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Mongolian beef is one of the best Chinese recipes. This easy Mongolian beef recipe is better than Chinese takeout and PF Chang's. Homemade easy recipe that anyone can make at home!
Mongolian Beef Recipe
What is Mongolian Beef?
It is one of the best Chinese recipes ever; it’s also a popular Chinese beef dish at Chinese restaurants or takeouts. The popularity is second to broccoli beef. Other crowd favorites are ginger and scallion beef, Szechuan beef, and sesame beef.
Mongolian beef is delicious, with silky and tender beef in a rich and savory Chinese brown sauce.
My Mongolian beef recipe is very close to the taste of PF Chang’s Mongolian beef.
It’s savory, slightly sweet, with melt-in-your-mouth beef.
It’s also healthier, less greasy, with a Mongolian beef sauce that is so yummy with steamed white or brown rice.
Ingredients
- Beef tenderloin
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Scallion
- Corn starch
- Shaoxing wine
- Sesame oil
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1. Marinate the beef slices with the marinade ingredients for 30 minutes. Heat a wok with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and stir-fry the marinated beef until it is half-cooked. Dish out and set aside.
Step 2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add the beef back into the wok, followed by the Sauce.
Step 3. Continue to stir-fry until the beef slices are almost done, then add the scallions. Stir briefly. Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Cooking Tips For Home Cooks
To make the best and authentic Mongolian beef, please follow the cooking tips and techniques below:
- Make sure you cut the beef against the grain.
- Marinate the beef with cornstarch to tenderize the meat.
- The step above is called velveting in Chinese food. It makes the beef tender, juicy, moist and silky.
- Stir fry the beef on high heat using a wok (preferred) or skillet.
- The brown sauce shouldn’t be too sticky and gooey.
Frequently Asked Questions
The name of the dish is misleading because it’s not a traditional Mongolian dish from Mongolia. The dish is named “Mongolian Beef” after the cooking style, rather than its origin. Mongolian Beef is actually a stir fry dish that originated in Taiwan.
Mongolian sauce is a savory sauce that consists of oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and ground white pepper. The sauce pairs extremely well with the beef and is easy to make!
Yes, you can make the dish in an Instant Pot. Just use the Saute function to stir fry the beef and ingredients. Add the Mongolian beef sauce towards the end, thicken it up and it’s ready to serve.
For authentic flavors, I don’t recommend crockpot or slow cooker to make this recipe. This is a Chinese stir fry beef dish. The beef shouldn’t be slow cooked in a slow cooker or crockpot.
This recipe is only 396 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Serve this dish with fried rice or chow mein. For a healthy Chinese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Chinese Recipes You Might Like
Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 12 oz. beef tenderloin, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch strips
Marinade:
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine, or Shaoxing wine
Mongolian Beef Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 3 dashes ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar , or to taste
- salt , to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the beef slices with the marinade ingredients for 30 minutes. Heat a wok with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and stir-fry the marinated beef until it is half-cooked. Dish out and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add the beef back into the wok, followed by the Sauce.
- Continue to stir-fry until the beef slices are almost done, then add the scallions. Stir briefly. Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you cut the beef against the grain.
- Marinate the beef with cornstarch to tenderize the meat.
- The step above is called velveting in Chinese food. It makes the beef tender, juicy, moist and silky.
- Stir fry the beef on high heat using a wok (preferred) or skillet.
- The brown sauce shouldn’t be too sticky and gooey.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made this recipe many times–absolutely delicious. I use NY strip or rib eye steak to save a few bucks and both turn out tender and tasty. Neither of them is the bargain of a few years ago, but are still about half the price of tenderloin. I dislike scallions–hard little nuggets that they can be when cooked, so sub about half a c. of thinly sliced onion, which is both sweeter and more tender. One of our favorite Chinese restaurants does the same. No subs in the sauce, though, as the recipe is perfect as written. I do, however, double that recipe to make enough sauce to flavor the accompanying rice. 12 oz of meat really only serves 2-3 adult people as a single main course, even with an accompanying veggie or salad. I always cook a generous amount of vegetables and plain rice as sides instead of a 2nd main dish or hefty appetizers.
Hi Janmaus, thanks for trying my recipe and for the 5 stars! :)
Delicious !!!
Hi Richard, thanks for trying my recipe and for the 5 stars! :)
I’m allergic to shell fish do so what can I substitute for oyster sauce? I’ve always left the oyster sauce out but a second opinion would be fantastic!
Hi Melodie, try using mushroom stir-fry sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce. They’re both shellfish-free and give that same umami depth.
Mongolian Beef looks great gotta try this 👌 👍 thanks again 👍 😀 😋
Awesome thanks for your sweet comment!
Thank you again. For such a beautiful dish. Looks delicious and I have to try this 😋 😍 you always amazed me with your cooking 🍳 😋.
Thanks John!
can Mirin be used instead of Chinese rice wine I know Mirin is somewhat sweet
You can use mirin.