This easy Mongolian Beef Stir Fry recipe uses tender beef steak, spring onions, and a delicious sweet and savoury sauce. Serve with steamed rice or noodles. It tastes even better than Chinese takeout!
Mongolian beef is prominent among the most popular Chinese Beef dishes in American-Chinese restaurants and takeout menus. Each restaurant or household has its own unique version of this dish.
In this post, I've shared my best tips on how to velvet beef and make the best Mongolian sauce!
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Stir-fry dishes are a staple in our Asian households and take no time to prepare. Beef Lo Mein and Beef and Onion Stir Fry are our family's favourite takeout dishes, and you might also love them.
Ingredients
Beef Steak
- Use rump steak, sirloin, chuck, flank, or ribeye steak, etc.
For Marinade
- Regular soy sauce
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch
- Sesame oil
- Grated ginger
Vegetables
- Onions
- Spring onions
- Chilli pepper
- Garlic & Ginger
Mongolian Sauce
- Regular soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Chicken stock or broth
- Rice vinegar
- Cornstarch
Substitutes
- For a spicier kick, add more fresh chillies or a dash of dried red pepper flakes.
- To add more colour and texture, experiment with different vegetables, such as bell peppers, carrots, baby corn, snow peas, or broccoli.
- If you prefer a thicker Mongolian Beef sauce, increase the amount of cornstarch in the stir-fry sauce.
- To make it gluten-free, replace the soy sauce with a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari as an alternative.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the beef with tofu, vegan meat, or seitan.
- To reduce the sodium intake, you can use low-sodium soy sauce.
Top Tips!
- Regardless of the beef cut you use, make sure to cut the steak into thin slices against the grain for the best tender, juicy beef.
- Use a large wok or skillet pan to sear the beef properly and prevent it from overcrowding.
- Instead of beef steak, try this dish with chicken, lamb, or pork. Check out my Mongolian Chicken for easy chicken preparation steps.
How to Make it
- Begin by slicing the beef steak into thin strips. Cut against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Marinate the beef with soy sauce, baking soda, cornstarch, sesame oil, and ginger paste ( grated ginger ) for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat the wok over medium-high heat. Drizzle oil and stir-fry the marinated beef for 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.
- In a bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken stock/broth, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. Mix it well until the sugar dissolves. Set the sauce aside for later use.
- Drizzle more oil in the remaining wok/pan if needed. Stir-fry the garlic and onion over medium heat until fragrant. Then, pour the sauce in and stir it well until it thickens.
- Place the stir-fried beef back into the wok.
- Follow with the spring onions and chilli slices.
- Stir everything for 1-2 minutes and ensure that the sauce coats the beef and vegetables well.
Serving Suggestions
For a delicious meal, serve it over steamed jasmine rice, egg fried rice or plain chow mein. Garnish with additional spring onions and chilli slices.
Add simple side dishes and soups like Garlic Fried Rice, Smashed Cucumber Salad, and Egg Drop Soup for a complete dinner.
Most Asked Questions
If you prefer the sauce less sweet, reduce the amount of sugar. Likewise, if you have a sweet tooth, you can add a bit more sugar to your taste.
Flank steak, ribeye, and sirloin steak are popular choices in making Mongolian beef. Marinating is the secret of tender beef, so make sure you don't skip the beef marinade step.
Mongolian Beef is among the most popular Chinese-inspired dishes known for its bold flavours and juicy tender beef. typically served over steamed rice, , making it a satisfying and flavorful meal.
Spiciness can be adjusted to your own preference. You can give it a spicier kick by adding more fresh, hot chilli peppers or dried chillies. However, the dish is typically known for its sweet and savoury flavours rather than spiciness. If you prefer a milder, kid-friendly version, you can omit chillies.
More Delicious Chinese Beef Recipes
If you've enjoyed this Mongolian Beef Stir Fry recipe, you might also like our following easy stir-fries:
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📖 Recipe
Mongolian Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 250 g Rump/Sirloin steak About 8.8oz
- 3 cloves Garlic Cut thin slices or chopped
- ½ Onion Cut think slices
- 3-4 Spring Onion Cut 2" pieces
- 1 Chilli pepper Cut thin slices
- 2 tbsp Oil Vegetable or neutral flavour oil
Beef Marinade
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce Light soy or regular soy sauce
- ¼ tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Cornstarch or potato starch
- 1 tsp Sesame oil toasted sesame oil
- ½ tsp Ginger grated ginger or ginger paste
Stir Fry Sauce
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce light soy or all-purpose soy sauce
- ⅓ cup Chicken stock or water
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- ½ tsp Cornstarch or potato starch
Instructions
- Cut the beef steak into thin slices. Mix well with the ingredients in the beef marinate list. Set aside and marinate for 20 mins.
- In a small bowl combine stir fry sauce ingredients and whisk until sugar dissolved. Set it aside.
- Cut garlic, onion, spring onions and chilli into thin slices.
- Heat the pan into medium-high heat, drizzle 2 tablespoon of oil.
- Add the marinated beef, flatten and spread the beef in the pan. Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes then flip and stir fry for another 1 minute. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the remaining pan, drizzle more oil if needed. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds and follow with the onion.
- Pour the sauce mix, let it boil for a few seconds, add the cooked beef in, stir well and cook for 1-2 mins until the sauce become thick.
- Then add the spring onions and chilli slices, cook for another 1 min, combine well with the rest of the ingredients.
- Serve with steamed rice or stir fry noodles.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add more fresh chillies or a dash of dried red pepper flakes.
- Can I add more vegetables? Yes, you can add extra vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, baby corn, snow peas, or broccoli to add colour and texture.
- If you prefer a thicker Mongolian sauce, increase the amount of cornstarch in the stir-fry sauce.
- Chicken stock/broth - Instead of chicken broth or stock, use vegetable stock, beef stock, or water.
- To make it gluten-free, replace the soy sauce with a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari as an alternative.
- Instead of regular soy sauce or light soy sauce, you can use low-sodium soy sauce to your taste.
- Instead of beef steak, you can also try this dish with chicken, lamb, or pork.
Sabastian says
It's very similar to my fav take-out. I give 5 stars.
Khin says
Thank you so much, Sabastian. Glad that you enjoyed it.
Margaret Ward says
Absolutely amazing all the family loved it well worth trying soooo good very tasty
Andrew says
Such a easy tasty dish
Khin says
Thank you so much Andrew.
Catherine Georgiou says
Yummy
Khin says
Thank you Catherine! Happy that you enjoy this Mongolian Beef Recipe.
Umme Mariam Binte Baten says
So easy quick recipe and this is delicious.
Thank you, khinskitchen.
DD says
Oh my, this is delicious!!! I am no chef believe me but my husband said this meal was restaurant quality, simply amazing! thank you Khin's Kitchen
Christina says
Super easy quick and delish
Sarika says
Loved the recipe..so easy to follow and it turned out yumm !!