Skip the hassle of takeout and enjoy a homemade meal. This 30-Minute Mongolian Stir-Fry is the ideal solution for a tasty dinner on those busy weeknights.
This Mongolian Beef Stir-Fry recipe is really easy to throw together, and you can pretty much use whatever veggies you have on hand! Flank steak coated in a delicious sauce and packed with veggies! It hits the spot every time!
I love this Asian-inspired meal! It’s loaded with vegetables and is ready in just 30 minutes! Serve this with a side of steamed rice or enjoy it with one of these homemade versions of takeout fried rice or chow mein!
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love This Beef Stir Fry
- This dish only takes 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy nights.
- With fewer pots and pans needed, this stir-fry keeps post-dinner cleanup to a minimum.
- This easy Mongolian Beef recipe offers a satisfying alternative to takeout, providing the comfort of home-cooked food without the hassle.
Recipe Ingredients
- Hoisin Sauce: This thick, savory sauce provides a sweet and tangy flavor that gives the dish its distinctive Asian flair.
- Soy Sauce: The low-sodium soy sauce offers saltiness and savory depth to the dish.
- Ginger: Freshly grated ginger or ginger paste contributes a zesty and slightly spicy taste that brightens up the dish.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Mongolian Stir Fry
Step 1: Toss the strips of beef in the cornstarch and let them sit on the cutting board for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the vegetable oil.
Step 3: When the oil is hot, lightly sauté the garlic for a minute, then add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Pour the remaining ingredients into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to reduce or thicken. Keep warm while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Step 4: In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, quickly stir-fry the beef in 2-3 batches. You want it to be nice and crisp on the outside, but not cooked throughout. Transfer cooked beef to a plate. If the pan has a lot of oil in it, remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil.
Step 5: Add the vegetables and sauté for 2-3 minutes before returning the beef to the skillet. Add the sauce, stir, and allow everything to cook for an additional 2 minutes before removing it from the heat. Serve immediately with a side of steamed rice or your favorite noodles.
Expert Tips
- Choosing the Beef: When selecting beef for this recipe, opt for flank steak or sirloin steak, as they offer a good balance of tenderness and flavor. If those are not available you can also go with skirt, hanger, or flat iron as well.
- Cornstarch Coating: Ensure the beef strips are evenly coated in cornstarch to achieve a crispy exterior. Letting the beef sit for 15 minutes allows the cornstarch to adhere better, enhancing the stir-fry’s texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! If you’re using chicken, make sure to give it longer on each side so it’s fully cooked in the middle. I recommend using a thinner cut of chicken. If you’re using any other type of meat, ensure it’s fully cooked and try to get a good sear on it.
You can make this in the slow cooker, but you won’t get the same crispy sear. Add your beef along with all the ingredients for the sauce in the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours. Afterward, add your sautéed veggies and let it sit until warmed through.
Yes, Costco has a frozen vegetable medley bag that works great for Chinese-style stir-fry. If you decide to go that route, sauté your veggies longer until they are warmed through and have the desired texture.
Storage Info
To STORE Mongolian Stir-Fry, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can FREEZE it for up to 4 months by cooling it completely and using a freezer-safe container.
To REHEAT, warm in a skillet over medium heat or microwave on medium power, stirring occasionally until heated through.
30-Minute Mongolian Stir-Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs flank steak - cut across the grain into 1/4-inch strips
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger root - freshly grated (or ginger paste)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp crushed chili paste or chili flakes
Vegetables
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts - sliced
- 1 cup bell peppers - chopped
- 1 head broccoli - cut into florets and lightly steamed
- 3 green onions - cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Toss the strips of beef in the cornstarch and let them sit on the cutting board for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the vegetable oil.
- When the oil is hot, lightly sauté the garlic for a minute, then add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Pour the remaining ingredients into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to reduce or thicken. Keep warm while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, quickly stir-fry the beef in 2-3 batches. You want it to be nice and crisp on the outside, but not cooked throughout. Transfer cooked beef to a plate. If the pan has a lot of oil in it, remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Add the vegetables and sauté for 2-3 minutes before returning the beef to the skillet. Add the sauce, stir, and allow everything to cook for an additional 2 minutes before removing it from the heat. Serve immediately with a side of steamed rice or your favorite noodles.
Awesome!
This was delicious and easy to make! I substituted a TB of oyster sauce for the hoisin because I didn’t have hoisin and used frozen mixed asian-style vegetables and a small beef tenderloin steak. I really liked the sauce and there was plenty of it when eating the stir fry with brown rice. Will definitely be making this again.
My family loved this! It is so flavorful and great over rice!
My version was inspired by your recipe, but mine was plain. We had been a little under the weather and were tired of soup. I cooked the veggies on a sheet pan, seared the beef in a very hot cast iron skillet (no corn starch or anything like that). Then added it to the veggies and served over rice. It was really good! I didn’t have ginger, but I’m going to get some to make it even better.
This was Amazing! Even though I forgot to thicken the sauce at the end, it was still magnificent! The only problem I am having with this recipe is that I’m gonna have to get a bigger wok,and I may need a slightly larger tummy! The sauce, I am thinking, would go wonderful with many dishes. Thank you for the recipe. it will be my family heirloom recipe now!