Mongolian Ground Beef Recipe
This quick and flavorful Mongolian Ground Beef is a weeknight-friendly twist on the classic Chinese-American dish. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in just 25 minutes, it delivers rich umami flavor with a sweet-savory glaze. Serve it over rice for a comforting dinner the whole family will love.
Equipment
- 1 Skillet or wok For browning beef and cooking the dish
- 1 Wooden Spoon To break up beef and stir ingredients
- 1 Knife For chopping garlic, ginger, and onions
- 1 Cutting Board For prepping vegetables
- 1 Measuring spoons/cups For accurate sauce measurements
- 1 Mixing bowl For whisking the sauce
Ingredients
Ingredient Group: Main Dish
- 1 lb Ground beef Lean 85/15 preferred for flavor and less grease
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil Or sesame oil for deeper flavor
- 4 cloves Garlic Minced about 2 tablespoons
- 1 tbsp Fresh ginger Grated or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup Green onions Chopped whites and greens separated
- 1 cup Matchstick carrots Optional
Ingredient Group: Sauce
- ⅓ cup Low-sodium soy sauce Or coconut aminos
- ½ cup Brown sugar Or ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 tsp Rice vinegar Or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce Adds depth and umami
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes Optional adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch For slurry
- 2 tbsp Cold water For slurry
Ingredient Group: For Serving
- 4 cups Cooked white rice Or brown rice or cauliflower rice
- Sesame seeds For garnish
- Green onions Sliced for garnish
Instructions
Instruction Group: Main Steps
- Prepare the sauce
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, vinegar, hoisin sauce, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Brown the ground beef
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and crisped.
- Sauté aromatics
- Push the beef to one side. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté garlic, ginger, and white parts of green onion for 30 seconds. Mix them into the beef.
- Add vegetables (optional)
- Stir in carrots or other vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Pour in sauce and thicken
- Stir sauce and pour into pan. Simmer for 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl and add to skillet. Stir and simmer until thickened, about 1–2 minutes.
- Finish and serve
- Stir in green parts of green onions. Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds and more green onions.
Notes
✅ Nutrition (per serving — Total servings: 4)
- Calories: 425 kcal
- Protein: 23g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Sugar: 18g
- Fat: 16g (7g saturated)
- Fiber: 2g
- Sodium: 890mg