Skip the take out and stay at home, this super easy Mongolian Beef recipe is just like PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef. Thinly sliced beef stir fried with green onions, peppers and swimming in a savory sauce that’s completely addicting. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

Mongolian Beef Stir Fry on a bed of white rice on a square blue and white plate with silver chopsticks.

Keeping it real real today, and with that, I’m confessing that we order a lot of take out here. I’m usually tired of cooking by 3 and then the kitchen is finally clean by 5, the last thing I want to do is whip up another dinner. And leftover from whatever I made during the day have either been eaten for lunch OR the whole family (minus, me, of course) decided that they will no longer eat leftovers.

So, the only way I can appease everyone is if I make something that actually tastes like take out. Without all the extra fat or preservatives or MSG. We LOVE, LOVE PF Chang’s Chinese restaurant and their Mongolian Beef calls to me in the night. It’s so savory and slightly spicy and soooo, soooooooo good! And incredibly, insanely easy to make at home.

If you’re a fan of Beef Bulgogi then you will love this Easy Mongolian Beef recipe. It’s made with thin slices of beef that’s stir fried quickly with onions and bell peppers then tossed with a savory brown sauce made with easy to find pantry ingredients. I like to stir in the green onions at the end to boost the color profile and add some freshness to the dish.

If you’re not a beef fan, I made Mongolian Chicken recently that may be right up your alley!

Simple Ingredients You Will Need

  • Beef – I like to use a skirt steak or flank steak sliced thinly across the grain. It cooks up quickly and stays tender in stir fry recipes. You can also use beef tenderloin, sirloin steak or a thinly sliced NY strip steaks. Tougher cuts like chuck roast are best saved for stews.
  • Garlic – Whole garlic cloves minced finely add the best flavor.
  • Vegetables – I stick with yellow onion and bell peppers. Use a variety of orange bell pepper, yellow bell peppers or green bell peppers to add color to the dish.
  • Orange Juice – Fresh orange juice adds a bright, fresh flavor to the sauce. You can skip it or substitute it with another citrus like lime juice.
  • Soy sauce – Low Sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce adds a great umami flavor, you can substitute with Tamari, coconut aminos or fish sauce.
  • Brown Sugar – For a hint of sweetness, I like to add light brown sugar. If you prefer to swap for honey, that will work, too.
  • Hoisin Sauce – If you’ve never tried hoisin sauce you will love it. It’s a super versatile savory sauce used in asian cooking. It tastes a little like barbecue sauce.
  • Vinegar – I always like to add rice wine vinegar for a tart flavor. It helps balance the sauce.
  • Ginger – The peppery bite of fresh ginger is an expected ingredient. You can use fresh ginger root, grated, or buy grated ginger in a tube or jar.
  • Wine – Mirin, sweet rice wine, is one of my favorite ingredients to add to stir fry sauce. You can find it in most grocery stores.
  • Remaining ingredients – Chili Garlic Sauce, Sesame Oil and cornstarch round out the sauce and help thicken it.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

Overhead shot of Mongolian Beef Stir Fry in a wok with a wooden spatula.

What is Mongolian Beef?

Mongolian Beef is really an americanized Chinese food dish of thinly sliced beef and green onions stir fried in a savory, slightly spicy brown sauce.

You can make this Mongolian Beef in a slow cooker or crock pot but I really love making it on the stove top as a quick stir fry filled with tender beef. It’s ready in minutes and perfect for quick weeknight dinners.

Mongolian Beef Stir Fry on a bed of white rice on a blue and white square plate.

How to Make Mongolian Beef

This authentic Mongolian Beef recipe is incredibly easy to make from scratch. Here’s how to make it:

  1. Prep your beef and vegetables ahead of time. Slice the beef into 2 inch long strips cutting across the grain. This will ensure your beef is not chewy and stays tender during the cooking process.
  2. Cut the vegetables into bite sized pieces and set aside.
  3. Place a high sided large skillet or wok over high heat. Add vegetable oil and garlic to the pan. Cook the garlic for one minute and then remove the garlic from the pan so it doesn’t burn. Adding the garlic to the oil will flavor the hot oil which will then flavor your other ingredients.
  4. Add the beef to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat or until brown on all sides. Remove the beef from the pan and keep warm.
  5. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  6. Stir the beef into the veggies.
  7. Pour the stir fry sauce into the pan and toss all the ingredients to coat.
  8. To serve, sprinkle with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve over white rice or brown rice.

Can you believe how easy that is? Easier than waiting for a delivery man or going to pick it up at your local PF Chang’s!

Mongolian Beef on a bed of white rice with a bite in silver chopsticks.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover Mongolian Beef can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. We love taking it to work the next day for lunch and serving over steamed rice for a tasty stir fry bowl.

Mongolian Beef vs. Szechuan Beef

What I love about Mongolian Beef is it’s much less spicy than true Szechuan Beef. Also, the beef in Mongolian Beef is much more tender and there are usually more vegetables, too. Szechuan Beef is decidedly chewier and crispy due to being deep fried in a fair amount of oil before being finished with sauce and whatever vegetables you like.

This easy Mongolian Beef recipe comes together so quickly and I like to serve it on top of rice or with this super easy Cauliflower Rice!

Overhead shot of Mongolian Beef in a black wok with a wooden spatula.

More Easy Take Out Recipes

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Overhead shot of Mongolian Beef Stir Fry in a wok with a wooden spatula.

Get the Recipe: Mongolian Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Take out fake out, this super easy Mongolian Beef Stir Fry recipe is on the table in just 30 minutes.
4.89 from 9 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs skirt steak or flank steak
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp mirin/sweet rice wine
  • 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup chopped green onions
  • sesame seeds

Equipment

  • 1 wok

Instructions 

  • In medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, rice wine, ginger, miring, chili garlic sauce, fish sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil. Set aside.
  • Slice the steak into 1/4 inch wide strips by cutting across the grain. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Place a high sided skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. Cook the garlic for 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove the garlic from the pan and reserve.
  • Add the steak to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until brown on all sides. Transfer the steak to a plate and keep warm.
  • Add the onion to the pan, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes,
  • Add the beef to the vegetables. Stir to combine.
  • Pour the sauce over the beef stir fry and toss to combine. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes tossing a few times to allow the sauce to thicken and caramelize.
  • To serve, top the stir fry with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
Calories: 310kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 807mg, Potassium: 542mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 995IU, Vitamin C: 47.4mg, Calcium: 40mg, Iron: 2.7mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese