Dinner doesn’t get much easier than Mongolian beef. Skip the wait for takeout and whip up tender strips of beef coated in a sweet and savory sauce with just a hint of heat. It’s quick to make and will easily become part of your weeknight dinner rotation. Seriously, so good!

For more tasty takeout recipes, try our Saucy Bourbon Chicken.

Why My Recipe

  • Enjoy a takeout favorite even faster than it would take you to get to the restaurant!
  • Tender strips of beef smothered in a tangy, sweet sauce with a little spicy kick.
  • Serve over rice, noodles, or in a lettuce wrap.
Closeup of 15-Minute Mongolian Beef being picked up by tongs.

Fun fact: Mongolian beef isn’t actually from Mongolia. It’s from Taiwan! It was originally created for a Mongolian-style barbecue restaurant, where customers would choose their meat and veggies, which were then stir-fried for them. At first, the chef considered calling it Beijing beef, but the name stuck because of the restaurant’s name. Whatever you call it, we’re glad it was invented, and we’re making it in bulk!

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make 15-Minute Mongolian Beef.
  • Flank Steak: Make sure to slice against the grain. This will help make your meat nice and tender.
  • Olive Oil: You can use any neutral cooking oil like canola, avocado, or olive oil.
  • Sesame Oil: Found in the Asian food aisle of the grocery store.
  • Garlic: Fresh is best, but jarred garlic works in a pinch.
  • Ground Ginger: Use either a 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger or 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.
  • Soy Sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos are both great substitutes.
  • Hoisin Sauce: A thick, sweet and tangy sauce. Can swap for sweet and sour or teriyaki instead.
  • Brown Sugar: Adds a sweet, caramelized flavor to your beef.
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Add a little or add a lot depending on your spice tolerance. You can also omit them entirely for a milder dish.
  • Sliced Green Onion: Used as a garnish, bringing both color and flavor.

Beef Options

We recommend using flank steak when making Mongolian beef. You can also use skirt steak. These cuts will both cook quickly and soak up the flavors of the sauce. Each should be sliced thinly against the grain.

Alternatively, you could also use other cuts of steak like sirloin, ribeye, or strip steak. Be sure to slice those against the grain as well.

Slicing Against the Grain

I cannot stress enough how important it is to slice against the grain when working with flank or skirt steak. It makes a huge difference!

To slice against the grain, look for the natural lines in the meat. These lines are what is known as the grain. They provide a natural breaking point in the meat. By slicing perpendicular to them, you create strips of beef with a whole bunch of small breaking points, keeping things nice and tender. Cutting parallel will result in no breaking points and you’ll end up with chewy beef.

Closeup of 15-Minute Mongolian Beef in skillet.

Serving Suggestions

Rice: We love serving this dish over a big scoop of steamed white rice, but brown rice works just as well.

Noodles: Toss it with cooked ramen, rice noodles, or even spaghetti if that’s what you have.

Veggies: If you’re looking to incorporate more veggies into your life, broccoli and green beans are both great options. To keep it simple, you can always steam a bag of mixed stir-fry veggies, too!

Lettuce Wrap: Scoop this flavorful beef into a lettuce cup for some extra crunch and freshness. We recommend iceberg or butter lettuce.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Microwave portions on high in 30-second increments.

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