Take your taste buds on a journey with Instant Pot Mongolian Beef! This recipe is a game-changer, bringing the bold and sweet flavors of Mongolian beef straight to your dinner table in record time. Tender slices of beef bathed in a savory-sweet glaze, all thanks to the magic of your Instant Pot.
Get ready to savor the authentic taste of Mongolian cuisine at home served with Instant Pot White Rice or Brown Rice!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Taste Adventure: The rich, savory sauce creates an authentic Mongolian Beef experience at home.
- Time Saver: The Instant Pot makes this complex dish simple and quick to prepare.
- Versatile Dish: Perfect as a standalone or served over rice for a hearty meal.
📋 Ingredients
- Thinly Sliced Flank Steak: This cut is lean and flavorful, and when sliced thin, it becomes tender in the Instant Pot.
- Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the sauce and gives the beef a nice, slightly crispy exterior.
- Olive Oil: Enhances the flavors and helps to create a beautiful sear.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: Adds a savory, umami flavor to the dish, and using low-sodium allows control over the saltiness.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Brings a rich, molasses-like sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the soy sauce.
- Low Sodium Beef Broth: Forms the base of the sauce, adding a savory depth of flavor.
- White Wine Vinegar: Adds a touch of acidity to balance out the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Minced Fresh Ginger: Infuses the dish with a warm, zesty bite.
- Garlic Cloves, Minced: Lends a pungent, aromatic note that complements the other flavors.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Add a hint of heat to the dish, which can be adjusted to taste.
- Green Onions, Sliced: Add a fresh, slightly sharp taste and a pop of color.
- Sesame Seeds: A garnish that adds a slight crunch and a nutty flavor, enhancing the overall taste profile.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Garlic Sesame Mongolian Beef: Marinate red meat in rice vinegar, sesame oil, and fresh garlic before cooking in the Instant Pot.
- Broccoli and Rice Noodles Mongolian Beef: Steamed broccoli enhances this dish, served with rice noodles and garnished with fresh green onions.
- Cauliflower Rice Mongolian Beef: Stir in cauliflower rice towards the end of the cooking time for a delicious recipe. Finish with sesame oil and fresh green onions.
- Ground Beef Takeover: Substitute the traditional cut of beef with ground beef. It provides a different texture but still delivers a hearty flavor.
- Sweet Swap: Replace brown sugar with an equal amount of white sugar or honey. These alternatives will still add sweetness to the dish, with honey giving a slightly different flavor profile.
- Poultry Edition: Opt for chicken as an alternative to Mongolian beef. This will give you a lighter version of the dish, remember to adjust the cooking time appropriately.
🔪How to Make Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Step One: Cut the flank steak into thin slices. Ensure the beef is sliced thin to bite-size pieces. n a medium-sized bowl, place the beef strips. Pour the cornstarch over the sliced beef. With your hands or a large spoon, mix the thin slices well until every piece of the steak is well coated.
Step Two: In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, ginger, olive oil (1 TBSP), garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Step Three: Select the “saute” setting on the Instant Pot. Once hot pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot. If there isn’t enough oil, the cornstarch from the meat will stick to the pan and the Instant Pot will show a Burn Notice.
Step Four: After the oil is hot, add beef a little at a time. Brown each piece of meat. Once brown, remove from the Instant Pot and put to the side until all of your meat is browned.
Once all of your meat is browned, turn off the “saute” mode. Quickly deglaze the bottom of the pot to ensure no bits are stuck to the bottom.
Step Five: Return all of the meat to the inner pot, and pour the prepared sauce over it. Put the Instant Pot lid on, and lock the lid in position. Close the sealing valve. Set the Instant Pot to cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
Step Six: After the pressure cooking time is done, use a long wooden spoon to open the sealing valve to allow the steam to escape. Once all of the steam is released and you can safely remove your Instant Pot lid, do so carefully.
Step Seven: Toss fresh green onions into the Instant Pot and stir.
Step Eight: Serve the Mongolian Beef with a garnish of sesame seeds.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Quality Beef: Choose flank steak or sirloin for the best flavor and texture.
- Correct Liquid Measurement: Be sure to only add the liquid amounts in this recipe. If too much liquid is added, the flavor would be diluted and watery.
💭 FAQs
Beef is perfect for Mongolian Beef. Flank steak is commonly used as a long and thin cut with connective tissue. Other cuts like skirt steak, stew meat, top round beef, or tri-tip steak also work.
This dish gets its sweet and savory flavor from soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes. Some people add sriracha for a spicy kick, but you can leave it out if you prefer milder food.
Yes, you can adapt Mongolian Beef for the slow cooker, but for faster cooking, consider looking for Mongolian Beef Instant Pot recipes.
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. The dish can be safely stored for up to 3-4 days. If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze the dish for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some great dishes to serve with Mongolian Beef:
- Fusion Delight: Pair Mongolian Beef with Hibachi Fried Rice and Steamed Broccoli or Stir Stir-Fried bok Choy.
- Crunch and Flavor: Serve with Crispy Egg Rolls as an appetizer for a texture contrast.
- Western Twist: Accompany the beef with Mashed Potatoes and sautéed bell peppers, or opt for steamed Sesame Scallion Rice for a traditional touch.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Pounds Thinly Sliced Flank Steak
- ½ Cup Cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ¾ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- ¾ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- ½ Cup Low Sodium Beef Broth
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons White Wine Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Minced Fresh ginger
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- ½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 4 Green Onions Sliced
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Cut the flank steak into thin slices. Ensure the beef is sliced thin to bite-size pieces.
- In a medium-sized bowl, place the beef strips. Pour the cornstarch over the sliced beef. With your hands or a large spoon, mix the thin slices well until every piece of the steak is well coated.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, ginger, olive oil (1 TBSP), garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Select the “saute” setting on the Instant Pot. Once hot pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.
- If there isn’t enough oil, the cornstarch from the meat will stick to the pan and the Instant Pot will show a burn notice.
- After the oil is hot, add beef a little at a time. Brown each piece of meat. Once brown, remove from the Instant Pot and put to the side until all of your meat is browned.
- Once all of your meat is browned, turn off the “saute” mode.
- Return all of the meat to the inner pot, and pour the prepared sauce over it. Put the Instant Pot lid on, and lock the lid in position.
- Close the sealing valve. Set the Instant Pot to cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- After the pressure cooking time is done, use a long wooden spoon to open the sealing valve to allow the steam to escape.
- Once all of the steam is released and you can safely remove your Instant Pot lid, do so carefully.
- Toss fresh green onions into the Instant Pot and stir. Serve the Mongolian Beef with a garnish of sesame seeds.
Notes
- Quality Beef: Choose flank steak or sirloin for the best flavor and texture.
- Correct Liquid Measurement: Be sure to only add the liquid amounts in this recipe. If too much liquid is added, the flavor would be diluted and watery.
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