Mongolian Beef
蒙古牛肉
Crispy fried beef tossed in a sweet-savory glaze with scallions. A Chinese-American takeout classic that's even better homemade.
📋 Ingredients
What Is Mongolian Beef?
💡 Ingredient Notes: Mongolian Beef (蒙古牛肉) is one of the most popular Chinese-American takeout dishes, despite having no real connection to Mongolia. It features crispy fried strips of beef tossed in a sticky sweet-savory glaze made from brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic, with generous amounts of scallions. The beef is double-fried for extra crispiness, then quickly coated in the sauce. It's not authentic Chinese, but it's delicious and one of the easiest Chinese dishes to make at home.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Beef
- 500g (1 lb) flank steak, sliced thin against the grain into strips
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- Oil for frying (about 2 cups)
For the Sauce
- 2 tsp cooking oil
- 2 tsp garlic, minced (about 4 cloves)
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for color)
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Scallions
- 6-8 scallions, cut into 5cm pieces (white and green separated)
📝 Instructions
Slice and coat the beef
Slice the flank steak against the grain into thin strips (about 1cm wide, 5cm long). Toss with cornstarch, salt, and white pepper until each strip is evenly coated. Let sit for 10 minutes — the cornstarch creates the crispy coating.
First fry
Heat oil to 175°C (350°F) in a deep pan. Fry the beef in 2-3 batches (don't overcrowd) for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Double fry (for extra crunch)
Bring the oil temperature up to 190°C (375°F). Refry all the beef for 30-60 seconds until deep golden and extra crispy. This double-fry is the secret to takeout-style crunch.
Make the sauce
Drain all but 2 teaspoons oil from the wok. Add garlic and ginger, stir for 15 seconds until fragrant. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and water. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce reduces and becomes glossy and syrupy.
Toss and finish
Return the crispy beef to the wok. Add the scallion pieces (reserve some green for garnish). Toss vigorously for 30-60 seconds until every piece is coated in the sticky glaze and the scallions are just wilted. Drizzle sesame oil.
Serve immediately
Transfer to a plate, garnish with the reserved scallion greens. Serve with steamed rice. Best eaten right away while the beef is still crispy.
💡 Pro Tips
- 💡💡 Slice the beef against the grain for tender strips. Partially freeze the beef for 20 minutes first — it makes clean slicing much easier.
- 💡💡 The double-fry is key. The first fry cooks the beef; the second creates the ultra-crispy shell that holds up against the sauce.
- 💡💡 Don't toss the beef in sauce too early — it will lose its crunch. Coat it just before serving.
- 💡💡 Adjust the sweetness to taste. Authentic takeout is very sweet; reduce the brown sugar to 3 tablespoons if you prefer it less sweet.
📊 Nutrition Facts
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mongolian Beef really from Mongolia? No — the name is marketing. The dish was invented in Chinese-American restaurants. Real Mongolian cuisine is quite different (lots of dairy and mutton). This dish is purely Chinese-American.
Can I bake instead of fry? You can toss the coated beef in oil and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 12-15 minutes, flipping once. It's less crispy but healthier. Air fryer also works (400°F for 10-12 minutes).
How do I make it less sweet? Reduce the brown sugar to 2-3 tablespoons and add 1 tablespoon rice vinegar for balance. The dish should still be sweet-savory but not cloying.
