Description
Mongolian Beef brings bold Asian-inspired flavors right to your dinner table with tender strips of beef cooked in a tangy sauce that perfectly balances sweet and salty notes. Sizzling quickly in a hot pan, this restaurant-style dish comes together faster than takeout and tastes even better when served over steaming white rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb flank steak
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Sauce and Seasoning:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1-inch piece of ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Cooking and Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 45 green onions
Instructions
- Freeze the 1 lb of flank steak for 20 minutes to make slicing easier. Cut the meat into ultra-thin strips against the grain using a sharp knife.
- Dust your meat slices thoroughly with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ensuring each piece is completely and evenly coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and looks slightly rippled.
- Cook your cornstarch-coated beef in small batches for 2-3 minutes per side, creating a golden crispy exterior. Transfer each batch to a plate when done.
- Reduce heat to medium and quickly sauté 2 minced garlic cloves and the 1-inch piece of minced ginger for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Pour 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons brown sugar into the pan, stirring to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken.
- Return all crispy beef pieces to the pan, tossing gently to coat each slice with the glossy sauce. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon sesame oil over the beef for extra depth of flavor just before serving.
- Sprinkle 4-5 chopped green onions on top as a fresh, bright garnish. Serve immediately over steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- Freeze the beef for about 20 minutes to make slicing easier and get those perfect thin cuts.
- Cornstarch is your best friend for creating that crispy exterior on the beef, so don’t skip this step.
- Use a very hot skillet or wok to get a nice golden sear on the beef without overcooking it.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and ensure your cornstarch is certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 9-12 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 to 4
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg