
Mongolian Beef
A takeout-style classic made at home in under 45 minutes. Thinly sliced flank steak is coated in cornstarch, quickly pan-fried until crispy, then tossed in a bold, glossy sauce of soy, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Serve over steamed rice for a weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
4 servings · Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min · Total 35 min
Chinese · Dinner · Main Course
Ingredients
Open in recipe scaler →Main
1.5 lb flank steak sliced very thin against the grain, about 1/4 inch thick
0.33 cup vegetable oil or any neutral high-heat oil
any neutral high-heat oil
4 whole green onions cut into 1-inch pieces, green and white parts separated
1 tsp sesame seeds toasted, for garnish
Beef Coating
0.33 cup cornstarch for coating the beef
0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Sauce
0.5 cup low-sodium soy sauce
0.5 cup brown sugar packed, light or dark
dark
0.5 cup water
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp fresh ginger grated or finely minced
1 tsp sesame oil toasted
Equipment
Stovetop
Mixing Bowl
Skillet
Wok
Paper Towel
Platter
Serving Platter
Measuring Cups
Whisk
Plates
Spatula
Knife
Serving Platters (Large)
Tongs
Cutting Board
Mixing Bowl (4 Quarts)
Instructions
- Pat the @[Flank Steak] dry with paper towels. Slice it very thin (about 1/4 inch) against the grain at a slight angle. Place the slices in a bowl, season with @[Black Pepper], and toss with the @[Cornstarch] until every piece is evenly coated. Let sit for ~[10 minutes] while you prepare the sauce.
- In a small bowl or #[Measuring Cups], whisk together the @[Low-Sodium Soy Sauce], @[Brown Sugar], @[Water], minced @[Garlic], grated @[Ginger], and @[Sesame Oil] until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat the @[Vegetable Oil] in a #[Wok] or #[Skillet] over ^[high heat] until shimmering. Working in two batches, add the @[Cornstarch]-coated @[Beef Flank Steak] in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for ~[1–2 minutes] until the bottom is crispy and browned, then flip and cook another ~[30–60 seconds]. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining @[Beef Flank Steak].
- Carefully pour off most of the @[Vegetable Oil] from the #[Wok], leaving about 1 teaspoon. Add the white parts of the @[Green Onions] and stir-fry for ~[30 seconds]. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil over ^[high heat], stirring, until it thickens slightly, about ~[2–3 minutes]. Return all the seared @[Beef Flank Steak] to the #[Wok] and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Add the green tops of the @[Green Onions] and toss once more.
- Transfer to a serving platter or directly over steamed rice. Garnish with toasted @[Sesame Seeds] if desired. Serve immediately.





