Mongolian Beef

Quick to make. Guys especially seem to like this spicy/sweet/salty recipe when they are dragging a little after a hard day of work. I adapted this recipe from the one linked at the bottom of this post, at Pink Bites. I reduced the sugar (the original was too sweet for me, but you could add some back if you prefer) and substituted flour for cornstarch (corn allergy). Because I was now making a sauce with flour rather than mixing cornstarch with the beef, I switched the brown sugar to white sugar to make it easier to mix with the flour. You could do the same thing with cornstarch or arrowroot, but use only half as much as you would measure if using flour. A sauce made with arrowroot should be added right at the end of cooking, as it will thin out again if over-cooked.

I usually don't use the maximum amount of garlic. I often add both hot pepper flakes (or ground hot pepper) and a fresh Ancho/Poblano chile. I usually use more ginger than in the original recipe, and if I don't have fresh ginger, I use a little ground ginger.

Serves two or three. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you have a large electric skillet. I often make this with cube steak, though Mexican-style Milanesa also works. If I have last-minute guests, I may start some ground beef cooking before adding the steak.

Mongolian Beef (corn free)


1 pound of flank steak, cube steak, Milanesa or other lean steak
1 Tablespoon canola oil or similar oil for stir-frying


1/2 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon grated or minced ginger (peeled)

Up to 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or ground red pepper (cayenne if you're brave)
AND/OR 1 fresh Ancho, Pasilla or other mild chile, seeded and sliced

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup granulated sugar  (you can add 2 to 4 Tablespoons brown OR additional granulated sugar)
1 to 2 Tablespoons flour (depending on desired thickness of sauce)



3 large green onions, 6 small green onions or 1 small regular or sweet onion

Cooked white or brown rice, and/or stir-fried vegetables for serving
(shredded Napa cabbage or similar greens, mushrooms, onions, celery, etc)

1. Begin to cook the rice while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Mince garlic and grate or mince ginger, set aside. Prepare and slice fresh chile (if used) in about 1/4 inch by 1 inch strips. Peel onion and slice into 1/4 inch by 1 inch strips or trim green onions (both white and green parts) and slice once vertically, then chop into 1 inch slices. Set aside.

Slice steak thinly across the grain, then slice into short strips.

2. For the sauce, mix granulated sugar and flour. Stir in the brown sugar (if used), cold water, and soy sauce. Save until meat is browned.

3. Heat a large wok, heavy pan or electric skillet to medium-high. Add the oil and then the meat, stirring until it is all browned (should not take long). Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper and sliced fresh chile if used. Continue cooking and stirring until garlic softens a little.

Stir the sauce ingredients to suspend the flour, pour into the wok/pan, stir until thickened and let it cook along with the meat for a few minutes.

4. You can cook down the sauce to reduce it to a sweeter, more concentrated flavor or leave it thinner. Add green onions at the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy. Serve it hot with rice and/or stir-fried vegetables or salad. It may not seem like you have much sauce, but the sauce is quite sweet and salty, and goes a long way on rice. Serves two, or maybe three if you serve it with veggies, etc.

Allergy Information: Check soy sauce for wheat or corn products.

Mongolian Beef
 from Pink Bites
1 lb of flank steak or cube steak, thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup of cornstarch

3 teaspoons of canola oil

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (about 1/2 inch piece)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 large green onions, sliced

Rice, for serving

1. For the meat, make sure the steak slices are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Slice them into strips, then add the cornstarch to the beef. Place the slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch. Begin to cook the rice while you prepare the rest of the meal.

2. For the sauce, heat half of the oil in a large wok or pan at medium-high heat and add the garlic and the ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don’t worry if the sauce doesn’t look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later.

3. Place the meat in the same pan and cook, stirring until it is all browned (this is a quick thing). Pour the sauce back into the wok/pan and let it cook along with the meat.

4. You can cook down the sauce to reduce it to thicken or leave it thinner. Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy. Serve it hot with rice. Serves 2.