Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (2024)

Our Mongolian Beef recipe became one of the most popular Woks of Life recipes after we first published it in July 2015, and for good reason!

The Origins of Mongolian Beef

But first. What exactly are the origins of Mongolian Beef? Because it’s definitely not Mongolian…

In fact, in Mongolia, more often than not, home cooks simply boil meat and dip it in sauces. Not exactly a stir-fry.

Everything is served with Bai Jiu, a stiff, white lightning liquor made of sorghum (usually 90 proof or higher!) very popular in China.

(A friend of mine who visits his Mongolian in-laws almost always ends up drunk and horizontal on the couch after the traditional welcome-home dinner!)

As for the true origins of Mongolian beef, my theory is that someone just forgot to add the orange toa wok full ofOrange Beef, and added more sugar instead. Hence, the Mongolian Beef recipe was born. (But, as Judy and the girls would say, that’s just my crazy theory/the ramblings of anold coot!)

Anyway, chalk it up to Chinese-American menu planners and marketers who dubbed the dish “Mongolian Beef.”

It’s a close cousin to “Singapore Noodles,” a dish that many actual Singaporeans scratch their heads over––most likely born in the stainless steel kitchen of a Chinese takeout joint!

The Woks of Life Mongolian Beef Recipe

Now that we have that clear, it doesn’t take a genius to know that despite their somewhat misleading names, these Westernized Asian dishes can be GOOD!

P.F. Chang’s version of this dish is probably the most well-known, but, personally, I think their dish is way too sweet, and it’s definitely too sweet for Judy (which is saying something, since she comes from Shanghai, where sweet-savory dishes are often the main event).

In fact, when Judy found out I was going to make a Mongolian beef recipe, the exclamations were strong and immediate: “Too sweet! Too oily! No good! You’re crazy!”

So, I adjusted.

  • Cut the sugar–wayyy down.
  • Reduce the amount of oil used–wayyy down.

And after the photographs were taken, the Mongolian beef on the plate disappeared before all of our eyes once the rice was served. Amidst the feeding frenzy were these comments, muffled by mouthfuls:

  • Sarah: “Holy crap, that’s tasty!”
  • Kaitlin: “Daaang, gimme more of that rice!”
  • Judy: “WOW. That is SO good!”
  • My humble remark: “Ok, you guys were hungry.”
Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (1)

If you would rather have some chicken, then check out our popular Mongolian Chicken recipe!

Note:

This recipe was originally published in 2015. We have since updated it with high-res photos, metric measurements, nutrition information, an instructional VIDEO, and minor adjustments to the recipe for both clarity and convenience. (e.g. the original recipe was for 8 ounces of beef; we have increased it to 1 pound.) Enjoy!

Mongolian Beef Recipe: Instructions

Combine the sliced beef with the marinade ingredients (the neutral oil, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda. Marinate for 1 hour. The beef should still be quite moist after it has marinated. If it looks too dry, add a tablespoon of water to it.

In a small bowl, mix the sauce. Dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water or stock, then stir in the light and dark soy sauces.

Next, dredge the marinated beef slices in the cornstarch until thoroughly coated.

Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (2)

Heat 2/3 cup neutral oil in a wok over high heat. Just before the oil starts to smoke, spread the flank steak pieces evenly in the wok, and sear for 1 minute on each side, until you have a crispy coating. Turn off the heat and transfer the beef to a plate.

Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (3)
Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (4)

Drain the oil from the wok (save it for other cooking), leaving 1 tablespoon behind. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the ginger and dried chili peppers, if using. If you want the dish spicier, break 1-2 chilies in half.

Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (5)

After about 15 seconds, add the garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir for another 15 seconds and add the premixed sauce.

Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (6)

Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes, and slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry mixture. Cook until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the beef and green parts of the scallions, and toss everything together for another 30 seconds. The scallions should just be wilted, and there should be almost no liquid, as the sauce should be clinging to the beef.

Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (7)

If you still have sauce, increase the heat slightly and stir until thickened.

Plate and serve with hot steamed rice!

Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (8)
Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (9)

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4.90 from 407 votes

Mongolian Beef

This Mongolian Beef Recipe is a crispy homemade version that's less sweet and more flavorful than restaurant versions you're probably used to. It's one of our top recipes for a reason!

by: Bill

Course:Beef recipes

Cuisine:Chinese

Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (10)

serves: 4

Prep: 35 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 45 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

For marinating the beef:

  • 1 pound flank steak (sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch/6mm thick slices)
  • 2 teaspoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
  • 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or dry cooking sherry, optional)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup hot water (or hot low sodium chicken or beef stock)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional)

For coating and searing the beef:

  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup neutral oil

For the rest of the dish:

  • 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
  • 8 dried red chili peppers (optional)
  • 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 4 scallions (white and green parts separated, cut on the diagonal into 2-inch/5cm pieces)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons/30ml water to make a slurry)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Combine the sliced beef with the marinade ingredients (the neutral oil, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda. Marinate for 1 hour. The beef should still be quite moist after it has marinated. If it looks too dry, add a tablespoon of water to it.

  • In a small bowl, mix the sauce. Dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water or stock, then stir in the light and dark soy sauces.

  • Next, dredge the marinated beef slices in the cornstarch until thoroughly coated.

  • Heat 2/3 cup neutral oil in a wok over high heat. Just before the oil starts to smoke, spread the flank steak pieces evenly in the wok, and sear for 1 minute on each side, until you have a crispy coating. Turn off the heat and transfer the beef to a plate.

  • Drain the oil from the wok (save it for other cooking), leaving 1 tablespoon behind. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the ginger and dried chili peppers, if using. If you want the dish spicier, break 1-2 chilies in half. After about 15 seconds, add the garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir for another 15 seconds and add the premixed sauce.

  • Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes, and slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry mixture. Cook until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

  • Add the beef and green parts of the scallions, and toss everything together for another 30 seconds. The scallions should just be wilted, and there should be almost no liquid, as the sauce should be clinging to the beef. If you still have sauce, increase the heat slightly and stir until thickened. Plate and serve with steamed rice!

nutrition facts

Calories: 383kcal (19%) Carbohydrates: 31g (10%) Protein: 26g (52%) Fat: 16g (25%) Saturated Fat: 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g Monounsaturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 0.04g Cholesterol: 68mg (23%) Sodium: 960mg (40%) Potassium: 504mg (14%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 14g (16%) Vitamin A: 385IU (8%) Vitamin C: 3mg (4%) Calcium: 53mg (5%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What is Mongolian beef sauce made of? ›

Our recipe for Mongolian beef sauce includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, tamari soy sauce (as a replacement for dark soy sauce), chili sauce, sugar, and cooking wine. Check the ingredient list to see precise amounts. Don't forget that you can scale the recipe up and down!

What is the difference between Mongolian beef and Szechuan beef? ›

Mongolian Beef can be described as having a savory soy-based sauce with scallions as its main aromatic. Szechuan Beef has a similar soy sauce-based profile but with the addition of a spicy element, such as fresh or dried chilis and/or Sichuan peppercorns for a numbing sensation.

Is Mongolian beef an authentic Chinese dish? ›

Despite its name, the dish has nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine. Mongolian beef is among the meat dishes developed in Taiwan where Mongolian barbecue restaurants first appeared. Thus, none of the ingredients or the preparation methods are drawn from traditional Mongolian cuisine but rather from Chinese cuisine.

What animal is Mongolian beef made from? ›

Forbearers of modern Mongolian cattle are known as Asian wild cattle or Turano-Mongolian cattle (Bos turano mongolicus). This breed was predominantly native to Mongolia and northern China.

What is the secret ingredient in stir fry beef? ›

But this beef is nothing short of crazy tender and flavorful from one simple step of coating your beef in a little soy and cornstarch before stir frying. Here's how it works: soy sauce: the salt in the soy sauce helps break down the proteins for a more tender texture and infuses the steak with flavor.

Why is Mongolian beef so tender? ›

This is the KEY ingredient to super tender beef. Baking soda is commonly used in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef. If you're curious about the science behind it – baking soda neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which causes the meat to become more alkaline.

Why is Chinese takeout beef so tender? ›

In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.

Which is hotter Mongolian or Szechuan? ›

Szechuan Beef is characterized by its bold, spicy, and numbing flavors, often derived from Szechuan peppercorns and chili peppers. Mongolian Beef, on the other hand, has a milder and sweeter flavor profile, with a balance of savory and sweet notes from ingredients like soy sauce and brown sugar.

Why Mongolian meat is good? ›

Therefore, Mongolia pastureland grass-feed animals' meat is considered organic because it contains low heavy metals compared to the other farm-breed animal meat. Instead, Mongolian meat contains a higher amount of essentials metals such as iron and zinc. Moreover, it is rich in protein.

What is the hardest Chinese food to make? ›

But this stir-fried stone dish, known as “Suodiu” is making waves on the internet with several people trying out the delicacy. Dubbed the “world's hardest dish”, it is a traditional stir-fry featuring stones as the key ingredient.

What is inside hoisin sauce? ›

Though regional variations exist, most modern hoisin sauce recipes contain some combination of the following ingredients: fermented soybeans, five-spice powder, garlic, red chili peppers, and sugar. "Hoisin" comes from the Cantonese word for seafood, though it's not commonly associated with seafood dishes.

What to pair with Mongolian beef? ›

We also love serving this dish with garlic noodles, chow mein and a side of lightly roasted green beans. In the U.S. Mongolian beef is also commonly served over a bed of fried cellophane noodles, which adds a light, crisp texture to the overall dish.

Is Mongolian beef unhealthy? ›

In conclusion, Mongolian beef can be a healthy and nutritious dish when prepared with the right ingredients and cooking methods. It's a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and various vitamins and minerals.

What do Mongolians eat for breakfast? ›

Fried breads, boov (pronounced “bough”) and boortsog, and drinkable yogurt are very common for a quick breakfast. Many Mongolians will eat breakfast mid-morning while at work (like when Americans might pause for a coffee break).

What is another name for Mongolian beef? ›

Stir-Fried Spicy Beef (Previously: Mongolian Beef)

Sliced beef marinated in soy and then stir-fried with peppers and onions.

What is the difference between Mongolian and teriyaki? ›

True Teriyaki has Mirin and Sake in it and those two ingredients aren't in my Mongolian Beef recipe. That's like saying Ketchup is just Cocktail Sauce even though it needs horseradish to make it so.

What is Mongolian beef supposed to taste like? ›

When done just right, it's perfectly sweet and savory, slightly spicy, and loaded with lots of delicious aromatics such as ginger, garlic, green onions and even a few dried red chilis, all combined to bring a nice pop of deep, fragrant flavor.

What does Mongolian style BBQ sauce taste like? ›

Deep and flavorful, our Mongolian Style BBQ Sauce can attribute its flavor profile to smoked black pepper, sweet molasses, soy sauce and garlic making this sauce versatile for marinades and as a finishing sauce.

What does Mongolian food taste like? ›

For instance, meat from the Gobi region has a distinct taste with hints of wild garlic, while meat from the steppe areas is known for its rich wild onion flavor.” These nuances are important as many Mongolian dishes contain just three basic elements: meat, wheat and salt. Spices and sauces don't play a big part.

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