These crispy, sticky, flavor-pumpin’ beef pieces are first fried to a golden crispy perfection, then coated in a sweet and salty sauce to get it all soaked into the beef. It’s got that perfect balance of semi-crispy and saucy-sticky combination. This will make you feel like you might be in the Chinese restaurant of your dreams. Surprise! It’s your kitchen.
Mongolian beef is a dish that is served at a lot of American-Chinese restaurants, similar to Szechwan style beef here in Canada. It is super quick and easy to make at home and much better than takeout!
It’s the combination of crispy and sweet-sticky that makes it SO good.
Here, take the chopsticks.
You can make Crispy and Sticky Mongolian Beef with any beef suitable for grilling. But make sure to slice the beef against the grain i.e. cut perpendicular to the direction of the fibers. This will make the beef more tender.
This is preferably made in a wok, but if you don’t have a wok, fry the beef in a small saucepan. It won’t work in a skillet because the surface area is too large and the oil spreads too thinly, which interferes with beef crispiness.
Marinade Ingredients:
1 lb beef steak, trimmed of fat and sliced into 3 mm slices
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
Crispy Beef:
1/3 cup frying oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 tsp ginger, finely minced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 1/4 cup water
few scallions, cut into 1-inch long slices
Heat the oil in a wok or a small saucepan on high heat. Once the oil is hot and about to smoke, reduce the heat to medium high, add the beef in batches and fry on one side for 3 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan. Then flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds or until golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining beef.
If not using a wok, transfer 2 tablespoons of oil used from frying the beef into a bigger saucepan. Heat the pan on medium high heat and add garlic with ginger. Sauté for 15 seconds, watch for it not to burn.
Then add soy sauce, red chili pepper flakes, chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes on low. Add the brown sugar, and stir until dissolved. Slowly incorporate the cornstarch mixture into the pan and stir until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Add the beef, scallions and mix everything together for 1 minute or so. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles. Or if you’re like me, you can eat a whole plate of this this this this thisssss ??? on it’s own.
- Marinade Ingredients:
- 1 lb beef steak, trimmed of fat and sliced into 3 mm slices
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- Crispy Beef:
- 1/3 cup frying oil
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp ginger, finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 1/4 cup water
- few scallions, cut into 1-inch long slices
- First combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and marinate the beef for 30 minutes. Then using your fingers lightly coat each piece in a plate with cornstarch.
- Heat the oil in a wok or small saucepan on high.
- Once the oil is hot and about to smoke, reduce the heat to medium high, add the beef in batches and fry on one side for 3 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Then flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds or until golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining beef.
- If not using a wok, transfer 2 tablespoons of oil used from frying the beef into the bigger saucepan.
- Heat the pan on medium high and add garlic with ginger.
- Sauté for 15 seconds, watch for it not to burn.
- Then add soy sauce, red chili pepper flakes, chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for couple minutes on low.
- Add the brown sugar, and stir until dissolved.
- Slowly incorporate the cornstarch mixture into the pan and stir until the sauce coats the back of the spoon.
- Add the beef, scallions and mix everything together for 1 minute or so.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
Mongolian beef is my absolute favorite ‘American-Chinese’ dish. It’s just not the same here in New Zealand, so I have been looking for a good recipe to hit the mark! Your’s looks delicious!
Thank you so much Bach! 🙂
Oh wow I am soooooo craving this right now 🙂 Will be making this delicious-looking recipe soon!!! Happy thanksgiving!
I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Angela! Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
I am LOVING your blog!! So many delicious recipes I want to try like this one 🙂
Thanks Tess! Hope you like them!
Just made this for dinner and it was fantastic!! I have to stop myself from going back to the stove and stealing from the plate that I set aside for my boyfriend!
Oh I’m so glad to hear that Tess!
Using cornstarch was hugely messy, so I swapped out using flour to coat the meat. Sauce was a little salty even using low sodium so I mixed some water in. Overall turn out ok. Going to play with the recipe to make it better.
We just made this tonight. This is absolutely a fantastic recipe. Not too sweet, I always substitute honey for brown sugar in asian cuisine.
Thank you so much Charles. I am thrilled that you loved this Mongolian Beef recipe!
Making this for my husband for Valentines Day dinner. Can I just use water instead of the chicken broth?
I made this for supper tonight, turned out awesome!! Will definitely make again
Im eating this now and its AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing! Will be making this easy to follow recipe many more times!❤️ Have a hug from meee
This recipe is a keeper!
Made this last weekend and it was a huge success! Delicious recipe, thank you.