30-Minute Mongolian Beef

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This 30-Minute Mongolian Beef is savory and sweet and so delicious! With thinly cut steak, soy sauce, brown sugar, fresh garlic, and ginger – this Mongolian Beef recipe is all prepped and ready to eat in just 30 minutes! It's sure to be your new favorite beef dinner recipe!

A close up of a plate of food with cooked thinly sliced steak tossed in Mongolian beef sauce.

Lately, I’ve really been craving Chinese food. I think it’s because I’ve been feasting on so much traditional American comfort food - you know, with the Holidays and all.

How about you - could you go for some Chinese food right about now? What’s your favorite dish?

A few of my favorite Asian meals would have to include Mango Chicken, Broccoli and Beef, a big ole bowl of Ramen, Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Mongolian Chicken, or the classic General Tso Chicken.

... PLUS my latest obsession and today’s recipe – this super easy, 30-Minute Mongolian Beef!

Why you’ll Love this Mongolian Beef Recipe

Fast & Easy: Ready from prep to plate in just 30 minutes. This beef recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights when you need a quick dinner.
Restaurant‑Quality Flavor: Balanced sweet, savory, and spicy notes rival your favorite takeout without any of the extra calories or MSG! Plus, it's gluten-free when you use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular Soy Sauce.
Crispy Tender Beef: The cornstarch coating creates a light crisp on the outside. It keeps the meat tender and juicy inside.
Easy to Modify: Add broccoli, bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms for extra veggies. Turn up the heat with extra chili oil or chili pepper flakes.
🌟Popular Recipe: This is the most popular recipe on the blog! Don't take my word for it - check out the comments below. This is a 5-star recipe from everyone that tries it!

An eyelevel closeup photo of a plate with Mongolian beef.

You may have tried this tasty dish at PF Chang’s – I think it’s one of their most popular menu items.

And just in case you haven’t and you’re wondering “What is Mongolian Beef?” I’m here to break it down for you.

What is Mongolian Beef?

It’s typically flank steak thinly sliced and quickly seared, then added to a sweet and savory sauce. And paired with scallions or mixed veggies.

The dish has “Mongolian” in its name. However, it actually originated in Taiwan in the 1950s. It started at Mongolian barbecue restaurants. These restaurants blended Chinese stir‑fry techniques with Japanese teppanyaki influences.

It’s usually served over steamed rice or in lettuce wraps with those crispy cellophane noodles.

And personally, I can’t get enough of this savory sweet combination of fresh garlic and onions – yum! I also like to add some chili oil or red pepper flakes for a bit of spicy heat. It’s so good my friend!

A plate of Mongolian beef for this beef dinner recipe.

Allow me to share all my best tips for making this delicious beef dinner recipe - Mongolian beef!

How to make Mongolian Beef?

As I mentioned flank steak is usually the cut of meat used for this dish. But it’s a tougher cut and has never been my favorite. So, I used sirloin steaks for my version. You can also use strip steak or filet for this dish.

Prepping the Beef

The steaks were about 1½ inches thick. I cut them into ¼ inch slices.

Flattening thinly sliced beef with a meat pounder.

Then I laid the slices flat, covered them with plastic wrap and used a meat pounder to flatten them.

Adding cornstarch to thinly sliced beef.

Next, I put the meat in a resealable plastic bag. I added cornstarch. This helps the meat crisp up nicely. It will also thicken the sauce.

Massaging the cornstarch into the sliced beef.

I massaged the steak and cornstarch together to make sure each piece was fully coated. Then I let them sit for 15 minutes while I prepped my other ingredients.

Cooking the Beef and Sauce

Next, I added canola oil to a large frying pan and allowed the pan to heat up over medium-high heat.

Then I added the steak to the pan in a single layer and cooked for 30 seconds on each side (1 minute total).

Cook the steak in batches rather than over-crowding the pan. Crowding the pan results in a steamed steak instead of a seared steak! I removed the steak from the pan as soon as it finished cooking, set it aside on a plate, and sprinkled it with salt.

Adding fresh grated ginger into a saute pan with garlic and oil.

I added the fresh ginger and garlic to the pan and sautéed it for 10-15 seconds. Then I added chili oil but you can use chili pepper flakes or skip this step if you don’t care for any spice.

Pouring Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) into the sauteeing garlic and ginger.

I stirred in the tamari/soy sauce, water and brown sugar, and brought the mixture to a boil.

Adding pan fried slice beef into the mongolian sauce.

I added the beef back into the sauteing sauce.

Sprinkling the sliced green onions into the panfried beef and Mongolian sauce.

Finally, I turned off the heat, added the green onions, and stirred them to combine.

Better than Chinese restaurant food, in the comfort of your own home, in just 30 minutes!

Amazing – right!??

A pan of cooked thinly sliced steak tossed in Mongolian beef sauce with green onions.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in fridge for 3–4 days.

Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in an air-tight freezer bag or container for up to 2–3 months for the best quality.

Reheat: Thaw overnight if frozen. Rewarm in a skillet over medium heat, add some water or extra sauce as needed.

A close up of a plate of food with chopsticks and Mongolian beef.

What to serve with Mongolian Beef?

I served my Mongolian beef over steamed jasmine rice. But you can also serve it with steamed brown rice, rice noodles, or in lettuce wraps with crispy cellophane noodles.

This quick and easy sweet and salty dish is hearty and delicious, and the perfect weeknight meal!

A close up pan of beef, sauce and onions cooked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my Mongolian beef recipe in an air fryer?

Yes – you can air fry the beef during the first cooking step. Then make the sauce on the stove top as specified in the recipe card. And finally combine the meat back into the sauce and toss to coat. Add the green onions and serve.

How do I add broccoli to my Mongolian beef recipe?

You can add broccoli or whatever other veggies you'd like to this recipe. I would steam the broccoli on the side and then fold it into the steak and sauce at the end. You will want to double the sauce because the broccoli will soak it up quickly.

What’s the best oil substitute (olive oil, ghee, avocado oil) for Mongolian beef recipe?

For Mongolian beef, you want an oil that has a high smoke point. Olive oil, ghee and avocado oil can be used as substitutes, but they offer slightly different flavor profiles. Ghee has a nutty, buttery flavor. Olive oil and avocado oil have a more neutral flavor that won't overpower the dish's taste.

Can I make my Mongolian beef recipe ahead and reheat it?

You can make ahead and reheat this beef recipe. To keep a crispy texture, reheating in a skillet on the stove top is the best choice.

When reheating... I would recommend making extra sauce and heating it in a saute pan over medium to medium-high heat. When it starts to simmer add the beef and fold it into the sauce. Cook the meat for 3-4 minutes just to warm it. You will want to wait and add the green onions until after you reheat it.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of beef in this Mongolian recipe?

I don't recommend this prep and cooking method for chicken. It just doesn't seem to come out very tender. I do have a Mongolian Chicken recipe on the blog - you should check out.

How can I double the sauce for my Mongolian beef recipe?

You can double the sauce by doubling all the sauce ingredient measurements in the recipe. Add your grated ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes or chili oil, reduced sodium tamari sauce/soy sauce, water and brown sugar, times two.

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and just predict that this Mongolian Beef recipe will become one of your new go-to dinner recipes!

More Tasty Beef Dinner Recipes

Yield: 6 servings