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Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef: The Ultimate Comfort Meal

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If you’re craving a deliciously savory, sweet, and slightly spicy dish that’s sure to impress without hours of hands-on effort, look no further than this Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef recipe. With just 10 minutes of prep time and the convenience of your slow cooker, you can have a rich, flavorful meal that tastes like it’s straight out of your favorite Chinese takeout spot—only homemade and way easier. Tender flank steak, a sweet-savory sauce, and a touch of sesame and ginger come together to create a satisfying meal you’ll want to make again and again. Plus, it’s versatile—serve it over rice for a complete dish that’s perfect for dinner any night of the week. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!


Helpful Tips for Making Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef on rice.
  1. Choose the Right Cut of Beef: Flank steak works best for this recipe because it’s lean, flavorful, and becomes tender when slow-cooked. You can substitute with other cuts like sirloin or skirt steak, but make sure to slice against the grain for the most tender results.
  2. Cut the Steak Thin: Thinly slicing the flank steak is key to getting that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Make sure to cut it against the grain to ensure it cooks evenly and stays tender.
  3. Coat the Steak in Cornstarch: Don’t skip this step! Coating the steak with cornstarch helps thicken the sauce as it cooks, giving the dish that perfect glossy finish. It also helps to lock in the flavors and keeps the beef tender.
  4. Adjust the Sweetness: If you prefer a sweeter dish, you can add a bit more brown sugar to the sauce. Conversely, if you like it a little less sweet, reduce the sugar by a tablespoon or two. The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily adjust it to your taste!
  5. Low and Slow vs. High and Fast: For maximum tenderness, cooking the beef on low for 4-5 hours will give you a super juicy, melt-in-your-mouth result. If you’re short on time, cooking it on high for 2.5 hours works too, but the texture might not be quite as tender.
  6. Don’t Skip the Sesame Oil: The sesame oil adds a crucial depth of flavor to the dish that you don’t want to miss. It complements the soy sauce and ginger perfectly, giving the Mongolian beef its signature taste.
  7. Garnish for Extra Flavor: Garnishing with sliced scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds at the end really elevates the dish. It adds a fresh crunch and an extra pop of flavor that balances the rich sauce.
  8. Serve with Rice or Noodles: While this Mongolian beef is great on its own, serving it over steamed rice or noodles makes it a complete and hearty meal. You can even pair it with some stir-fried veggies on the side for a well-rounded dinner.
  9. Make It Ahead: This dish keeps really well in the fridge for up to 3 days, so feel free to make a big batch for leftovers. It also freezes well if you want to enjoy it later—just be sure to store it in an airtight container!

By following these tips, you’ll have a truly delicious and easy-to-make meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights or impressing guests at your next dinner gathering!


Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2.5 hours on high, or 4-5 hours on low
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 lbs. flank steak
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1 scallion
  • ½ cup reduced salt soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Mongolian beef process.
  • Thinly cut the flank steak against the grain, and then dice. Put the steak in a bowl.
  • Season flank steak with salt and pepper to taste, and coat with cornstarch. Mix until well combined.
  • Mince your ginger and garlic.
  • At the bottom of the slow cooker, add the vegetable oil and then add the steak.
  • Then add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and water. Mix until well combined.
  • Turn the slow cooker on 2.5 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low. Then stir when done cooking.
  • Slice the scallion.
  • Garnish the Mongolian beef with scallions and sesame seeds and serve over rice.
Yield: 4

Slow cooker Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef on rice.

If you're craving a deliciously savory, sweet, and slightly spicy dish that’s sure to impress without hours of hands-on effort, look no further than this Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lbs. flank steak
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1 scallion
  • ½ cup reduced salt soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Thinly cut the flank steak against the grain, and then dice. Put the steak in a bowl.
  2. Season flank steak with salt and pepper to taste, and coat with cornstarch. Mix until well combined.
  3. Mince your ginger and garlic.
  4. At the bottom of the slow cooker, add the vegetable oil and then add the steak.
  5. Then add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and water. Mix until well combined.
  6. Turn the slow cooker on 2.5 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low. Then stir when done cooking.
  7. Slice the scallion.
  8. Garnish the Mongolian beef with scallions and sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Notes

  • Slice the Steak Against the Grain: For the most tender results, make sure to slice the flank steak thinly against the grain. This helps the beef stay soft and juicy as it cooks.
  • Coat the Steak in Cornstarch: Don’t skip this step! The cornstarch helps thicken the sauce and locks in flavor, giving the dish that perfect glossy finish and keeping the beef tender.
  • Use Sesame Oil: The sesame oil is a key ingredient that adds rich, nutty flavor to the dish. It brings everything together and gives your Mongolian beef that signature taste you love from takeout.
  • Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    4

    Serving Size:

    1

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 1363mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 35g

    Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

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