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This Mongolian ground beef recipe is a super easy and budget-friendly take on Mongolian beef! It has a savory and sweet sauce that will make you want to lick the bowl.
You may also like my Teriyaki Ground Beef or Easy Beef Bowls.
Why you’ll love it
Busy weeknights were made for this simple Mongolian ground beef. It checks all the right boxes: just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, a sauce that’s kid approved, and it makes use of tender and inexpensive ground beef! No wok is needed here either.
Takeout is great and all, and so is my reader favorite Simple Mongolian Beef with flank steak, but the time this ground beef version takes (just 30 minutes), simplicity, and budget-friendly aspect can’t be beat! The soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sugar combo is so tasty.
What you’ll need
- Ground beef – it’s a great canvas for the irresistible sauce
- Scallions – these mild green onions are a staple in Asian-style recipes
For the sauce
- Brown sugar – the sauce isn’t overly sweet! It adds balance and depth.
- Soy sauce – I like to use low sodium so I can control the salt and add some later on if needed
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
- Ginger – for that signature zesty kick
- Garlic – savory deliciousness
- Red pepper flakes – totally optional, but I crave the gentle heat it infuses throughout the sauce without making it spicy
Pro tip
Let the ground beef get nicely browned. That adds lots of flavor! You don’t need to constantly move it around the pan.
How to make Mongolian ground beef
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Brown the beef in a skillet, breaking it apart as you go along. Drain any excess fat. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a prep bowl.
Pour the sauce into the skillet, and add in the scallions. Cook until the sauce thickens up nicely. Give it a taste, and season with salt & pepper as needed.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- My top tip is grating ginger from frozen using a Microplane. It stays fresh longer and is so much easier to work with from the freezer.
- Here’s my go-to cast iron skillet.
- Storing brown sugar in one of these airtight pantry containers keeps it from clumping for longer.
Substitutions and variations
- This recipe doesn’t make tons of sauce, so if you’re a fan of lots of sauce, feel free to double it!
- Try swapping the ground beef for ground pork or even ground turkey for a twist.
- You can definitely make my classic Mongolian Beef if you prefer.
What to serve with Mongolian ground beef
- Rice is my preference to serve this with. I gravitate towards long grain white rice like jasmine rice, but brown rice is good too!
- Some good noodle options are Udon or rice noodles.
- Craving a salad with it? Try my Broccoli Ramen Salad for a fresh crunch.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers of this Mongolian-style ground beef for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat slowly in a covered saucepan on the stove, or microwave until warmed through.
- You can freeze this one for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
More Asian-inspired recipes
If you made this Mongolian beef recipe with ground beef, please leave a star rating and review below! Reader reviews are so useful. Or tag me on Instagram!
Mongolian Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small bunch scallions (green parts only) cut into 1" pieces
Sauce:
- 1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Add the beef to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until browned, breaking it up with your spoon as it cooks (about 8-10 minutes). Spoon out excess fat as needed.
- Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk together.
- Add the scallions to the skillet and also pour the sauce in. Cook for another couple of minutes until the sauce thickens up.
- If needed, season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve over rice or noodles.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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