice instead of water. ;)
Great recipe! I made this recipe with 1/2 orange juice instead of water – made it even better!
Awesome! Love that substitution!
I have a corn intolerance, any suggestion on how I can perfect the “velvet-ing” technique with a different type of starch? Thanks!
Hi Linda! I’ve never tried substituting a different ingredient for the cornstarch, so unfortunately I can’t provide any substitutions that I 100% know will work successfully with this recipe.
Maybe tapioca starch as a substitute for cornstarch?
I made this tonight for my husband and I and it was FANTASTIC!!! Thank you for posting this! I think that this will be a regular in our house!
I made this tonight. The sauce was seriously overpowering and I didn’t much care for it. If I were to try it again, I would use MUCH less sugar and much less soy sauce.
Made this with beef and it was great. Would this work with chicken? That’s all I have in the house right now. Wondering if it would work….anyone try it?
******* I’m cooking for 30 next week & I’m going to make this recipe, your final photo of the finished dish,,, would you say that’s an accurate size of a single serving.
Or maybe the easier question for me to ask is, for this recipe, the servings are for a party of 2. Approx. how many ounces or cups would you say a Single Serving is, with your 2 serving recipe?
For my luncheon, depending on your answer, I may make a 16 serving amount & maybe it will be like 1/2 of your “1 serving”??
Hi Emily! I’m not sure if I understand your question. Do you want 30 servings? This recipe serves about 2 people, but it depends on how big of servings you want for your party. And if you’re more than doubling the recipe, you’ll have to adjust all of the cooking times since you’ll have a lot more ingredients, which will impact cook times.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was an absolute hit!!! My husband and I loved it!!!!
The picture looked so yummy I had to go to the recipe and try it. I have never thried making mongolian beef before. It was great!
Thank You, Kelly! This is so good. My kids love it, too. One of my sons said it is so good, he wants me to make it every week. I also added red pepper flakes, thanks to the person that suggested it. Kelly, you are a blessing. I look forward to your emails every week.
Thank you, Kelly. Have a Great Weekend!
This is amazing! I am making it again tonight for dinner. It’s only 2:20 and I am ready for dinner!
this was amazing. made it last night. very easy to make. i’m very cautious of sodium intake, and oil, really, so i used a little bit less than everything (even brown sugar), and it was incredibly flavorful. deeelicious.
definitely going to make this one again.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t usually comment on recipes and I know it’s already been said but…
Oh.my.gosh this was the best meal I’ve ever cooked!!! Hubby is sick and he even managed to eat his entire serving which is a huge deal. I had enough for two frozen lunch servings too – I can’t wait to eat up my leftovers!!!
Thanks so much, Casey!
Great Recipe Kelly! This sounds ridiculously good, totally bookmarking to make :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Can I use shaved beef
You definitely could, Autumn, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time to account for the thinner slices of beef.
This looks amazing and with all the great reviews in the comments I see it is a must try.Sharing and pinning.
I made this for lunch. It looked just like the picture. So quick and easy, didn’t change a thing.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it, Vicky!
This has been added to the MUST MAKE list for dinner! Yummmm!
Kelly this was delicious! Made it for dinner tonight and the whole family loved it. Can’t wait to make it again. Definitely sharing this with extended family.
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed it :)
do I add salt to the beef?
No need to!
Hi Kelly,
I just made this for dinner tonight here in Mauritius, and it was very nice!!
A bit too sweet, next time will add less brown sugar….
Thxs for this.
Shahela
Awesome! So glad you found me all the way from Mauritius :)
This was SO good! Came together very quickly and had amazing flavor. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Gena!
This was the most delicious Asian food I’ve ever eaten! I added a splash of chili sesame oil and some broccoli on the dude for those that like it. Everyone at the table devoured it andthenthe arguments over who got the leftovers ensued. Yummy!!!!!!!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Pam!
This was way to sweet. Too much sugar and I held back the sauce.
Great recipe. My new wok will arrive this week. I can’t wait to try this. Thanks a lot! Jen.
This was okay. I may have contributed to it not being as good as I had hoped. If I make it again, I will make some changes:
I used canola oil and it was the taste was overpowering. I’ll use less oil or 1/2 vegetable and 1/2 canola.
Add some salt and pepper
Add some red pepper flakes (as another reviewer suggested)
I love Mongolian Beef and have been looking for a simple yummy recipe. Will try this weekend. Do you have a recipe for a good Fried Rice? I love roast pork fried rice ….
I’m eating this as I type!
I made it for dinner last night for my dads birthday and couldn’t wait for left overs today.The flavor is amazing, I really feel like I ordered in.
