This Mongolian beef recipe is so easy to make with beef stir fried until crispy, then tossed in a sticky, spicy brown sauce, served with rice or noodles.
Mongolian Beef Recipe
We're cooking up a batch of Mongolian beef in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends. Would you care for some? Homemade Mongolian beef is easy to make, and we can spice it up as much as we want to.
I'm sure you've enjoyed it before at your local Chinese restaurant. Mongolian beef is a famous Chinese stir fry that features tender beef stir fried until crispy, then tossed in a sticky sweet brown sauce, served with rice or noodles.
The sauce is usually more sweet than spicy, almost always quite sticky, with a thickness that depends on the restaurant.
Mike's Recipe Highlights
- This particular recipe cuts back on the sugary-sweetness of most recipes, and ups the spice factor with a good handful of dried chili peppers that offer up a nice level of zing.
- This is an easy Mongolian beef recipe you can make at home that is done in 30 minutes or less. I always prefer homemade because I can control what goes into it.
I hope you love it as much as we do.
Let's talk about how to make Mongolian Beef, shall we?
Featured Reader Comment
From Tom: "This has become a family favorite, Mike! I'm trying to introduce the variations Szechuan and Bulgogi, but Mongolian is still the favorite. Thank you for sharing it."
Mongolian Beef Ingredients
For the beef:
- Flank Steak - You can use other cuts of beef, though flank steak is more commonly used. Skirt steak is a good alternative.
- Marinade - Vegetable oil, soy sauce, cornstarch.
For the sauce:
- Soy Sauce
- Beef Stock - You can use chicken stock or vegetable stock as well. A soy sauce-water combination will work as well.
- Brown Sugar - For a touch of sweet. Honey is an acceptable substitute.
For the stir fry:
- Vegetable Oil - For frying. Use your favorite fry oil.
- Cornstarch - To coat the marinated strips of beef. This will help make the beef crispy.
- Dried Chilies - Optional, for a spicy version, which I love. Use dried Chinese chilies if you can obtain them. Chili de arbol peppers are perfect for this recipe.
- Fresh Ginger
- Fresh Garlic
- Cornstarch + Water - A slurry, used to thicken the sauce at the end of the stir fry.
- Scallions - Thinly slices for cooking and for garnish.
- For Garnish - Spicy red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, extra sliced scallions.
How to Make Mongolian Beef
Slice the beef. Slice the flank steak against the grain into thin strips (1/4 inch strips or thinner), then cut into bite-sized pieces. Add the sliced beef to a large bowl.
Marinate the beef. Whisk together the vegetable oil, soy sauce and cornstarch until smooth. Mix the sauce into the beef and marinate for 10 minutes. You can marinate longer if you'd like.
Whisk the ingredients. Whisk together the soy sauce, beef stock and brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Heat fry oil. Heat the 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large pan or wok until very hot, but do not boil.
Fry the coated beef. Toss the thinly sliced cuts of marinated beef with the 1/2 cup cornstarch to lightly coat. Tap off excess cornstarch and cook the beef in the wok for 1 minute per side, or until the beef is crispy.
You may need to do this in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan. Remove from the oil and set onto a plate.
Stir fry the chilies, ginger and garlic. Once all the beef is stir fried, remove the oil but keep about a teaspoon. Heat to medium high heat. Add the dried peppers, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 1 minute.
Add Mongolian beef sauce. Pour in the reserved Mongolian beef sauce. Swirl together the 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry. Pour it into the sauce and stir about 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens up.
Warm the beef and scallions. Stir in the reserved beef and slices scallions. Cook for 30 seconds to warm the beef.
Serve. Serve Mongolian beef with steamed rice or noodles and garnish with spicy chili flakes, sesame seeds and fresh chopped green onion.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Add Vegetables. You can easily add in your favorite stir fry vegetables to round out this meal. Some of my preferred additions include sliced bell peppers, jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers, broccoli, snap peas, onion, boy choy, and carrots. Use whatever you prefer.
- Serving. I usually serve mine over simple cooked white rice, though a nice stir fry rice is great, or serve with noodles. It's great either way.
- Slicing. It's important to slice the steak against the grain! This makes it more tender and easier to chew.
Storage & Leftovers
If you have any leftovers of Mongolian beef, you're in luck because it reheats like a dream!
Keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat either in the air fryer or back in the pan over medium-low heat to maintain the crispiness of the beef.
Try Some of My Other Popular Chinese Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Mongolian Beef Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE BEEF
- 1 pound flank steak
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
FOR THE MONGOLIAN BEEF SAUCE
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup beef stock or use chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or more to taste
FOR THE MONGOLIAN BEEF STIR FRY
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 10-12 spicy dried Chinese chilies or use chili de arbol - optional, for spicy
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 5-6 scallions sliced
- For Garnish: Spicy chili flakes, sesame seeds, extra sliced scallions
Instructions
MARINATE THE BEEF
- Slice the flank steak against the grain into thin strips (1/4 inch strips or thinner), then cut into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large bowl.
- Whisk together the vegetable oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, and baking soda until smooth. Mix the sauce into the beef and marinate for 10 minutes. You can marinate longer if you'd like.
MAKE THE MONGOLIAN BEEF SAUCE
- Whisk together the soy sauce, beef stock and brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
MAKE THE MONGOLIAN BEEF
- Heat the 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large pan or wok until very hot, but do not boil.
- Toss the cuts of marinated beef with the 1/2 cup cornstarch to lightly coat. Tap off excess cornstarch and fry the beef in the wok for 1 minute per side, or until the beef is crispy. You may need to do this in batches. Remove from the oil and set onto a plate.
- Once all the beef is stir fried, remove the oil but keep about a teaspoon. Add the dried peppers, ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 1 minute.
- Pour in the reserved Mongolian beef sauce.
- Swirl together the 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoon water to make a slurry. Pour it into the sauce and stir about 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens up.
- Stir in the reserved beef and slices scallions. Cook for 30 seconds to warm the beef.
- Serve over cooked rice or noodles and garnish with spicy chili flakes, sesame seeds and fresh chopped green onion.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 1/23/25 to include new information, recipe tips, photos, and video. It was originally published on 1/5/22.
Robbie Billings says
Excellent recipe! I used a flat iron steak, marinated for a couple of hours, and it was very tender. I also added sliced onions,bell peppers and bok choy to make it more of a complete meal. I had never made anything with this much cornstarch before but the consistency turned out fine. Not too sweet or salty. Delicious!
Mike Hultquist says
Very nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Robbie! Thanks for sharing this.
collins lubembe says
the recipe are wooow
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Collins!
Bob W. says
Error in the above recipe. I printed and followed the recipe above. When I tried to make the marinade it ended up a big ball. I watched the video. In the video, you said one teaspoon of baking soda, versus tablespoon in your printed recipe. Started over and it came out fine. Please correct the recipe above.
Looking forward to making it tonight.
Mike Hultquist says
I corrected this, Bob. Thank you!
Stefan says
Good Morning Mike,
I noticed in your video the amount of baking soda was 1 teaspoon. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon. What is the correct amount?
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Stefan, use 1 tablespoon.
Charles Pascual says
This is a straightforward and easy-to-follow recipe. Makes for a very nice dish. Thanks, Mike.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Charles. Enjoy!
Ruan says
Hello Mike,
This recipe is fantastic. I made this with a piece of tri-tip which also works well as an alternative to flank steak. I think I used way too much corn starch (in my first attempt) in the marinade OR I didn't shake off enough of the corn starch after tossing the meat in the corn starch before frying, but luckily the overall flavor of this recipe did well to counteract the overwhelming starch mess I made. I'll be trying again with less corn starch.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Ruan! Thanks!
Tom McFarren says
This has become a family favorite, Mike! I'm trying to introduce the variations Szechuan and Bulgogi, but Mongolian is still the favorite. Thank you for sharing it.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Tom! Very happy you enjoyed it. Definitely a great one. =)
Carol Palmer says
I made this last night using NY strip steak, adding red peppers and onions. Next time I will make more of the sauce. It was amazing !!!!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Great!! Glad you enjoyed it, Carol! =)
Becky says
Hi Mike.
I made this for dinner tonight for probably the fifth time. We love it! Tonight I had no flank or skirt but I did have a big a** ribeye so I used that.It was sooo good! I have to confess we are sauce lovers so I doubled the sauce to soak into all that meat and rice! Thank you for your great recipes!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds awesome, Becky! Super happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing! YUM.