If you’ve ever wished for a dinner that feels like a warm hug on a plate, then you are absolutely going to love this Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe. It’s the perfect blend of tender, flavorful beef slow-cooked until melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness meets a savory-sweet sauce that clings to every bite. This recipe takes the stress out of weeknight cooking by letting your slow cooker do all the work while filling your kitchen with irresistible aromas. Get ready to fall in love with a dish that’s as simple as it is satisfying!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of this Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe is in its simplicity. Each ingredient plays a vital role, whether it’s creating that signature glossy sauce or adding the perfect tender texture to the beef. These essentials come together to craft a dish bursting with flavor, color, and heartwarming comfort.
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak: Thinly sliced against the grain for the most tender and juicy results.
- 1/4 cup cornstarch: Helps create that irresistible silky sauce while giving the beef a slightly crisp texture.
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil: Adds a deep, nutty aroma that perfectly complements the savory notes.
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic: Provides an essential punch of fragrant flavor that wakes up the taste buds.
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger: Brings a zesty warmth that rounds out the sauce beautifully.
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce: A key umami ingredient that balances sweetness and saltiness effortlessly.
- 1/3 cup brown sugar: Sweetens the sauce while creating that glorious caramelized finish.
- 1/2 cup water: Helps blend the ingredients and keeps everything perfectly saucy.
- 1/2 cup green onions: Adds a fresh, vibrant crunch as a garnish just before serving.
How to Make Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe
Step 1: Coat the Beef
Start by tossing the thinly sliced flank steak with cornstarch in a mixing bowl. This coating is essential because it thickens the sauce as the beef cooks and helps seal in juices, giving you tender yet flavorful pieces every time.
Step 2: Combine Ingredients in the Slow Cooker
Place the coated steak directly into your slow cooker. Add toasted sesame oil, minced garlic and ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and water on top. Give everything a gentle stir to blend the flavors without disturbing the cornstarch coating on the beef. This careful step ensures the sauce stays luscious and the meat doesn’t lose its tender bite.
Step 3: Let It Slow Cook
Cover your slow cooker and set it to HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 5 hours. This slow and gentle cooking time is where magic happens—the beef softens beautifully and soaks up all those rich, sweet, and savory notes, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s totally crave-worthy.
Step 4: Add Fresh Green Onions
To finish, stir in the fresh green onions just before serving. Their crispness and bright flavor create a perfect contrast to the rich sauce, giving the dish a lift both in taste and presentation.
How to Serve Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe
Garnishes
While green onions are the classic garnish, feel free to jazz it up with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or a few thin slices of fresh red chili if you like a touch of heat. These simple additions add an extra layer of texture and visual appeal that makes the dish feel extra special.
Side Dishes
This Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe pairs beautifully with steamed jasmine rice or fluffy white rice to soak up every drop of that luscious sauce. For a low-carb option, serve it atop cauliflower rice or alongside stir-fried vegetables like broccoli and snap peas to keep things bright and balanced.
Creative Ways to Present
If you’re aiming to impress, try serving the Mongolian beef over crispy fried noodles or in lettuce wraps for a fun, interactive meal that’s perfect for sharing. You can also turn leftovers into a delicious noodle bowl topped with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime for a quick lunch that feels anything but boring.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
When you have leftover Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef, simply transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days, making it a convenient option for easy meals throughout the week.
Freezing
If you want to meal prep or save some for later, this recipe freezes beautifully. Place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Just remember to leave some room for expansion!
Reheating
Reheat your Mongolian beef gently on the stove over low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much to bring back that luscious consistency. Either way, the flavors will be just as vibrant as when freshly made.
FAQs
Can I use a different cut of beef?
Absolutely! While flank steak is ideal because of its texture and flavor, you can substitute with skirt steak or sirloin thinly sliced. Just be mindful that cooking times might vary slightly depending on the thickness and cut.
Do I need to marinate the beef before slow cooking?
No marinating is required for this Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe. The cornstarch coating and slow cooking process allow the beef to absorb all the flavors perfectly without extra prep time.
Is this recipe spicy?
The original recipe is mild but full of sweet and savory depth. If you love spice, feel free to add red pepper flakes or fresh chili peppers to the slow cooker for an extra kick.
Can I make this recipe in an Instant Pot?
You can! Use the sauté function for the initial step, then pressure cook on high for about 15 minutes. Just make sure to adjust the liquid as needed to prevent burning.
What can I substitute for brown sugar?
If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, coconut sugar or even honey can work as alternatives, but the flavor and texture of the sauce might shift slightly. Brown sugar adds that signature caramel note that’s hard to beat.
Final Thoughts
This Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe is the kind of dish that feels like a little victory at the end of a busy day. Easy to prepare, packed with irresistible flavors, and wonderfully versatile, it’s sure to become one of your go-to recipes for both weeknight dinners and casual entertaining. So grab some flank steak, fire up that slow cooker, and treat yourself to a meal that’s as comforting as it is delicious—you deserve it!
Print
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe
- Total Time: 3 hours on HIGH or 5 hours 15 minutes on LOW
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Halal
Description
This Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef recipe is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender flank steak simmered to perfection in a savory sauce made with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, it requires minimal prep and lets the slow cooker do all the work for a deliciously tender and slightly sweet beef meal.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Coat the Steak: Toss the thinly sliced flank steak with cornstarch in a large mixing bowl until each piece is evenly coated. This helps to tenderize the meat and thicken the sauce during cooking.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the cornstarch-coated steak into the slow cooker. Add the toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, low sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, and water. Stir gently to fully combine all ingredients, ensuring the steak is well coated in the sauce mixture.
- Slow Cook the Beef: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on HIGH setting for 2 to 3 hours or on LOW setting for 4 to 5 hours. Cook until the beef is tender and the flavors have melded together beautifully.
- Add Green Onions and Serve: Just before serving, stir in the sliced green onions for a fresh, vibrant finish. Serve the Mongolian beef hot over steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- For best results, slice the flank steak very thinly against the grain to ensure tenderness.
- You can adjust the sweetness by increasing or decreasing the brown sugar to taste.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can mix a small amount of cornstarch with water and stir it into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness of the dish.
- Serve with steamed vegetables or rice to make it a balanced meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2-3 hours on HIGH or 4-5 hours on LOW
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese-American
