Skip to content
RecipesWhipped Up

Asian-Inspired

Mongolian Beef Skillet

Thin sliced flank steak cooks fast in a sticky soy-ginger sauce with scallions. Pair with rice for a simple weeknight plate.

Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Glazed Mongolian beef strips with scallions in a skillet

Photo: crd! (CC BY-SA). Source

Why you’ll love it

  • Cornstarch coating helps the sauce cling to each strip.
  • High heat keeps the beef tender instead of stewy.
  • Brown sugar and soy balance salty and sweet in one pan.
  • Scallions add freshness without extra prep time.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

View list

Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Toss sliced steak with cornstarch until lightly coated; shake off excess.

  2. 2

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear beef in a single layer 1 to 2 minutes per side; work in batches and set aside.

  3. 3

    Lower heat to medium, add remaining oil, garlic, and ginger; cook 30 seconds.

  4. 4

    Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and red pepper flakes; simmer 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thick.

  5. 5

    Return beef and green onions to the skillet and toss 1 minute to coat.

  6. 6

    Serve over rice.

Pro tips

  • Freeze the steak 20 minutes before slicing for cleaner thin cuts.
  • Do not crowd the pan or the beef will steam.
  • Taste the sauce before adding beef and add a pinch of salt if needed.

Easy substitutions

flank steak
sirloin steak
brown sugar
honey
white rice
cauliflower rice

Storage and reheating

Storage

Store beef and sauce in a sealed container in the fridge up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a spoon of water until hot.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
480
Protein
38 g
Carbs
42 g
Fat
16 g
Fiber
1 g

Moderate · Stovetop · High Protein

You might also like

Sloppy joe meat piled on a soft bun with a little sauce dripping onto the plate
Beef

Classic Sloppy Joes

Ground beef simmers with onion, ketchup, and mustard until it is thick enough to spoon onto soft buns. The filling tastes tangy, slightly sweet, and savory.

35 min · Easy

View recipe
A burger topped with dark caramelized onions and melted Gruyere on a toasted bun
Beef

French Onion Burgers

Beef patties are cooked through and topped with deeply browned onions and melted Gruyere on toasted buns. The burger tastes savory and sweet from the onions, with a beefy, fully cooked center.

50 min · Medium

View recipe
Rice topped with savory ground beef, cucumber, sesame seeds, and green onion.
Beef

Korean Beef Bowls

Ground beef simmered with soy, ginger, garlic, and a little brown sugar, served over rice with cucumber. Fast, salty, and sweet in a controlled way.

25 min · Easy

View recipe

Still hungry?

More in the same lane, not a random mix.

Bowl of sesame ginger beef strips with snap peas and sauce over rice
Beef

Sesame Ginger Beef

Thin strips of flank steak cook quickly in a savory sesame-ginger sauce with crisp snap peas. Serve over rice for a simple weeknight plate.

27 min · Easy

View recipe
Sliced beef and broccoli in a brown sauce over rice.
Beef

Beef and Broccoli

Thin slices of flank steak and broccoli in a salty-sweet brown sauce. A weeknight version that still gets a sear on the beef.

30 min · Medium

View recipe
A bowl of rice, seasoned ground beef, black beans, salsa, cheese, and lime.
Beef

Beef Burrito Bowls

Rice, seasoned beef, black beans, salsa, and cheese in a bowl. Same idea as a burrito, easier to eat on a weeknight, and easier to pack.

35 min · Easy

View recipe
Golden baked beef empanadas on a sheet pan with one broken open to show the filling
Beef

Beef Empanadas

A cumin beef filling with onion and olives is sealed in pastry rounds and baked until the crust is golden. The filling tastes savory and a little briny, and the dough tastes flaky.

1 hr 5 min · Medium

View recipe

Find something else

Comfort FoodQuick MealsBudget BitesOne-Pot Meals

From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

Read the affiliate disclosure.

Ingredients