When I want something that tastes like takeout but fits how we actually eat at home, this homemade Mongolian beef is what I reach for. It keeps the familiar sweet-salty flavor everyone expects, but lightens things up a bit and leans on good beef, fresh scallions, and pantry staples. You still get those crispy edges and glossy sauce, just without a soggy, over-sweet pile on the plate.
The classic version is usually deep-fried and very sugary. Here, I use a simple velveting step to keep the flank steak tender, then flash-fry it quickly in a wok with less oil. The sauce is built from soy, stock, and brown sugar, so you can adjust the sweetness and salt to match your taste instead of being stuck with a one-note restaurant version. If you buy your beef from a local butcher, this is a good way to let that quality show through.
This recipe also fits nicely into a weeknight routine. The beef can marinate in the fridge while you cook rice and prep scallions, ginger, and garlic. Once you start cooking, it moves fast, so dinner comes together in under 20 minutes at the stove. I like it in cooler months when a warm, sticky-sauced beef dish feels right, but the ingredient list stays simple and realistic: dried chilies, fresh aromatics, basic soy sauces, and whatever neutral oil you keep around.
If you’re used to ordering Mongolian beef, this version will feel familiar enough to be comforting, but the better texture, fresher flavor, and control over sweetness make it feel more modern. It’s a good “bridge” recipe if you’re trying to cook at home more, use quality meat in a practical way, and still put something fun on the table.
Your New Go-To Recipe: Homemade Mongolian Beef
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Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak, sliced thin against the grain
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado)
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine or dry cooking sherry
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup hot water or low-sodium chicken or beef stock
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional but nice if you have it)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch (for coating the beef)
- 2/3 cup neutral oil (for frying)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 8 dried red chili peppers
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 scallions, whites and greens separated and sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons water (slurry)
How It’s Done
- In a bowl, combine the sliced flank steak with 2 teaspoons neutral oil, Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water, and the baking soda. Mix well so every slice is coated. Let it rest in the fridge for about 1 hour. If it looks dry at any point, stir in a small splash of water until the beef looks lightly coated and glossy.
- While the beef marinates, make the sauce. In a separate bowl or measuring jug, dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water or stock, stirring until no gritty bits remain. Add the 1/4 cup soy sauce and dark soy sauce and stir again. Set this aside near the stove.
- After marinating, sprinkle the 1/2 cup cornstarch over the beef and gently toss to coat. The slices should be evenly dusted without big clumps. Shake off any obvious excess; a thin coating is what helps it crisp.
- Heat 2/3 cup neutral oil in a wok or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it’s just starting to smoke. Carefully add the beef in a loose layer, spreading it out so it can sear rather than steam. Fry for about 1 minute per side, or until the edges are browned and crisp. Work in batches if needed. Transfer the cooked beef to a plate.
- Pour off the used oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind. Return the wok to medium-high heat. Add the minced ginger and dried red chilies. Stir-fry for about 15 seconds; if you want more heat, break a couple of chilies before they go in.
- Add the smashed garlic and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry another 15 seconds, just until fragrant. Don’t let the garlic brown too much or it will taste bitter.
- Give the premixed sauce a quick stir and pour it into the wok. Bring it to a brisk simmer. Stir the cornstarch slurry to recombine and drizzle it into the bubbling sauce while stirring. Cook for 30–60 seconds, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and looks glossy.
- Return the crispy beef to the wok along with the green parts of the scallions. Toss everything together for about 30 seconds so the sauce clings well to the beef and the scallions just start to soften. If the sauce still seems loose, keep it on the heat another 15–30 seconds, stirring, until it tightens up.
- Taste and adjust if needed: you can add a small splash of water if it’s too thick or a bit more soy sauce if you want extra salt. Serve right away over hot steamed rice.
Velveting the Beef Properly
Velveting is what keeps the flank steak tender instead of chewy, so it’s worth doing correctly. The mix of oil, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda lightly coats and raises the pH of the meat, helping it stay soft at high heat. Make sure the slices are reasonably even so they cook at the same rate. When you mix the beef with the marinade, use your fingers to separate any pieces that stick together so every surface gets coated. The beef should look slightly wet and slick, not pasty; if it looks chalky, add a teaspoon or two of water and mix again. Resting for about an hour is enough for home cooking — much longer and the baking soda can start to give the meat an odd texture, so avoid marinating overnight with this mixture.