This will be added to the monthly dinner rotation for sure!
Awesome!!
Yum – I made this last night and it was really, really good! I will definitely be making it again!
This recipe was delicious!! It took me a bit longer than 30 minutes to make it, but it was SO worth it! Tasted as good if not better than any Chinese restaurant Mongolian beef.
I made this last night for my boyfriend, it was delicious!! I added red pepper flakes, jalapeño, and mushroom. He loved it!
This is my meal! It looks perfect and I have to make this, like right now!
Looks delicious!
I never post after I make something from Pinterest but this beef was really tasty!!!Just like at the restaurant! My kids LOVED IT! I am just disappointed that I didn’t see the chicken wings and shrimp recipes until now. I’m definitely going to make them too the next time I make the Mongolian Beef again! Thanks soo much for the recipe!!!
Made this tonight for dinner. Takes a little more than 30 minutes but well worth it! Great taste and simple to make.
Perfect over rice or with fried rice ( which is what I paired it with)
Wow. This was GREAT. THe only changes I made was to use 1/2 c of brown sugar and added some chile de arbol to the oil before I sautéed the meat. My family loved it. I am definitely adding this to my Pinterest food page! Thank you! I’m definitely checking out the rest of your recipes! Amazing!
Made this and it was delicious; most like takeout. I added red peppers after the beef and before putting the sauce in. Going to try a little red pepper next time. A wok also helps.
Made this tonight and it came out awesome!! I did add less cornstarch and sugar, and added chili flakes for heat. Thanks for the recipe!!
wow this stuff is good!! and so easy :)
i fried up some onion and some broccoli before adding the sauce and the beef… also a bit of red pepper flake for punch, though next time i know i’m adding more. i also find it could’ve done without quite so much sugar, but all in all i am extremely proud of myself for having made something that delicious!! thanks so much for this awesome recipe.
Made this the other night for my boyfriend and he LOVED it. He nearly ate himself sick, and then woke up early to make sure he got first dibs on the leftovers for lunch. And he never ever brings lunch to work. Ever.
I was a bit worried about the cornstarch melting off the beef like another reviewer mentioned, but I just wiped out the skillet before adding the sauce and all was well. This was so easy and quick, and the sauce was absolutely delicious. For me, it was perfect.
Thank you!
This is beyond amazing! So delicious. We add broccoli and eat it over rice. It is very comparable to Pei Wei’s ginger broccoli and beef!
I made this tonight and it had great flavor. The cornstarch sort of melted off in the skillet and created some muck in my sauce. I ended up straining the leftover sauce. I don’t think my oil was hot enough to really sear the cornstarch on the beef. Also, any tips on when to use stainless steel versus a nonstick skillet? Thanks for the great recipes!
What do u recommend to use to make thia mongolian beef have a little spicyness to it?
I’d add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little kick of heat. Enjoy!
This is a delicious recipe. I have made it twice now and my husband thought it was very tasty and ate his serving which is unusual as he is a very small eater. I will be making it often and I also like to use the leftovers heated up and rolled up in a wrap.
Excellent! I added Siracha hot sauce for an added kick.
I made this tonight and it was awesome!! I only had light brown sugar and powdered minced ginger and no green onions and it still turned out amazing. I added broccoli and sliced carrots to add some veggies and through them in for the last boil to soften them a bit without getting soggy. My super picky two year old who HATES meat AND veggies ate every last bite, that’s how good it was! Definitely a keeper.
I made this tonight for my hubby – he swears it’s the best Chinese food he’s EVER had, better than take-out. I’m a vegetarian but I poured some of the extra sauce over broccoli and it was amazing!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! I used “beef for stir fry” instead of flank steak – a little thinner cut and smaller bite size. Such a versatile dish – add julienne sliced green onion (not just the green part), broccoli, sugar snap peas, etc. Numm!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I doubled it and it worked perfectly. I roasted some asparagus and tossed it on top and served with Jasmine rice. Totally YUM! Thanks Kelly :)
What can I use to substitute the sherry? I’m Muslim so I don’t use alchohol in my cooking
Hi Faten, There isn’t any sherry in the recipe.
We have made this twice this week and my family LOVES this, it is so, so yummy, this is better than any take-out restaurant!!! Thank you for such an amazing recipe!!
I am making this tonight, I am adding some broccoli, onions and snap peas and putting it over a bed of noodles. Can’t wait! Also, I mass homemade egg rolls as an app. :-)
I just made this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious! Next time I’m going to add some broccoli as well… we are already looking forward to it! :) Thanks so much for the recipe.
this looks amazing. that photo is so inviting…YUM
Made this tonight for dinner-even my super picky 11 year old loved it! Definitely a keeper.
