For those times when you’re craving something other than another chicken dinner, this Mongolian beef stir-fry is just the thing. Especially when you need to get dinner on the table fast, since the recipe is ready in just 10 minutes — faster than calling for takeout! The stir-fry is full of rich, Asian-inspired, savory flavors from a combination of soy sauce and scallion. It’s nicely balanced with brown sugar to give that savory-yet-mildly-sweet flavor profile that many Asian recipes have. The bell peppers and carrots stay nicely crisp-tender to give great texture and crunch. Even better, this recipe is made in one skillet making cleanup a breeze.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Mongolian beef sauce and stir-fry, you’ll want to have the following ingredients on hand:
Flank steak or pepper steak Cornstarch Light or dark brown sugar Soy sauce (I used reduced-sodium) Water Canola or vegetable oil Peas Grated or shredded carrots Yellow bell pepper (or any color) Green part of scallions Garlic Ginger (freshly grated or dried) Sesame seeds Cooked rice, for serving Salt, optional and to taste Pepper, optional and to taste
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Mongolian Beef Bowls
When beginning the recipe and you are going to coat the beef in cornstarch, make sure your beef isn’t cold or frozen! Allow your meat to rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking. Here’s an overview of how the Mongolian beef bowls are made:
Recipe Variations
Although I used frozen peas (dumped straight in and didn’t bother thawing them) and carrots, you can also add broccoli florets. I personally would use fresh because I don’t care for the texture of frozen broccoli, but use what you have on hand and prefer. Additionally, or instead of the vegetables I used, you can incorporate the following:
Snow peas Sugar snap peas Water chestnuts Mushrooms Baby corn Bamboo shoots
A tip here is that if you are going to use broccoli, mushrooms, or a denser vegetable, add it after searing and removing the beef, but before adding the peas, carrots, bell pepper, and scallions since they will likely need a 2 to 3 minute headstart.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
In the fridge: Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in the fridge. (Store the rice separately.) In the freezer: The bowls can be frozen for up to 3 months, noting that the vegetables will soften once thawed. To reheat: Warm individual portions in 30-second intervals in the microwave.
More Asian Beef Recipes:
Easy Hunan Beef — Skip the takeout and make this popular Chinese-inspired recipe at home! Hunan-style beef is spicy, sweet, tangy, and loaded with tender slices of beef and veggies. Best of all, it’s ready in just 40 minutes! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef — This easy recipe comes together in 20 minutes and makes for a great weeknight meal! Even picky eaters will love this, and any leftover sauce can be served over rice! Better-Than-Takeout Beef and Broccoli — It really is BETTER than takeout and it’s definitely FASTER!! This EASY Chinese restaurant copycat recipe is a family favorite that’ll go into your regular rotation!! 15-Minute Sheet Pan Chinese Beef and Broccoli — EASY, HEALTHIER than going out for Chinese because it’s baked, and FASTER than calling for takeout!! So much FLAVOR in this family favorite! It’ll go into your regular rotation!! Teriyaki Steak Tips — Tri-tip steak tips are cooked to perfection and then topped with a thick and sticky homemade pineapple teriyaki sauce! Beef Fried Rice — This better-than-takeout beef fried rice is EASY, ready in 20 MINUTES, and made in ONE skillet! Everyone loves the big juicy strips of steak and perfectly fried rice that’s speckled with bits of onions, peas, carrots, and scrambled eggs.