Tweaking Sweetness and Salt
Homemade Mongolian beef doesn’t have to be as sweet as the versions you might know from restaurants. The brown sugar here gives a balanced glaze, but you can easily adjust it. For a less sweet dish, start with 2–3 tablespoons sugar, taste the finished sauce, and add another tablespoon only if you miss that extra sweetness. The soy sauces bring both salt and color: regular soy sauce handles most of the seasoning, while dark soy deepens the color and flavor without needing a lot. If you’re using a saltier brand of soy or not using stock, it’s smart to hold back a tablespoon of soy at first, then taste and add more at the end if needed. This way you stay in control and avoid a sauce that’s either too sugary or harshly salty.
Recipe FAQ: Common Questions
Can I make this ahead, or does it need to be cooked right before serving?
This recipe tastes best cooked and eaten right away, because the beef stays crisp and the sauce stays glossy. You can, however, prep most of it ahead. Slice and velvet the beef up to 4 hours in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Mix the sauce in a jar and store it cold as well. When you’re ready to eat, bring the sauce to room temperature while you cook rice, then fry the beef and finish the stir-fry. Avoid fully cooking the dish ahead, because reheating will soften the coating and the beef will lose that takeout-style texture.
What if I don’t have a wok — can I still get good results in a regular pan?
You can absolutely use a large, heavy skillet instead of a wok. A carbon steel or cast iron pan holds heat better, which helps the beef crisp. The key is not to crowd the pan; if the slices are piled on top of each other, they’ll steam and turn gummy. Work in batches and give the beef space. Also, preheat your pan until a bit of oil shimmers before you add the beef. If the pan isn’t hot enough at the start, the coating soaks up oil and never really crisps. For the sauce step, just scrape the bottom of the skillet well so all the browned bits dissolve into the liquid.
How can I add more vegetables without watering down the sauce?
If you want to bulk this out with vegetables, cook them separately from the beef so they don’t release moisture into the oil during frying. Good options are broccoli florets, snap peas, or thinly sliced carrots. Stir-fry them in a bit of oil until crisp-tender, then remove from the pan before you fry the beef. At the end, when the sauce has thickened, add the cooked vegetables back with the beef and scallions and toss to coat. If things look too tight, add 1–2 tablespoons water to loosen the sauce slightly, but do this slowly so you don’t end up with a thin, soupy result.
Homemade Mongolian Beef
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak sliced thin against the grain
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil for marinade (vegetable, canola, avocado)
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine or dry cooking sherry optional, for marinade
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce for marinade
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch for marinade
- 1 tablespoon water for marinade
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for tenderizing in marinade
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup hot water or low-sodium stock to dissolve sugar for sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce for sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce optional, adds color and depth
- 1/2 cup cornstarch for coating the beef
- 2/3 cup neutral oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 8 pieces dried red chili peppers break a couple for extra heat if desired
- 3 cloves garlic smashed or minced
- 4 stalks scallions separate whites and greens
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch to make a slurry for thickening sauce
Instructions
- Trim and slice the flank steak thinly across the grain. Aim for even, thin strips but don't worry about perfection.
- In a bowl combine the steak with 2 teaspoons oil, Shaoxing wine (or sherry), 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Toss until coated, then refrigerate for about 1 hour; add a splash of water if the meat seems dry.
- Prep the sauce by dissolving 1/4 cup light brown sugar in 3/4 cup hot water or stock, then stir in 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce if using. Set the mixture aside.
- Spread the 1/2 cup cornstarch on a shallow plate or bowl and dredge each slice of marinated beef so it's evenly coated.
- Heat 2/3 cup neutral oil in a wok or large skillet until it just starts to smoke. Working in batches, lay the beef in a single layer and sear about 1 minute per side until crisped. Remove each batch to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
- Carefully discard most of the frying oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the minced ginger and dried chilies; stir for roughly 15 seconds. Add the garlic and the white parts of the scallions and cook another 15 seconds, taking care not to burn the aromatics.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the wok and bring it to a simmer. Mix the 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch with a small amount of cold water to form a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Return the crisped beef and the green parts of the scallions to the wok. Toss everything together over high heat for about 30 seconds so the sauce clings to the beef and the scallions warm through.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice, adjusting heat or sauce thickness as desired before plating.