I just made this tonight for dinner and It is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to sweet.
I just made this and THANK-YOU for sharing this recipe! WOW! It was the best, easiest recipe I have ever tried! My new fav dish!
Made this for dinner tonight and even my picky boyfriend thinks it’s delicious. I substituted 1/4 ground ginger for the fresh, and used venison instead of beef (because we have a lot of it :). Still… YUM! And quick & easy too, what more could you ask for?
Kelly, I just made a vegan version of this, and it turned out fabulously! I used soy curls, and made a few little changes, but it was delicious! Thank you for sharing.
made this tonight exactly per the recipe and it turned out amazing, no leftovers here!
I tried this tonight and it was AWESOME!!! So good and flavorful. My husband ate until his stomach hurt. Will definitely make this again!
Kelly – this looks FABULOUS. Makes me want to reach into that picture and take a bite! Love it!
This looks fabulous, and I can’t wait to try it out, but I was wondering if you had any suggestions on incorporating more vegetables, maybe broccoli & onion? Should I just throw them in to cook with the beef? Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks so much for publishing this!
I made this last night and it was outstanding! One of the few recipes that claim to be under 30 mins and actually is.
This is sooooooo good!!! I wish I would have doubled the recipe!!>>>>>>THANK YOU!!!
Holy cow, this was good. All of my kids ate this up. Thank you!
Made this tonight! There isn’t even any left over! Added 2 tsp hoisin sauce. Was delicious!
I just made this for my family to night with jasmine rice loved it
This looks great! I’m thinking this is tonights dinner.
Fantastic! I made this tonight for dinner, it was a hit with everyone. I used London Broil that I sliced very thin because that is what I had…next time I will try flank steak.
My husband and I just tried this recipe tonight and it turned out awesome! There was a little extra sauce in the wok that we’re going to save and probably make some Mongolian shrimp later this week. Great recipe, and very easy!
So glad you enjoyed it! And Mongolian Shrimp sounds fantastic!
I love Mongolain Beef. I will have to try this soon :)
Can I use ground ginger? I have all of the ingredients except for the fresh ginger, and I didn’t want to run to the store.
Yes! While it won’t have the exact same taste, you can substitute 1/8 teaspoon dry ginger for every 1 tablespoon fresh. Enjoy!
O-M-G. I made this, tonight. Yes, it was very quick to make. My family loved it! Next time (and there will be a next time), I think I’m going to add some red pepper flakes to the sauce. We like a little “kick” to our Mongolian Beef. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it, and I love the addition of the red pepper flakes!
this was a BIG winner with my teenage sons! For some reason my meat really stuck to the wok – I guess I didn’t put in enough oil? ( I did scrimp a little ). It was extremely flavorful and delivered in the visual category too. I will add more garlic and ginger next time. Definitely going ino the school nite rotation!! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! Yes, perhaps just add a bit more oil (although I understand the desire to go light).
This looks so good I can’t wait to try it. I think I will shop for the ingredients today because I can’t wait to make it. Thanks so much for sharing this. I will be back to tell you how good it was!
The flavors were spot on, this is definitely a keeper.
YUM!! Will be making this very soon!! I love when you post things like this.. I wouldn’t have even known where to start… xoxo
I just saw this today, and HAD to make it! And I’m glad I did, this is so delicious! Thanks for sharing an awesome, simple recipe. This college student is eating very well tonight :)
Totally trying this one out!
Oh my goodness, this looks insanely delicious Kelly! I am definitely trying this, and getting my hands on some flank steak the next time I’m at the store. Hope you’re well!
Delicious!
I love eating Asian food. This meat and a bowl of rice=perfect dinner!
Good point about boiling cornstarch. I now that now, but a few years ago I had a runny sauce just because i didn’t know that small but important secret.
Quick, simple, and full of flavor! Can’t wait to try this!
Mongolian beef is my favorite, and we don’t have any good Chinese anywhere near me anyways! I’ll definitely be making this for my family ASAP.
yum this looks great! and so quick and simple!
omg looks awesome!
Stunning! I love takeout at home. And only 30 minutes? I am in!
30 minutes!!!! Why wouldn’t anyone make this! It takes that long for chinese delivery.
This looks amazing. Love adding 30 minute dinner options to my rotation, I’ll be making this very soon!
this looks so flipping amazing!! i’m making this asap!
this looks amazing! what a brilliant dinner!
Looks delicious, Kelly! It has all my favorite ingredients in it…YUMMY!