Mongolian Beef is the takeout classic that tastes even better when you make it at home: thinly sliced flank steak seared hard in a screaming-hot pan, then tossed in a glossy, garlicky sauce that clings to every piece. It is sweet, savory, and just a little spicy, and it comes together faster than delivery would arrive.
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The trick is all in the prep. Freeze the steak for 20 minutes so you can slice it paper-thin, velvet it in cornstarch and soy, and have every sauce ingredient measured before the wok gets hot. Once you start cooking, the whole thing takes about 6 minutes.
Serve it over steamed jasmine rice with extra green onions on top, and you have a restaurant-quality dinner on a Tuesday night.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs (680g) flank steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick against the grain
Flank is ideal, but sirloin flap, skirt steak, or even top round work well. Ask the butcher to slice it for you if you want to skip the knife work.
3 tbsp cornstarch
This is what gives the beef its velvety crust. Arrowroot starch or potato starch are 1:1 substitutes if you are corn-free.
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
Low-sodium keeps the sauce from getting salty after it reduces. Tamari is the best gluten-free swap.
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
Adds a subtle fermented depth. Dry sherry or mirin are the closest easy substitutes.
1/4 cup (60ml) water or unsalted beef broth
Broth gives a richer, meatier sauce. Water is fine in a pinch and keeps the dish lighter.
3 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed
Dark brown sugar brings molasses depth that white sugar lacks. Coconut sugar works but will taste less caramelized.
1/4 cup (60ml) neutral oil, for searing
Avocado, peanut, or canola oil all have a high smoke point. Do not use olive oil here; it will burn.
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tbsp)
Fresh garlic is non-negotiable for this sauce. Jarred garlic tastes flat and slightly bitter.
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
Grate it on a microplane so it melts into the sauce. Do not substitute ground ginger; the texture is wrong.
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or 2 dried red chiles)
Controls the heat. Gochugaru gives a milder, fruitier heat if you are spice-sensitive.
6 green onions, cut into 2-inch batons, whites and greens separated
The white parts go in early to perfume the oil; the greens go in at the very end for crunch and color.
1 tsp toasted sesame oil, for finishing
A finishing oil, not a cooking oil. Toasted sesame oil is much stronger than regular, so measure carefully.
Tips & Tricks
- Freeze the steak for 20 minutes before slicing. Cold meat holds its shape, so you get uniform 1/4-inch slices instead of ragged chunks that cook unevenly.
- Pat the beef bone-dry before it hits the cornstarch. Surface moisture steams the meat instead of searing it, and you lose that caramelized crust.
- Cook in two batches. Crowding the pan drops the temperature and turns the sear into a boil, which makes the beef gray and tough.
- Mix the sauce before you turn on the heat. Once the wok is ripping hot, you have about 90 seconds to add everything, and there is no time to measure.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Freeze and slice the beef
Pat the flank steak dry, then freeze it for 20 minutes until firm but not frozen solid. Slice it 1/4-inch thick against the grain into 2-inch strips.
2. Velvet the beef
Toss the sliced beef with 3 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp soy sauce in a bowl until every piece is evenly coated. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you prep the sauce.
3. Whisk the sauce
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup water or broth, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
4. Sear the beef hot
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke, about 400F (205C). Add half the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 60 seconds, then toss for 30 seconds until browned but still pink inside. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
5. Bloom the aromatics
Lower the heat to medium-high, about 350F (175C). Add the garlic, ginger, and green onion whites to the same pan and stir constantly for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant and just golden. Do not let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.
6. Reduce the sauce
Pour the sauce mixture into the pan and let it bubble for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. You will see the edges bubble and the sauce turn glossy.
7. Toss and finish
Return the beef and any juices to the pan and toss for 30 to 45 seconds until every piece is coated and hot. Turn off the heat, add the green onion greens and 1 tsp sesame oil, and toss once more.
8. Serve immediately
Spoon over steamed jasmine rice and top with extra green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve right away while the beef is still sizzling.
Delicious Variations
Spicy Mongolian Beef
Add 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek with the aromatics for a serious kick.
Mongolian Chicken
Swap the flank steak for 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces and sear for 2 minutes per side.
Vegetarian Mongolian Tofu
Use extra-firm tofu pressed for 30 minutes, cubed, and tossed in cornstarch before searing until crisp on all sides.
How to Store Mongolian Beef
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken and the green onions will soften, so add fresh ones when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 350F (175C), for 3 to 4 minutes with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Avoid the microwave, which toughens the beef.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I make Mongolian beef gluten-free?
Use tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce and skip the Shaoxing wine or use a gluten-free rice wine. Double-check your cornstarch label, though most brands are naturally gluten-free.
Grab a flank steak on your next grocery run and make this Mongolian Beef tonight. Once you see how fast it comes together, you will never wait on delivery again.
Mongolian Beef
Mongolian Beef is a sticky, sweet-savory stir-fry with tender flank steak, crisp green onions, and a glossy garlic-ginger sauce ready in 30 minutes.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (680g) flank steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick against the grain
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water or unsalted beef broth
- 3 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (60ml) neutral oil, for searing
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or 2 dried red chiles)
- 6 green onions, cut into 2-inch batons, whites and greens separated
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, for finishing
📋 Instructions
- 1Freeze and slice the beef — Pat the flank steak dry, then freeze it for 20 minutes until firm but not frozen solid. Slice it 1/4-inch thick against the grain into 2-inch strips.
- 2Velvet the beef — Toss the sliced beef with 3 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp soy sauce in a bowl until every piece is evenly coated. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you prep the sauce.
- 3Whisk the sauce — In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup water or broth, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
- 4Sear the beef hot — Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke, about 400F (205C). Add half the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 60 seconds, then toss for 30 seconds until browned but still pink inside. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
- 5Bloom the aromatics — Lower the heat to medium-high, about 350F (175C). Add the garlic, ginger, and green onion whites to the same pan and stir constantly for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant and just golden. Do not let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.
- 6Reduce the sauce — Pour the sauce mixture into the pan and let it bubble for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. You will see the edges bubble and the sauce turn glossy.
- 7Toss and finish — Return the beef and any juices to the pan and toss for 30 to 45 seconds until every piece is coated and hot. Turn off the heat, add the green onion greens and 1 tsp sesame oil, and toss once more.
- 8Serve immediately — Spoon over steamed jasmine rice and top with extra green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve right away while the beef is still sizzling.
