Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef

A non-traditional spin on a Chinese classic, this Mongolian Beef recipe adds some sweet with red bell pepper and onion and some heat with Serrano peppers. Thin and crispy pieces of beef mixed with a sweet and sour blend of brown sugar and soy come together to create this classic and tasty dish. Served over steamed rice or noodles, everyone will come back for “just a little bit more.”

The first time I tried Mongolian Beef I think I was in my 20s at a P.F. Chang’s in Las Vegas. I wasn’t sure what to order, but the description sounded good, so I tried it and fell in love. Over the years since, I’d ordered it at various Chinese restaurants as well, but one day I thought about trying to make it myself. After some research I found that it didn’t seem too complicated, and over time I kept tweaking it to my own palate. This recipe is the culmination of a few years of making it myself and changing up the recipe until I was happy with this result.

Is Mongolian Beef, Mongolian?

Before diving into the recipe, a quick explanation about the name and history of this dish.

In the 1950s, Beijing born Wu Zhaonan opened a food stall in Taiwan and popularized the style of Chinese barbeque of quickly cooking thin meats and vegetables on a screaming hot surface. He originally wanted to call it “Beijing barbeque”, but with all of the political sensitivity between China and Taiwan at the time, he settled on “Mongolian” instead. It also sounded more exotic, and the name stuck.

Then what is Mongolian cuisine? Well, there’s lots of boiled meat, mutton, and Yak milk and Yak milk byproducts. They also eat jerky, soups, stews, dumplings, etc... but nothing that looks like “Mongolian barbeque.”

Ingredients for Mongolian Beef

Flank Steak – A cheap and often chewy cut of meat. The trick is to cut it thin across the grain. I also cut it on a bias to give the pieces of meat a large, flat surface.

Corn Starch – Instead of a flour coating or batter, corn starch is used to give the steak its signature crispy coating.

Hoisin Sauce – A thick sauce made from fermented soybean paste and additions like sesame oil, garlic, vinegar, sugar, chili peppers and spices.

Low-Sodium Soy Sauce – Try to use a low-sodium version or the dish can be very salty.

Brown Sugar – Just a bit to add some sweetness to the sauce.

Fresh Garlic and Ginger – You can use powders instead, but freshly minced garlic and ginger bring the whole dish to another level.

Red Bell Pepper – Adds some color and a nice sweetness to the flavor.

Yellow Onion – Adds to the flavor and a slight sweetness as well. Can use any onion you prefer other than red onion.

Serrano Peppers – Sliced small, these peppers add just a touch of heat to the dish without being overpowering to the flavor.

Green Onions – A traditional addition sliced about an inch wide and added near the end.

How to Make Mongolian Beef

Start by cutting the flank steak very thinly across the grain. Add corn starch and salt and pepper to a bag or large mixing bowl. Toss the beef with the corn starch.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the beef in batches, cooking in a single layer for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to drain.

After cooking the meat, add the peppers and onion (minus the green onion) to the oil and cook until tender, 7-8 minutes. Set aside when ready.

Add the minced ginger and garlic to the pan, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and let cook a few minutes until sauce looks thickened.

Add the beef and vegetables back to the pan and toss with the sauce until well combined and sauce appears thickened on the beef. Serve over rice or noodles and enjoy~

Tips on Making Mongolian Beef

Slicing flank steak – This always bears repeating: slice against the grain. The striations (lines) you see in the steak are muscle fibers. When you slice perpendicular against them, you’re making those fibers much shorter, which in turn makes the meat less chewy and more tender.

Don’t crowd the pan – Add the beef in batches in a single layer. You want to sear the meat, not steam it.

More traditional – If you’d like a more traditional version, omit the onion, bell pepper, and serrano pepper. Replace with green onion and dried red chilis. Add the chilis with the garlic and ginger and the green onion when you toss the beef. You can also remove the hoisin sauce and bump up the soy sauce to a ¼ cup. Add a corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce.

Gluten-Free version – If you need or desire a gluten-free variation, replace the hoisin and soy sauces with Tamari. You may need to add a corn starch slurry as well if it needs thickening.

Make it faster – This version of my recipe utilizes cooking each component in the same pan, one at a time and combining them all at the end. You can speed the process up by cooking all 3 items at the same time in different pans and combining at the end. This will get you to the eating and enjoying part quicker but adds to the clean-up afterwards.

Storing and Freezing

After eating, allow everything to cool completely and place into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-5 days. From personal experience, I would suggest storing rice (if used) and beef in separate containers. Storing it all together tends to make the beef a little gummy after a few days.

If freezing, allow to cool completely and place into airtight containers. Should freeze well for up to 3 months. Place in fridge to thaw overnight, then reheat in a skillet over med-low heat. You could also toss in the microwave for about 2 minutes, I won’t judge.

📋 Recipe