Whip up a savory beef dish in under an hour with this easy-to-follow slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe. The end result will be restaurant-style flavors in the comfort of your own home!
This classic Asian dish is cooked in the Crock Pot, creating a sweet and savory meal full of flavor. Here's how to make it:
🥩 Ingredient Tips
Flank Steak - Flank steak is the ideal cut for making Mongolian beef. Another lean cut may be used with some adjustments. See the FAQ below for more information.
Ginger - Fresh, diced ginger is used in this recipe. If you're in a rush, try ginger paste. Dried, ground ginger is not recommended.
Garlic - Fresh, diced garlic is used in this recipe but you can use the jarred, diced garlic found in the produce section of the grocery store if you need to save time.
Soy Sauce - Use a reduced-sodium formula in order to add moisture and flavor without too much saltiness. You can always add more salt to taste.
📝 Step-by-Step Directions
Thinly cut the flank steak against the grain, as shown.
Dice the steak strips into cubes.
Season flank steak with salt and pepper to taste, and coat with cornstarch.
Mince the garlic and ginger.
At the bottom of the slow cooker, add the vegetable oil and then add the steak.
Add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and water. Mix until well combined.
Slow cook for 2.5 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low. Slice the green onion while the Mongolian beef is cooking.
Once the Mongolian beef is finished cooking, stir it and serve over rice. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
❓ FAQ
Mongolian beef is typically made from flank steak, which is a lean and flavorful cut located near the top of the cow’s hindquarters. Tri-tip, skirt steak, or sirloin are also sometimes used, but flank steak is the most popular choice for adding flavor at a reasonable price.
Generally, yes. Slow cooking beef low and slow in liquid helps to break down the tendons and connective tissues in tougher cuts of meat, resulting in a more tender dish. Additionally, if left for too long, the beef will become mushy rather than tender.
It is recommended to cook lean cuts of meat on high heat for a shorter duration due to the loss of moisture over extended cooking times. The cook times for this recipe have been tested on both high and low heat with flank steak only. If you choose to use a different cut, you may want to cook on low and monitor it to see what the best option is for your beef cut.
🍽️ Serving Tips
Mongolian beef tastes delicious served over rice. Check out my tips for the best sticky rice in a rice cooker or how to make Jasmine rice in the Instant Pot if that's what you're working with.
To make this a full meal, try Chinese restaurant-style green beans as a vegetable side dish.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1 green onion
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thinly slice flank steak against the grain and then dice.
- In a medium bowl, add flank steak, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Mix until well combined.
- Mince the ginger and garlic.
- Add vegetable oil to the bottom of the slow cooker and place the diced flank steak on top.
- Add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and water. Mix until well combined.
- Slow cook for 2.5 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low. Then stir when done cooking.
- Slice the green onion while the Mongolian beef is cooking.
- Once fully cooked, garnish the Mongolian beef with scallions and sesame seeds and serve over rice.
