This Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef recipe is the ultimate dish for a busy day. The tender beef combined with the savory sauce makes this a great meal and it's always a favorite with the entire family.
Jump to:
- ❤️ Mongolian beef recipe
- 📝 Ingredients you'll need
- 🥣 Before you begin: essential tools
- Step by step: instructions
- Adaptable recipe – make it your own!
- 👍 My notes
- 🧺 How to store leftovers
- ⌛ Make Ahead
- 🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- 💬 Your questions answered: FAQs
- 📣 Related Recipes
- Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
❤️ Mongolian beef recipe
- The slow cooker allows the beef to become fall-apart tender without you having to worry about overcooking it.
- Crockpot Mongolian beef is also a great way to satisfy your Chinese food take-out cravings without having to leave the house or pay high restaurant prices.
- Plus, you only need simple ingredients and most of them you may already have on hand so you don't have to worry about making a trip to the grocery store.
This recipe is one of my favorite ways to make Asian food at home. Because the slow cooker does all the work, you can have a delicious meal for the dinner table that the whole family will love without a lot of effort or time spent in the kitchen.
📝 Ingredients you'll need
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📋 Ingredient Notes / Variations
- Flank steak - Look for a well-marbled cut of flank steak for the most tender results.
- Cornstarch - Corn starch is used as a thickening agent to help your sauce thicken up.
- Salt and black pepper - To season the beef.
- Sesame oil - A little bit goes a long way in adding a nutty flavor to the dish.
- Garlic and Ginger - These two ingredients are key for adding delicious Asian flavors to this dish. Fresh is always best, but you can also use pre-minced garlic and ginger from a jar for convenience.
- Soy sauce - I highly recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness of the dish.
- Brown sugar - This adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the savory flavors. You can also substitute with honey or maple syrup.
- Sesame oil - A little bit goes a long way in adding a nutty and aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Bell peppers - Use red bell pepper for added color and crunch.
- Green onions - Slice these into 1-inch pieces.
- Garnishes - Sesame seeds and additional green onions are great for the top of this dish.
🥣 Before you begin: essential tools
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- Large bowl
- Storage bag
- Slow cooker
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Step by step: instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the flank steak by cutting thin slices against the grain.
- In a bowl or Ziplock bag, add the slices of flank steak, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes.
- Place the flank steak on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the sesame oil, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar and water on top of the sliced flank steak. Give it a good mix and then put the cover on your slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove the slow cooker lid and stir in the sliced bell peppers and green onions. Cook for 1 additional hour, the meat should be tender, the sauce dark brown and thick.
Adaptable recipe – make it your own!
- Don't have a flank steak? A thinly sliced chuck roast makes a great substitute for this budget-friendly cut of beef. However, you can also use a sirloin steak or skirt steak.
- For a little extra flavor, you can add a dash of hoisin sauce or even red pepper flakes.
- Don't have low-sodium soy sauce? You can use coconut aminos to get a similar flavor.
👍 My notes
- When slicing the flank steak, it should be no thicker than a ¼ inch so it will be able to cook in the allotted time as well as keeping it tender.
- For easy clean-up use a slow cooker liner, It makes clean-up a breeze.
🧺 How to store leftovers
Refrigerate - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Freeze - You can also freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat - I've found the best way to reheat this dish is on the stove-top in a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, However, you can also reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes at a time.
⌛ Make Ahead
One great thing about this recipe is that you can prep the beef and sauce up to 24 hours in advance. Then just toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker when you are ready to cook.
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
We love to serve this dish with fluffy white rice, like this Instant Pot Basmati Rice but it also goes well with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up all the delicious sauce. These Low Carb Chicken Lettuce Wraps are also a great appetizer to start off your dinner time on the right foot.
💬 Your questions answered: FAQs
Mongolian beef is typically made from skirt steak or flank steak. However, you can use other cuts of beef.
📣 Related Recipes
- Looking for another take-out recipe to make at home? This Panda Express Sweetfire Chicken is a crowd-pleaser and easy to make in your kitchen.
- Panda Express Mushroom Chicken is another dish that you can recreate at home. It's full of tender chicken, mushrooms, and a flavorful sauce.
- If you want some new meal inspiration for your menu then give this Copycat Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken a try next!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! Thank you.
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 2 - 2.5 pounds flank steak
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced (about 1-2 cloves)
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger root minced
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ cup water
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed and leveled
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 bunch of green onions cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- Sesame seeds and extra green onions optional for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the flank steak by cutting thin slices against the grain. The slices should be about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick.
- In a bowl or Ziplock bag, add the slices of flank steak, cornstarch, salt and pepper.
- Gently mix the meat in the bowl or bag to cover the flank steak in the cornstarch and seasonings. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes.
- Place the flank steak on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add the sesame oil, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar and water on top of the sliced flank steak.
- Give it a good mix and then put the cover on your slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove the slow cooker lid and stir in the sliced bell peppers and green onions.
- Cook for 1 additional hour, the meat should be tender, the sauce dark brown and thick.
- Before serving, top with diced green onions and sesame seeds if you wish.
Notes
- When slicing the flank steak, it should be no thicker than a ¼ inch so it will be able to cook in the allotted time as well as keeping it tender.
- For easier clean up, line your slow cooker with a slow cooker bag.
- You can add the sliced red peppers and green onions at the beginning of cooking if you wish.
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