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Mongolian Beef

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Tender, juicy strips of stir-fried beef in a luxuriously flavorful sauce!  Few Chinese dishes are as irresistibly delicious as Mongolian Beef.  This Mongolian Beef recipe takes the flavor over the top, is quick and easy to make (ready to serve in 15-20 minutes!), and rivals your favorite Chinese takeout!

Be sure to also check out our Mongolian Chicken as well as our General Tso’s Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Sesame Chicken and Chinese Beef and Broccoli!

mongolian beef recipe best takeout copycat quick easy

What is Mongolian Beef?

Mongolian Beef is one of the most popular Chinese takeout and restaurant dishes and is known and served throughout many areas of the world.  It is a stir-fry dish consisting of thinly sliced beef that is coated in cornstarch and then fried until crispy. The beef is then tossed in a flavorful sauce along with green onions/scallions.

Neither the ingredients nor the method of cooking are actually Mongolian at all,  rather some claim this dish is a Chinese-American invention while others claim it was first invented in a Chinese restaurant in the UK.

Regardless of its origin, one thing is clear:  It’s fully deserving of its popularity because it’s absolutely delicious!  And now you can make it at home anytime the craving comes calling and this Mongolian Beef recipe is sure to be a slam dunk winner in your home!

mongolian beef recipe best takeout copycat quick easy

Ingredients and Substitutions

Made with just a small handful of ingredients, this Mongolian Beef is simple, quick, and ready to serve within 15-20 minutes including prep!ย  You’ll need:

  • Flank steak or beef tenderloin
  • Cornstarch for coating the beef and oil for frying it
  • Fresh ginger and garlic
  • Hoisin sauce (you can buy it or make your own Hoisin Sauce, which I HIGHLY recommend!)
  • Toasted sesame oil
  • Tamari (you can substitute low sodium soy sauce but tamari has a much better, richer flavor)
  • Pepper
  • Brown sugar
  • Green onions

An important element to making quick takeout style dishes like this is to have all your ingredients already laid out and ready to go.  Have your veggies and meat sliced and have your sauce ingredients combined.  Then the cooking part takes less than 10 minutes (less than 5 minutes if you’re using a high heat wok!).

mongolian beef recipe ingredients

Can I Make Vegetarian Mongolian Beef?

Yes, and it’s simple!ย  Use a meatless beef substitute such as Yves Meatless Beef Strips, Butler’s Soy Curls or tofu.

If you’re using tofu we have a tutorial for making excellent crispy tofu that you can use as a beef substitute.  Check out our recipe for Baked Tofu.  Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch thick, 1 inch long strips to resemble beef and follow the instructions as outlined in that tutorial.

Can You Freeze Mongolian Beef?

You sure can!  Put it in an airtight freezer container or ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.  Then simply reheat in the microwave and serve with rice.

mongolian beef recipe best takeout copycat quick easy

Mongolian Beef Recipe

Let’s get started!

Coat the beef strips with cornstarch.

Prepare the sauce by combining all ingredients, except for the garlic and ginger, in a bowl.

preparing ingredients

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet and fry the beef until golden brown on both sides.

Remove the beef and discard all but about 2 teaspoons of the oil.

frying meat in pan

Fry the ginger and garlic in the skillet for 30 seconds.

Add the sauce mixture and simmer, constantly stirring, until it begins to thicken.

pouring sauce in pan

Return the beef to the wok along with the green onions and stir to coat.

Simmer for 1 minute so the green onions soften but remain crispy.

adding green onions to pan

Serve immediately with steamed rice and/or crispy fried cellophane noodles.

Enjoy!

mongolian beef recipe best takeout copycat quick easy

Want to bulk up this dish with more healthy veggies?  Simply add some steamed broccoli and/or fry some bell peppers along with the chicken.  You can also toss in some bean sprouts at the very end.

mongolian beef recipe best takeout copycat quick easy

For more delicious Chinese dishes be sure to try my:

mongolian beef recipe best takeout copycat quick easy

Mongolian Beef

Tender, juicy strips of stir-fried beef in a luxuriously flavorful sauce! This Mongolian Beef recipe takes the flavor over the top, is quick and easy to make, and rivals your favorite Chinese takeout!
4.97 from 164 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 4 servings
Calories 366 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound flank steak or beef tenderloin cut into thin strips (this recipe also works great with chicken) (See note for vegan option)
  • cornstarch for coating
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • For the Sauce:
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger , minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic , minced
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (a critical ingredient)
  • OR Best Homemade Hoisin Sauce , click link for recipe (highly recommended for the ULTIMATE flavor!)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup tamari (can substitute low sodium soy sauce but tamari has a much better/richer flavor)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 bunches green onions , cut into 2 inch pieces

Instructions
 

  • Add some oil to a hot wok or heavy skillet. Lightly coat the beef strips in cornstarch and shake to remove excess. Stir-fry beef until caramelized on both sides. Remove the meat from the wok and set aside. Discard all but 2 teaspoons of the oil.
  • To make sauce: Add the ginger and garlic to the wok and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add remaining sauce ingredients, except for the green onions. Let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken.
  • Return beef to the sauce and stir to coat. Add the green onions and stir again to coat. Simmer for 1 minute seconds. Serve immediately with steamed rice and/or crispy fried cellophane noodles.

Notes

Vegetarian/Vegan: Use Yves Meatless Beef Strips, Butler’s Soy Curls or tofu (cut into 1/4 in. thick, 1 in. long strips and prepared as outlined here: https://www.daringgourmet.com/baked-tofu/

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 26gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1028mgPotassium: 497mgSugar: 28gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 1.7mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2.7mg
Keyword Mongolian Beef
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet October 2013

mongolian beef recipe best copycat takeout PF Chang's Chinese restaurant easy fast
kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




4.97 from 164 votes (137 ratings without comment)

141 Comments

  1. Mongolian Beef is always a hit around here. I never thought to make Mongolian Chicken. I think I will make both.

  2. Tried this and we were so happy with the outcome. The meat was so tender and it’s so full of flavor so yummy!!

  3. This a great recipe, but a couple things I’ve found…..
    1) I really like Korean pepper paste, so adding a tablespoon to this recipe gives it a little kick I always look for in my Asian dishes. Evens out the sweetness a little bit as well.
    2) Getting older I find my teeth don’t work as well as they once did, so the thinner I can slice the meat the better. I freeze the meat and then use a serrated knife to cut it super thin.

    1. Hi Russell:
      I am older and also have teeth problems. I have found a product that works very well. It is called Old Neighborhood Shaved Beef Steak. It is easy to chew and works well in recipes similar to this. In my part of the country it is carried by Aldi and Wal-Mart.

  4. Hi Kimberly, lovely recipe, thanks for sharing. I added 2 tablespoons of Chinese rice-wine to the sauce-mixture for extra flavour and it gave it a smooth taste. (I might be alcoholic, but maybe it’s a good tip…)

  5. Thanks for this lovely recipe, we really enjoyed the end result. Keep the good work up and the recipes coming. Although sometimes the ingredients are hard to get where I live ( southern Spain), I love trying out your exotic dishes. My favourite so far is the chicken Machboos, drizzled with a bit of rose water. WOW!!! Next one to be tried will be Sega Wat.

  6. I fixed this and it’s a five-star recipe! Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe with all of us. I had never heard of hoisin sauce before, but now I’m a big fan! I can’t wait to use it on some chicken.

  7. Good but a bit salty in my opinion. Thoughts on adding 1/4 cup or less beef stock, low or no sodium, of course)?

    1. Hi Scott, the saltiness will greatly depend on the brand of soy sauce you use. You can also try using a low-sodium soy sauce. And sure, you substitute some of it with beef stock.

  8. Thank-you for this recipe, it is so very close to what my favourite restaurant serves- I have a feeling the only difference between this recipe and theirs is theirs probably has a good dose of MSG :)

    One trick I learned years ago from a little old Chinese lady who was once my next door neighbour. When cooking beef for chinese food – notice how restaurant beef is that ridiculously soft, melty texture?

    Its called velveting the meat. Just marinate the meat, after cutting it against the grain into strips, in about 4tb bicarb soda (Americans call it baking soda I believe) and enough water to make a thick sludge. Rub it all over the meat strips, cover and fridge for 15-20. Take out, rinse REALLY WELL (run your fingers over the meat -make sure there are no grains of bicarbonate soda left), pat dry and use immediately.

    Guaranteed super soft beef every-time.

    1. This really works good Sarah. Susan and I tried it and man…does it make the meat tender and soft. GREAT TIP!!!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
      Gary