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–+ servings

Easy Mongolian Beef (PF Chang Copycat)

plate of mongolian beef over rice
This Easy Mongolian Beef recipe is inspired by my favorite takeout dish from PF Chang's! Tender cuts of fried beef flash fried and then mixed in a sweet and spicy teriyaki sauce makes this 30 minute meal better than any takeout order for dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serving Size 4

Ingredients

The Beef

  • 1 pound flank steak, thin sliced
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons oil for frying

The Mongolian Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 3-4 cups white or brown rice, cooked for serving

Instructions

  • Start by prepping your flank steak. Slice your flank steak in 1/4" thin strips, being sure to cut against the grain.
    Move your beef to a large bowl and coat with cornstarch. You can also spread the meat out on a large baking pan and coat them that way, if that is easier.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook your beef in small batches until browned on each side (about 30 seconds a side) and move the cooked beef to a plate. Repeat the process until all of your beef has been cooked.
  • In the same skillet you browned your beef, add oil and then the ginger, red pepper flakes and garlic.  Cook for one minute or until fragrant, stirring to make sure nothing burns. 
  • Add in soy sauce, brown sugar and vinegar. Combine water and cornstarch together in a small bowl, whisk together to create a slurry and pour that into your sauce. Whisk to combine with your sauce and simmer, cooking until slightly thickened.
    Return the beef to the skillet and mix with the sauce, cooking for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
    Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onions. 

Notes

Pro Tips for Perfect Mongolian Beef

  • To make thin-slicing your beef easier, pop your flank steak in the freezer for about 20 minutes prior to need it. This will help making the slicing a bit easier.
  • Slice the beef against the grain or tenderness.  That means of you have your flank steak laid out in front of you, look at what direction the 'lines' aka the grain are running.  Now plan your slices to cut in the opposite direction so that you are cutting through those lines.
  • Make sure to cook your beef in small batches. If you overcrowd the pan, it will steam vs fry.
  • Sauce is too sweet? Add more soy sauce. Sauce is too savory? Add more brown sugar. Adjust your sauce to satisfy YOUR tastes.
  • Feel free to swap out the soy sauce for low sodium soy.
  • Want to serve with a side? Steamed broccoli or sugar snap peas is a perfect addition to this take-out dish at home.
  • Serve with white rice, brown rice, fried rice or even a bib lettuce cup if you like.
  • Looking for more easy recipes that won’t break the bank? Don’t forget to check out my Broke Until Payday ebook where I share 30 original recipes celebrating easy recipes with bold, restaurant-quality flavors while trying to be budget friendly to help save you money! Grab yours today HERE!