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This easy Mongolian beef recipe features beautifully caramelized beef with a juicy, tender texture. And a gingery, garlicky, sweet and savory sauce makes this dish irresistible! You won’t believe how easy it is to make this restaurant-style stir fry in your own kitchen without a wok! {Gluten-Free adaptable}

Mongolian Beef (Without Using a Wok)

4.92 from 12 votes
This easy Mongolian beef recipe features beautifully caramelized beef with a juicy, tender texture. And a gingery, garlicky, sweet and savory sauce makes this dish irresistible! You won’t believe how easy it is to make this restaurant-style stir fry in your own kitchen without a wok! {Gluten-Free adaptable}
To make this dish gluten-free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, and replace the soy sauce with tamari.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: takeout
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1 lbs (450 g) flank steak , sliced against the grain into 1/4” (1/2 cm) thick pieces (*Footnote 1)
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger , grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup chicken stock (or water)
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Stir fry

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 teaspoons ginger , minced
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 4 green onions , cut into 2” (5 cm) pieces, then halved lengthwise

Instructions

  • Combine flank steak, Shaoxing wine, and salt in a large bowl. Gently mix well with your hand. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  • Mix all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
  • When you’re ready to cook, add the cornstarch to the marinated beef. Mix to coat all the beef pieces with cornstarch.
  • Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet until hot. Spread the steak with minimal overlapping (*Footnote 2). Use a pair of tongs to rearrange the beef, if necessary. Let cook for 1 minute without moving, or until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip and cook the other side, 40 seconds or so, until golden but the inside is still a bit pink. Transfer the steak to a big plate.
  • If there is a lot of oil left in the pan, use a couple layers of kitchen paper towel held in a pair of tongs to remove any extra oil, leaving 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.
  • Add the ginger, garlic, and the white part of the green onion into the skillet. Cook and stir for 30 seconds to release the fragrance.
  • Stir the sauce again until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Pour it into the pan and immediately stir with a spatula. The sauce will thicken very quickly, in a couple seconds. Return the cooked beef to the pan, along with the green part of the green onion. Cook and stir a few more times to mix well. Transfer everything to a plate immediately. Serve hot over steamed rice as a main.

Notes

  1. My favorite cuts for stir fry are flank steak and plate steak. If you have to use a cheaper cut, such as round roast or brisket, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon baking soda onto the beef along with the other marinade ingredients, then mix very thoroughly to coat the beef. It helps tenderize the beef.
    The beef is much easier to slice if it’s still a little frozen inside. You can freeze the beef for 30 minutes before slicing. Or thaw a piece of frozen beef overnight in the fridge.
  2. 2. If you use a pan that is smaller than 12”, you should cook the beef in two batches for better browning.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 373kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.1g, Protein: 26.4g, Fat: 21.2g, Saturated Fat: 5.4g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 766mg, Potassium: 404mg, Fiber: 0.8g, Sugar: 6.7g, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 2mg