I finally cracked PF Chang’s flavor with my Easy Mongolian Beef and a pantry trick that keeps the sauce glossy and perfectly sweet and savory.
I never expected a takeout craving to be solved so quick, but this Easy Mongolian Beef copycat did it, and yes I tested it until it wore me out a little. Using tender flank steak and a stupid amount of brown sugar, this version hits that sweet glossy vibe that keeps you scraping the pan, and if you loved Sticky Korean Beef you might be surprised how close it gets.
I wont pretend it replaces the restaurant, but it nails those caramelized edges and slippery sauce that makes you stare at the plate and reach for more even when you swore you were done.
Ingredients
- Flank steak: Lean beef, great source of protein and iron, slices stay tender if cut against grain
- Brown sugar: Gives sticky caramel sweetness, mostly simple carbs, use sparingly for balanced flavor
- Low sodium soy sauce: Adds umami and saltiness with less sodium, balances sweet notes and deepens color
- Garlic: Bright, pungent flavor, has some health benefits and antioxidants, chops mellow when cooked
- Ginger: Warm spicy zing, aids digestion, lifts the sauce, don’t overcook or it loses kick
- Green onions: Fresh oniony crunch, adds color and mild sharpness, whites and greens both useful
- Cornstarch: Coats beef for crisp outside and thickens sauce, mainly starch so mostly carbs
- Toasted sesame oil: Small amount boosts nutty aroma and flavor, mostly fats so use last
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb flank steak (about 450 g), thinly sliced against the grain
- 1/2 cup cornstarch (for dredging)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (for slurry)
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water (plus 2 tbsp more for slurry)
- 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 4-5 green onions (scallions), cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
How to Make this
1. Freeze the flank steak 15-20 minutes so it firms up, then slice thinly against the grain into bite sized strips; pat the slices very dry with paper towels so the cornstarch sticks.
2. Toss the beef in 1/2 cup cornstarch until each piece is lightly coated, shake off excess, and set aside on a tray.
3. Heat 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering; fry the beef in a single layer in batches so it doesn’t steam, about 2-3 minutes per batch, turning once, until edges are crispy and browned. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel.
4. Pour off excess oil leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan, reduce heat to medium, add garlic and ginger and sauté 20-30 seconds until fragrant but not burned.
5. Add 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2/3 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup water to the garlic and ginger, stir and bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves.
6. Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce; cook 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens into a glossy coating.
7. Stir in 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like heat; taste and add a splash more vinegar if it’s too sweet.
8. Return the fried beef to the pan with the sauce, add the green onions cut into 2 inch pieces, toss everything together over medium heat 1-2 minutes until the beef is heated through and the scallions are slightly wilted.
9. Turn off heat, garnish with sesame seeds if you want, serve over steamed rice and dig in.
Equipment Needed
1. Sharp chef’s knife and cutting board, for slicing the semi frozen steak thin against the grain
2. Paper towels and a rimmed tray or baking sheet, to pat the beef dry and hold the coated pieces
3. Large skillet or wok, big enough to fry in batches and finish the sauce
4. Tongs or a slotted spatula, to flip and lift the beef without splashing oil
5. Measuring cups and spoons, for soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch and water
6. Two small bowls, one for dredging the cornstarch and one for the cornstarch slurry
7. Whisk and a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, to mix the sauce and toss everything together
8. Plate lined with paper towels for draining fried beef, plus a pot or rice cooker for steaming rice
FAQ
Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Flank steak: swap with skirt steak or top sirloin for a similar bite, or use thinly sliced boneless chicken thighs if you want something milder and cheaper; still slice against the grain.
- Cornstarch (for dredging): potato starch or arrowroot give the same crisp, plain all purpose flour will work but it wont get quite as crunchy.
- Brown sugar: light or dark brown sugar both fine, for less refined sugar use coconut sugar or swap to honey or maple syrup, use a bit less liquid and simmer a little longer to thicken.
- Low sodium soy sauce: tamari for gluten free, regular soy for a stronger salty umami, or coconut aminos for lower sodium and a slightly sweeter flavor, taste and adjust salt.
Pro Tips
1) Let the coated beef sit a few minutes before frying so the cornstarch actually sticks, and shake off extra starch or youll get burned dust in the oil. Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot, and dont crowd the pan or the pieces will steam and go soggy.
2) Drain fried beef on a wire rack set over a sheet pan not paper towels, that keeps the crust crisp. If you need to hold it for a bit, keep it in a single layer in a low oven (about 200 F) on that rack, it wont get soggy sitting there.
3) Make the slurry smooth before you add it, whisk it till there are no lumps, then slowly pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring so it thickens evenly. If the sauce gets too gloopy, thin it with a tablespoon or two of hot water and heat briefly.
4) Taste as you go and balance the sweetness. Add rice vinegar in tiny splashes to cut the sugar instead of dumping it, and add the sesame oil right at the end so the flavor stays bright. If you want a little heat, use red pepper flakes sparingly, they punch it up fast.
Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe
I finally cracked PF Chang's flavor with my Easy Mongolian Beef and a pantry trick that keeps the sauce glossy and perfectly sweet and savory.
4
servings
517
kcal
Equipment: 1. Sharp chef’s knife and cutting board, for slicing the semi frozen steak thin against the grain
2. Paper towels and a rimmed tray or baking sheet, to pat the beef dry and hold the coated pieces
3. Large skillet or wok, big enough to fry in batches and finish the sauce
4. Tongs or a slotted spatula, to flip and lift the beef without splashing oil
5. Measuring cups and spoons, for soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch and water
6. Two small bowls, one for dredging the cornstarch and one for the cornstarch slurry
7. Whisk and a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, to mix the sauce and toss everything together
8. Plate lined with paper towels for draining fried beef, plus a pot or rice cooker for steaming rice
Ingredients
1 lb flank steak (about 450 g), thinly sliced against the grain
1/2 cup cornstarch (for dredging)
1 tbsp cornstarch (for slurry)
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water (plus 2 tbsp more for slurry)
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
4-5 green onions (scallions), cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Freeze the flank steak 15-20 minutes so it firms up, then slice thinly against the grain into bite sized strips; pat the slices very dry with paper towels so the cornstarch sticks.
- Toss the beef in 1/2 cup cornstarch until each piece is lightly coated, shake off excess, and set aside on a tray.
- Heat 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering; fry the beef in a single layer in batches so it doesn't steam, about 2-3 minutes per batch, turning once, until edges are crispy and browned. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel.
- Pour off excess oil leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan, reduce heat to medium, add garlic and ginger and sauté 20-30 seconds until fragrant but not burned.
- Add 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2/3 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup water to the garlic and ginger, stir and bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves.
- Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce; cook 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens into a glossy coating.
- Stir in 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like heat; taste and add a splash more vinegar if it's too sweet.
- Return the fried beef to the pan with the sauce, add the green onions cut into 2 inch pieces, toss everything together over medium heat 1-2 minutes until the beef is heated through and the scallions are slightly wilted.
- Turn off heat, garnish with sesame seeds if you want, serve over steamed rice and dig in.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 250g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 517kcal
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.5g
- Monounsaturated: 8.5g
- Cholesterol: 81mg
- Sodium: 1081mg
- Potassium: 494mg
- Carbohydrates: 53.5g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 34g
- Protein: 31.3g
- Vitamin A: 200IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 26mg
- Iron: 2.9mg
