Mongolian Beef

Tender beef tossed in a sweet and savoury soy sauce is simply delicious! Using an air fryer to make this popular beef stir fry eliminates splatter from deep or shallow frying on the stovetop. But also really easy on the stovetop. If you like it spicy, feel free to add some chili. You can definitely make it your own by adjusting the sugar and saltiness to your liking. So much better than take out.

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound beef flank steak, ⅛ inch slices
½ cup tapioca, potato or corn starch
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil, plus more for spraying
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dried chilis, seeds removed (optional)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
2 stalks green onion, chopped

For the Marinade
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ShaoHsing wine
2 teaspoons soy sauce

For the Sauce
¼ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine beef and marinade ingredients. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight, covered in the fridge.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

Stovetop

1. In a shallow dish, add potato starch, lightly coat each piece of beef.
2. In a wok or large frying pan on medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add half of the beef. Cook for one minute to sear one side. Flip and cook until the beef is evenly browned and crispy. Remove and repeat with the remaining beef.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, add garlic, ginger and chilis if using, cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the sauce and let simmer for about 5 minutes. In the same bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cool water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce and cook until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken.
4. Add the cooked beef until the beef is well covered with the sauce and heated through.
5. Turn off the heat. Stir in green onion.

Air Fryer

1. In a shallow dish, add potato starch, lightly coat each piece of beef and place in a single layer in an air fryer. Spray the beef with cooking oil.
2. Air fry for 10 mins at 400°F, stirring once at about halfway mark. Cook until the beef is evenly browned and crispy.  If using a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook in multiple batches at 10 minutes per batch.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
4. In a wok or large frying pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Add garlic, ginger and chilis if using, cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the sauce and let simmer for about 5 minutes. In the same bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cool water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce and cook until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken.
5. Add the cooked beef until the beef is well covered with the sauce and heated through.
6. Turn off the heat. Stir in green onion.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Mongolian Beef

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: air fryer, beef, wok

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef flank steak ⅛ inch slices
• ½ cup potato starch
• 4 tablespoons avocado or neutral cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 chilis optional
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 stalks green onion chopped

For the Marinade

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ShaoHsing wine
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

For the Sauce

• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine beef and marinade ingredients. Let marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

Stovetop

• In a shallow dish, add potato starch, lightly coat each piece of beef.
• In a wok or large frying pan on medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add half of the beef. Cook for one minute to sear one side. Flip and cook until the beef is evenly browned and crispy. Remove and repeat with the remaining beef.
• Turn the heat down to medium, add garlic, ginger and chilis if using, cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the sauce and let simmer for about 5 minutes. In the same bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cool water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce and cook until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken.
• Add the cooked beef until the beef is well covered with the sauce and heated through.
• Turn off the heat. Stir in green onion.

Air Fryer

• In a shallow dish, add potato starch, lightly coat each piece of beef and place in a single layer in an air fryer. Spray the beef with cooking oil.
• Air fry for 10 mins at 400°F, stirring once at about halfway mark. Cook until the beef is evenly browned and crispy. If using a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook in multiple batches at 10 minutes per batch.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
• In a wok or large frying pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Add garlic, ginger and chilis if using, cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the sauce and let simmer for about 5 minutes. In the same bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cool water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce and cook until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken.
• Add the cooked beef until the beef is well covered with the sauce and heated through.
• Turn off the heat. Stir in green onion.