Mongolian beef recipes are one of those dishes that looks like it belongs in a restaurant but comes together at home in about 20 minutes, and the sauce is everything. Sweet soy, garlic, ginger, a little brown sugar, and high heat are all it takes to get that glossy, sticky coating on tender sliced beef that makes this one of the most requested Asian-inspired dinners out there.
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- What makes these recipes special?
- Top Tips
- Mongolian Beef Recipe
- Pei Wei Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe
- Mongolian Beef
- Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe - Better Than Takeout
- Mongolian Beef Recipe
- Mongolian Beef Recipe
- Melt In Your Mouth Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
- Mongolian Beef Noodles
- Best Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (Easy Recipe)
- Gluten Free Mongolian Beef
- Best Mongolian Beef Recipe
- Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
- Crockpot Mongolian Beef
- Comments
Mongolian beef recipes work because the sauce does exactly what a good stir fry sauce should do: it caramelizes on the beef instead of just coating it, which gives you that lacquered, restaurant-quality finish that is really hard to fake with a shortcut. The ratio of soy sauce to brown sugar is what controls the balance between savory and sweet, and getting that right is the difference between a Mongolian beef recipe that is just fine and one that makes you wonder why you ever ordered takeout at all.
This collection of Mongolian beef recipes covers every cooking method worth knowing. There are classic stovetop versions including the Pei Wei Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe and a Mongolian Beef from Cooking with Curls that has been around long enough to earn a serious following. Slow cooker fans have two strong options with the Best Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef and the Crockpot Mongolian Beef from The Slow Roasted Italian. The Melt In Your Mouth Instant Pot Mongolian Beef is there for pressure cooker days, the Mongolian Beef Noodles turns the whole thing into a noodle dish, and the Gluten Free Mongolian Beef is the one to save if you are cooking for someone with dietary restrictions.
Top Tips
- Slice the beef as thin as you can. Flank steak is the standard cut for Mongolian beef and it cooks in literally 2 to 3 minutes when sliced thin against the grain. Thicker pieces take longer, which means they steam instead of sear, and you lose the caramelized exterior that makes this dish worth making.
- Coat the beef in cornstarch before it hits the pan. This is what creates the slightly crisp exterior that lets the sauce cling to every piece instead of sliding off. Toss the sliced beef in a light coating of cornstarch and let it sit for a few minutes before cooking. It makes a real difference in the final texture.
- Use HIGH heat and do not crowd the pan. Mongolian beef needs a hot pan and enough space for the beef to sear rather than steam. Cook in batches if needed. Crowding drops the pan temperature immediately and you end up with grey, soft beef instead of browned, slightly crispy pieces.
- Make the sauce before the beef goes in. The stovetop version moves fast. Have your soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and any other sauce ingredients already measured and mixed so you can pour everything in the moment the beef is done. There is no time to measure mid-cook.
- Brown sugar is not optional. Some people try to reduce the sugar or swap it for honey, and the sauce never tastes quite the same. The brown sugar caramelizes in the hot pan and creates the glossy, sticky coating that defines Mongolian beef. Cutting it changes the whole character of the dish.
Mongolian Beef Recipe
Tender sliced beef in a savory, slightly sweet sauce that comes together fast on the stovetop. A straightforward version that gets every element of Mongolian beef right.
Photo credit: I Heart Eating
Pei Wei Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe
Recreates the Pei Wei flavor at home with crispy beef and a bold, glossy sauce. Better than the restaurant and ready faster than delivery.
Photo credit: Copy Kat
Mongolian Beef
Thinly sliced sirloin with caramelized onions and a tangy, savory sauce built from scratch. A recipe with a long track record and strong reader loyalty.
Photo credit: Cooking with Curls
Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe - Better Than Takeout
Bold title, but it earns it. Crispy beef strips in a rich, sweet-savory sauce that comes together on the stovetop in under 30 minutes.
Photo credit: Copy Kat
Mongolian Beef Recipe
Chili Pepper Madness brings heat awareness to a classic dish, building a Mongolian beef with deep soy-garlic flavor and a well-balanced sauce. Reliable and satisfying every time.
Photo credit: Chili Pepper Madness
Mongolian Beef Recipe
Chew Out Loud consistently delivers restaurant-level results at home, and this Mongolian beef is no different. Glossy sauce, tender beef, done fast.
Photo credit: Chew Out Loud
Melt In Your Mouth Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Pressure cooked until the beef is impossibly tender, with the classic sweet-savory sauce built right in the pot. Fast, hands-off, and worth every minute of the pressure release wait.
Photo credit: Living Sweet Moments
Mongolian Beef Noodles
All the bold Mongolian beef flavor, now tossed with noodles for a more filling one-pan dinner. A great way to stretch the dish further without losing any of what makes it good.
Photo credit: Chew Out Loud
Best Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (Easy Recipe)
Set it up in the morning and come home to Mongolian beef that has been slow cooking all day in its own sauce. Ultra-tender beef with that sticky, savory glaze fully developed.
Photo credit: Dizzy Busy and Hungry!
Gluten Free Mongolian Beef
A Whole30 and paleo-friendly version made with ground beef that keeps all the classic flavors without any gluten or refined ingredients. A genuinely useful option when dietary restrictions are in the picture.
Photo credit: The Clean Happy Life
Best Mongolian Beef Recipe
Flank steak in a well-seasoned Mongolian sauce with strong reviews and a clean, focused approach to the dish. Exactly the kind of recipe you want when you need dinner done right.
Photo credit: Delicious Meets Healthy
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Flank steak slow cooked in Mongolian sauce until the beef is fork-tender and the flavors are fully built. A hands-off version that works perfectly over rice.
Photo credit: Slow Cooker Meals
Crockpot Mongolian Beef
The Slow Roasted Italian does slow cooker beef exceptionally well, and this Mongolian version is rich, saucy, and deeply flavored after a full day in the crockpot. Serve over rice and be done.
Photo credit: The Slow Roasted Italian
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