The easiest way you can make a Mongolian beef recipe! The beef gets meltingly tender in the slow cooker and the sauce becomes incredibly silky, with great spicy/sweet flavors!
All of the amazing spicy/sweet flavors of Mongolian beef, but in an incredibly easy slow cooker meal with just 10 minutes of prep. ย This is the Mongolian beef recipe for the busiest of people!
Who here loves Chinese take-out style meals? ย *raises hand frantically* ย I love all the bold flavors, great sauces, and how quickly things cook! ย One thing I don’t like though, is how hectic it can be to cook take-out style meals at home. ย The nature of a stir fry is that things cook really quickly, which means you have to have every component in the recipe ready to go… and things can STILL get stressful right?
The main thing I love so much about this Mongolian beef recipe is that unlike some slow cooker meals, it’s made entirely in the slow cooker, with no extra steps to take. ย No browning the meat, no broiling… just adding all the ingredients, turning on the slow cooker and walking away. ย Simply amazing.
And this meal is certainly not short on flavor! ย The garlic and ginger bring plenty of classic Mongolian beef flavor, and combined with sweet/heat combination of brown sugar and Sriracha sauce… it’s a powerhouse of amazing flavors!
WHAT SPICES ARE USED IN MONGOLIAN BEEF
Typically Mongolian beef is made with soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. ย I like mine to be a little sweet and spicy, so I add some Sriracha to it as well.
WHAT KIND OF BEEF DO YOU USE IN MONGOLIAN BEEF?
Most recipes, including both this slow cooker version and my classic recipe, use flank steak. ย I’ve also heard of people using sirloin steak as well.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING THIS SLOW COOKER MONGOLIAN BEEF RECIPE:
- Slice your flank steak against the grain. ย As you’re looking at the beef, you’ll see lines, like the grain on a piece of wood. ย You want to slice it across those lines, not alongside them. ย Doing this ensures an incredibly tender piece of beef.
- The carrots are optional, but add a great texture!
- Add the Sriracha to your tastes. ย I like this recipe to have a little heat to balance out the sweetness.
- To make this a complete meal, add some steamed broccoli and rice!
My original classic Mongolian beef recipe has done so well, with so many of you emailing with rave reviews, so I knew I didn’t want to deviate from those flavors. ย To adapt the sauce to work well in a slow cooker I added some extra soy sauce and water. ย Also, since there’s no marinating with this recipe, I added some extra ginger and Sriracha to boost the flavors.
HELPFUL TOOLS:
- 4 quart slow cooker – My absolute favorite slow cooker!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced flank steak (1/4 inch thick)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 - 2 tsp Sriracha sauce (can substitute with red pepper flakes or cayenne instead - in whatever amount you prefer)
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 4-6 green onions, thinly sliced
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Add sliced flank steak and cornstarch to a large resealable plastic bag. Close and shake to coat well. This can be done in a large mixing bowl as well, but I find it's less messy to do in a bag.
- To the bottom of slow cooker, add vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, water, soy sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha sauce. Stir to combine.
- Add in coated flank steak and carrots and stir again until everything is coated in the sauce.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours, until steak is cooked and tender.
- Serve over white rice and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- Slice your flank steak against the grain. ย As youโre looking at the beef, youโll see lines, like the grain on a piece of wood. ย You want to slice it across those lines, not alongside them. ย Doing this ensures an incredibly tender piece of beef.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Hege says
Hi,
If I double, or even triple this recipe, will the cooking time be more or less the same? And it would just be yummier re-heated wouldn’t it….. ๐
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Hege ๐ I’ve never doubled or tripled the recipe, but I would assume the cooking time would be about the same, maybe a little bit longer. And yes, reheated leftovers taste great!
Jennifer Kramer Greene says
Can you add broccoli to the Mongolian beef made in slow cooker
The Chunky Chef says
Absolutely! I would only add it during the last 30 minutes or so, so it doesn’t overcook ๐
Susan Cianfarani says
Thanks for specifics on how to slice the beef, its’ like youre right there in my kitchen!
Nancy says
Delicious and so easy to prepare!
Netta says
Have you tried to add frozen broccoli or tried this with chicken?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t, but I think either would be great!!
Alan Stuber says
How many calories are in this recipe? And or calories per cup?
The Chunky Chef says
Hi there ๐ I don’t provide full nutritional information for my recipes, as I’m not a nutritionist and don’t want to inadvertently pass out incorrect information. My advice would be to plus the ingredients into whichever online nutrition calculator tool you typically use. myfitnesspal.com is a popular one.
Kerrie says
Can you use skirt steak instead of flank steak?
The Chunky Chef says
Absolutely ๐
Maria Crusco says
Can you use dark brown sugar instead of light?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes ๐ You might want to use a little less though, as dark brown sugar has a higher molasses content, which can be a bit strong for some people.
Rose says
Can you please tell me what the small black things are in the picture. I cannot see anything of the ingredients that would have that in it
The Chunky Chef says
They’re black and white sesame seeds ๐
Nadine says
Made this for the family tonight and it was voted a KEEPER! I served it in a large pasta bowl – layer of rice, layer of steamed broccoli and the Mongolian Beef. OMG! We will be making this again soon.
Michelle says
We had this tonight and it was delicious! We added some steamed broccoli in about 10 minutes before we ate it. Perfect amount of spicy and sweet and so easy to make!
Susan Pattison says
REALLY GOOD and really easy! (I used powdered ginger- just as delicious!)
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
This looks really good! Looks like a new family favorite!
Chrissie says
I’m totally trying this. Thanks for another amazing recipe!!
amanda @ fake ginger says
I love a slow cooker beef recipe that doesn’t have to be seared before hand! This looks amazing – I know my boys will love it!
Krista says
This slow cooker dish is the best! I have got to make it soon!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
I love this! looks so good! Must make it!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
This is making me hungry! Looks perfect for dinner any night!
Melissa Griffiths says
Slow cooker recipes that literally require nothing else than putting things in a slow cooker are my favorite! Saving this one!
Albert Bevia says
I love the no-stress approach to this recipe and it sounds so delicious! and so much better than take-out, It just doesnยดt get any easier than this…superb
Katerina @ diethood .com says
mmm…I am loving this! Such an amazing dish!!
Patty says
How long should you cook this with sliced or chunk chicken?
Amanda says
Iโve only tested this recipe as written. So without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain how long. I would estimate about 6 hours on low if using chicken breasts, maybe around 3 hours if using sliced chicken? I would test with an internal thermometer to make sure the chicken is at least 165ยฐF before you stop cooking. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!