Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

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Here’s a great Instant Pot recipe for Mongolian Beef Chinese-takeout! This Asian beef dish is cooked using a pressure cooker or an instant pot. The tender sliced beef is simmered in a sweet and savory brown sauce. This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe is absolutely delicious and easy to make!

Thinking what to get from Chinese take-out? Maybe you should skip the Uber Eats and Door Dash, and instead make your own Chinese-style Mongolian dish. This Instant Pot Mongolian beef recipe could quickly be your family’s favorite meal!

This homemade Mongolian dish is so easy and quick to make. The meat is tender and flavorful. It’s made with easy Asian spices and condiments. And most importantly, it doesn’t contain MSG!  You may have noticed this as a recurring them with my Asian restaurants.  Keeping away from MSG will add years to your life but you can still get your fix of having great Asian food just like in the restaurants.

Mongolian Beef:

Mongolian beef is one of the most popular dishes at Chinese restaurants. It usually made with flank steak, thinly sliced, that is seared until crispy.  It’s simmered in a soy-based sauce and cooked along with aromatic herbs, such as ginger, garlic, and scallions.

In this recipe, I am going to show you how to make the best sauce for Mongolian Beef. I am also going to show you step-by-step instructions on how to make this beef dish using an instant pot or pressure cooker. It’s so simple, you only need to cook the beef for about 10 minutes at high pressure!

If you are not an instant pot user, don’t worry. I will also show you how to make this recipe using a slow cooker as well as the traditional way, on the stove.

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The Best Beef Cut for Mongolian Beef:

I highly recommend using beef flank steak. Flank steak is generally one of the least expensive cuts to purchase.

Remember, you should always slice flank steak against the grain rather than parallel with it. Also, make sure to slice it into bite-sized 1/4″ thick pieces, a great size so that each one will be tender. I soaked the meat in a solution of baking soda which also keeps the meat tender and moist when it’s cooked.

Best Sauce for Mongolian Beef:

To make the best sauce for Mongolian beef, you will need a combination of soy sauce, light brown sugar, Shaoxing wine, ginger, and chicken stock.

This Mongolian beef sauce has a nice balance of sweetness and saltiness. I only added a small amount of sugar. I think two tablespoons of light brown sugar is a good start. You can always add more sugar later if you want it to be sweeter.

How to Make Mongolian Beef in an Instant Pot:

The cooking process of this Mongolian Beef is very simple. Here are some important steps to follow:

• You need to marinate the beef for at least 15 minutes.
• Sear the beef in an instant pot until brown and slightly crisp.
• Cook the aromatic spices then pour in the sauce.
• Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes with quick release.
• Thicken the sauce with cornstarch and water mixture.

Don’t forget to share and come back here to review this recipe! Enjoy! 

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

Here's a great Instant Pot recipe for Mongolian Beef Chinese-takeout! This Asian beef dish is cooked using a pressure cooker or an instant pot. The tender sliced beef is simmered in a sweet and savory brown sauce. It's absolutely delicious and easy to make!

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Servings: 4

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Rika Livingston

Ingredients

• 1 pound flank steak
• 2 tbsp vegetable/peanut oil
• 4 scallions (cut into 2-inch pieces)

Marinate:

• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or use dry sherry or skip if you don't have any)
• ½ tsp baking soda

Sauce:

• ¼ tsp dried red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2-4 tbsp light brown sugar (2-lightly sweet, 3-sweet, 4-really sweet)
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or use dry sherry or skip if you don't have any)

Stir Fry:

• ½ tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tbsp minced garlic

Other Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp corn starch (mix with 1 tbsp water)

Instructions

Preparation:

• Beef:

  Trim the fat of the flank steak and cut into thin 1/4″ pieces against the grain. Set aside.
• Marinade:

  Transfer the sliced beef into a medium-size mixing bowl, add the marinade ingredients (cornstarch, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and baking soda). Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
• Mongolian Sauce:

  In a medium-size bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients (dried red pepper flakes, low-sodium soy sauce, chicken stock, and sugar). Set aside.

Sear the Beef:

• Press the “Sauté” function key. Select a temperature with the “Adjust” key for “More”. When Instant Pot reaches the given working temperature, it displays “Hot” and you can start sautéing/browning meat.
• Working in multiple batches. Add 1 tbsp of oil and add the cut up flank steak. Stir for 2-3 minutes, and then remove from the heat. Transfer to a plate.

  Add 1 tbsp of oil and cook the remaining flank steak. Transfer to a plate.

Cook the Aromatic Spices:

• Add garlic, and ginger to the pot. Cook until fragrant for about 10-15 seconds. Do not burn.

Add the Sauce:

• Add the sauce into the pot. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to keep the pan clear and nothing is stuck on it.

Pressure Cook:

• Add the seared beef back into the pot. Place the lid, always ensure the steam release handle/valve or quick-release button is in the “Sealing” position.
• Select "Keep warm" then press "Manual" for 10 minutes and after cooking, Quick Release the pressure. 

Thicken the Sauce:

• Open the lid. Adjust seasoning with salt/pepper if needed. Combine 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water. Add cornstarch mixture to the pot, stirring occasionally. Press "saute" and bring it to a simmer, keep stirring until the sauce is thickened or add additional cornstarch mixture if needed.
• Add chopped green onions. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Notes

If you are not sure how sweet you want this dish to be I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons of sugar.  After you finish pressure cooking, give the sauce a taste.  If it’s not sweet enough, add about 1 more tablespoon of sugar.  Press “saute” and bring to a boil, and give it another taste. If more sweetness is still needed, add by small increments of 1/2 tbsp of sugar. Keep adding sugar until you get to your desired sweetness. It shouldn’t need more than 4 tbsp of sugar or about 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar per recipe. 

Alternative Cooking Methods (For Non Pressure-Cooker/Instant Pot Users): 

Cook the Mongolian Beef in a Slow Cooker:

• Slice the beef against the grain, place the meat into the ziplock, add the marinade sauce. Massage the steak to make sure that each piece is fully coated with cornstarch. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes if possible. 
• Pour in the Mongolian sauce, garlic, ginger into the bottom of slow cooker. Stir to combine. 
• Add the marinated beef into the pot and stir until everything is coated. 
• Cover the slow cooker and cook for 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low or until the steak is tender.
• Once the cooking is done, stir in the chopped green onions. If the sauce is too thin, you can add more cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp of cornstarch + 1 tbsp water). Serve and enjoy. 

Cook the Mongolian Beef in a Skillet: 

• Follow the same preparation as mentioned on the recipe card above. Slice, marinate, then sear the beef in a skillet over high heat. Set aside.
• Add garlic, and ginger into the skillet. Cook until fragrant for about 10-15 seconds, keep stirring to prevent burning. 
• Add the Mongolian sauce into the skillet, bring to a boil.
• Add the seared steak back into the skillet. Toss until well combined. 
• If the sauce is too thin, mix about 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water, pour the mixture into the sauce, stir until the sauce is thickened. 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

Amount Per Serving

Calories 334 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 68mg23%

Sodium 1185mg52%

Potassium 483mg14%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 157IU3%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 45mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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