This Mongolian Beef is a popular restaurant takeaway favorite. Tender-yet-crispy slices of beef in a rich Asian-style sauce, along with fresh veggies stir fry that is ready in 30 minutes only! Best served over soft rice noodles or rice.
Forget the takeaway, make homemade instead and it is even better than the original! – trust me, you’re going to love this one!
Fun fact about Mongolian beef
Believe it or not, Mongolian beef isn’t actually Mongolian! Here’s the surprising story behind this popular dish:
Mongolian beef is thought to have gotten its start in Taiwan, around the time Mongolian barbecue restaurants were popping up everywhere. These restaurants were a fun dining experience where you could pick your ingredients – meats, veggies, sauces – and have them stir-fried right at your table. Imagine a sizzling hot grill and endless flavor combinations!
The ingredients in Mongolian beef, like thin-sliced steak, onions, and a savory sauce, were probably a popular combo at these restaurants. Chefs might have taken inspiration from classic Chinese stir-fry dishes and given them a Mongolian barbecue twist.
So, why the name Mongolian beef? Even though the dish itself isn’t from Mongolia, the name might be a nod to the cooking style at those Mongolian barbecue restaurants. They use big, dome-shaped grills fueled by charcoal to cook meats and veggies.
Another possibility is that Mongolian cuisine, known for its bold flavors and hearty ingredients, might have influenced the creation of Mongolian beef.
However, Mongolian beef has become a go-to dish in American Chinese restaurants, often served with fluffy steamed rice or crispy fried noodles. Over the years, the recipe has probably changed a bit, with people adding their own touches and using different cooking methods. But the core idea of a flavorful stir-fry with delicious sliced beef has stayed the same.
So, Forget the takeaway, make homemade Mongolian beef instead and it is even better than the original! – trust me, you’re going to love this one!
Ingredients of Mongolian Beef
Marinate
- Beef thinly sliced; Flank steak is best to achieve very thin slices without becoming tough and chewy. You can substitute top sirloin, skirt steak, flat iron steak, top round, or even rib eye steak with great results. Cut the beef against the grain.
- Rice Vinegar; adds a touch of acidity and helps tenderize the beef slightly. This is also a substitute for mirin.
- Soy sauce; Low-sodium soy sauce is preferred. This adds a salty, savory flavor that is a cornerstone of many Asian dishes.
- Black pepper; adds a bit of heat and depth of flavor.
- Baking soda; Baking soda is a tenderizer, and a small amount can help make the beef extra soft.
- Cornstarch; adds a slightly crisp layer to the outside of the beef, tenderizes the beef, and also helps to thicken up and stabilize the sauce. it also use for coat the marinated strips of beef and help make the beef crispy.
- Water; Water helps to thin out the sauce so it can coat the beef
- Oil; For frying. Use your favorite fry oil.
Sauce and Additional
- Garlic minced; For the best flavor and aroma, make sure the ingredients fresh
- Veggies; Freshly sliced onions and bell peppers add just the right amount of crisp, fresh texture and flavor to this savory dish.
- Onion and Bell pepper; Anything you have, either tricolor or bicolor, ar one color only. I recommend you add this bell pepper to add heat sensation and also a pretty visual dish
- Rice vermicelli; I fry the rice vermicelli and make it as bed. You can change the rice vermicelli with rice too.
- Cooking oil
- Spring onion; Thinly slices for cooking and for garnish.
- Curly chili red pepper thinly sliced
- The sauce I use Crushed black pepper, Rice vinegar, Brown sugar, Soy sauce, Sesame oil
How to Make Mongolian Beef
Marinate the Beef:
First, In a bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, baking soda, water, and oil.
Second, add the thinly sliced beef to the marinade and toss to coat evenly.
Then, Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, allowing the marinade to penetrate the beef.
Cook the Vermicelli (While the Beef Marinates):
Next step, heat the oil in a large pan or wok over high heat until it shimmers.
Carefully add the dry vermicelli to the hot oil and fry in batches until golden brown and puffed.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried vermicelli from the oil and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Stir-Fry the Beef and Vegetables:
After the beef has marinated, heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan (or a clean pan) over high heat.
Try to remove the beef from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Add the beef to the hot oil and cook, stirring constantly, until browned on all sides. Remove the cooked beef from the pan and set aside.
Assemble the Mongolian Beef
Reduce the heat to medium-high and add a little more oil if needed. Sauté the garlic, curly red pepper, and onions until softened and fragrant.
Add the cooked beef, black pepper, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce to the pan with the vegetables. Stir-fry for a minute or two, until the sauce thickens and coats everything evenly.
Finally, stir in the sliced spring onions and turn off the heat. Serve the Mongolian beef immediately over the bed of fried vermicelli. Enjoy!
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MOOD FOR BEEF MENU IDEA? YOU WILL LOVE THESE;
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- Korean Beef BBQ Spring Roll
- Firecracker Beef Stir Fry (Oseng Mercon)
- Beef Schnitzel with Garlic Butter Sauce
- Ground Beef Lettuce Wrap
Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
Marinate
- ½ lb Beef thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- ½ tbsp Soy sauce
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tbsp Oil
Addition
- 2 clove Garlic minced
- ½ Onion
- ½ Bell pepper
- Rice vermicelli
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- Spring onion
- 3 Curly chili red pepper thinly sliced
Sauce
- 1 tsp Crushed black pepper
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
Instructions
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Marinate the meat with rice vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, baking soda, water, and oil. Wait until the liquid is absorbed.
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Add cornstarch and massage until the entire surface is evenly coated, then let it sit for about 15-20 minutes.
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While waiting for the meat to marinate, heat oil in a pan until it's very hot.
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Put the dry vermicelli into the hot oil until it expands, then remove and drain (fry the vermicelli in batches).
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After 15 minutes, remove the meat, then heat oil in the pan.
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Cook the marinated meat until both sides are golden brown, then remove and set aside.
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In the same pan, heat a little oil and sauté garlic, curly red pepper and onions until wilted, then add beef, black pepper, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Cook until fragrant and the sauce is evenly mixed.
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Add sliced spring onions, then turn off the stove.
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Serve on top of fried vermicelli, enjoy!
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