Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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Tender pieces of flank steak are slow-cooked in the tastiest sweet and savory sauce. This slow cooker Mongolian beef is melt-in-your-mouth perfection and bursting with flavor. Quick and easy to prepare and one of our favorite slow cooker meals!

If you love restaurant Mongolian Beef, this super easy make-at-home rendition will be your new favorite dinner. Serve over this easy fried rice for a complete meal. And if you really want to wow your guests, egg rolls and vegetable stir-fry on the side would be amazing!

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef - The Recipe Critic (1)

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef made in the slow cooker is life-changing! Slow cooking the beef ensures that it’ll be delicate and succulent. This slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe is an explosion of flavors in every bite! Garlic, soy sauce, and brown sugar come together to create a caramelized sauce that coats the tender juicy pieces of steak.

This is hands down one of the BEST dinners that I have ever made. My family couldn’t get enough of it! It’s so easy to make restaurant-worthy meals for the family at home. If you love this slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe then I can’t wait for you to try more of our favorites. Make this sweet and sour chicken, these lettuce wraps, of this incredible bang bang chicken.

Mongolian Beef Ingredients

Slow cooker Mongolian beef is SO easy to make with minimal ingredients. The ingredients are simple, but the outcome is incredible! Your dinner is prepped and ready to go in under 10 minutes!

  • Flank Steak:Sirloin can be substituted here but avoid stew meat.
  • Corn Starch: This acts as a natural tenderizer for the beef.
  • Olive Oil: Use canola oil if you’d rather.
  • Garlic: Minced or chopped will give the most flavor.
  • Soy Sauce: Either low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos can be used here.
  • Water: This will help make it saucy.
  • Brown Sugar:Light or dark brown sugar is both great in the sauce.
  • Carrots: Grate a carrot or instead use pre-shredded carrots.
  • Green Onions and Sesame Seeds: Optional garnish, but make a stunning topping.

How to Make Mongolian Beef in a Slow Cooker

The beef literally just melts in your mouth! You can always count on the slow cooker for tender beef. The tasty sauce clings to the cornstarch-coated steak and every bite is bursting with flavor. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

  1. Cut and Coat: Cut the flank steak thinly and across the grain to ensure a tender bite. Place the steak in a ziplock bag with the cornstarch then shake to coat. Make sure to coat the beef evenly.
  2. Add ingredients to the Slow Cooker:Mix the oil, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and carrots in the slow cooker.
  3. Coat the Beef: Stir the beef into the slow cooker making sure it’s well-coated
  4. Cook:Set on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
  5. Garnish and Enjoy: Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds for added flavor and texture then enjoy over rice!
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef - The Recipe Critic (2)

Tips and Variations

Everything about this Mongolian recipe is perfect, and I know that it will become a family favorite at your house just like it did at ours! Here are some ideas and variations to make it your own! I also included instructions for making it in the instant pot when you’re short on time!

  • Slicing the Beef:When slicing the flank steak make sure to slice it against the grain. I like to slice mine about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Veggies: Roast broccoli, green beans or red bell pepper then stir in before serving. Vegetables add texture and nutrition.
  • Instant Pot:This easily converts to a quick Instant Pot recipe. Saute the steak on high until browned. Add the sauce ingredients and cook on “Manual” for 10 minutes. Lastly, quick release the pressure and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef - The Recipe Critic (3)

How to Store Leftovers

Store any leftover Mongolian beef you may have, because it’s great for heating up and enjoying later! I like to make a little extra rice as well for a quick lunch that’s super satisfying!

  • In the Refrigerator:Place leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
  • In the Freezer:Once cooled, store leftovers in an air-tight container or freezer ziplock bag for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rewarming.
  • To Reheat: Place leftovers in a microwave-safe bowl then heat for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through.
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef - The Recipe Critic (4)

More Savory Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow cooker dinners always save the day! They’re easy and SO delicious. Everyone loves coming home to a warm home-cooked dinner. Try some of our favorites this week for dinner. You’ll love them all!

Slow Cooker

Crockpot Salisbury Steak

3 hrs 20 mins

Side Dishes

Crockpot Green Beans

3 hrs 5 mins

Dinner

Slow Cooker Kalua Pulled Pork

16 hrs 5 mins

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Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

4.69 from 63 votes

By: Alyssa Rivers

Tender pieces of flank steak are slow cooked in the tastiest sweet and savory sauce. This slow cooker Mongolian beef is melt-in-your-mouth perfection and bursting with flavor. Quick and easy to prepare and one of our favorite slow cooker meals!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Slow Cooker: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.

  • In a medium-sized bowl, add the olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine and add to the slow cooker.

  • Add the grated carrots and coated flank steak to the slow cooker and stir until coated in the sauce.

  • Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.

  • Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Updated on November 08, 2023

Originally Posted on August 17, 2015

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 28gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1705mgPotassium: 555mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 3564IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Why is Mongolian beef so tender? ›

Cornstarch and egg white is a very common technique in Chinese cuisine. It gives a lot of moisture to the beef and creates a starchy layer to lock the juiciness inside the meat. So the beef will turn out super tender and juicy.

What is Mongolian beef sauce made of? ›

Making the Mongolian Beef Sauce

Whisk the Mongolian Beef Sauce ingredients together consisting of soy sauce, water, brown sugar, Asian sweet chili sauce, rice wine, hoisin, pepper, sriracha and cornstarch.

Is Mongolian beef healthy for you? ›

It's a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and various vitamins and minerals. By using lean cuts of beef and adding plenty of vegetables, you can make Mongolian beef a part of a healthy and balanced diet.

Is skirt steak good for slow cooking? ›

A thin, long and versatile cut that tends to be reserved for slow cooking, skirt steak comes from the cow's diaphragm muscles. It's lean and tough, with intense, melt-in-your-mouth flavours that emerge when cooked slowly.

How do Chinese restaurants make their beef so tender? ›

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

How do Chinese get their beef so soft? ›

This is how to tenderise beef with a Chinese restaurant method called “velveting beef”. Also used for chicken, it's a simple, highly effective technique using baking soda that transforms economical beef so it's incredibly tender in stir fries and stir fried noodles.

What is PF Chang's Mongolian sauce? ›

Deep and flavorful, our Mongolian Style BBQ Sauce can attribute its flavor profile to smoked black pepper, sweet molasses, soy sauce and garlic making this sauce versatile for marinades and as a finishing sauce.

What ethnicity is Mongolian beef? ›

Mongolian beef is a dish from Taiwan consisting of sliced beef, typically flank steak, usually made with onions. The beef is commonly paired with scallions or mixed vegetables and is often not spicy. The dish is often served over steamed rice, or in the US, over crispy fried cellophane noodles.

What is the difference between Mongolian beef and Chinese beef? ›

Szechuan beef vs Mongolian beef, what's the difference? Szechuan beef has a sweet and spicy flavor, and Mongolian beef has a mild taste. Szechuan beef hails from the Sichuan Province in southwestern China.

What is the unhealthiest cut of beef? ›

Best cuts: Sirloin tip side steak, eye of round roast, top round steak and bottom round steak. Worst cuts: T-bone steak, rib-eye steak, filet mignon and porterhouse steak.

What is the healthiest beef in the world? ›

Of these, the following are considered the leanest beef cuts:
  • Eye of round roast and steak.
  • Round tip roast and steak.
  • Top round roast and steak.
  • Bottom round roast and steak.
  • Top sirloin steak.
  • Top loin steak.
  • Chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
Nov 21, 2023

Is there another name for Mongolian beef? ›

Stir-Fried Spicy Beef (Previously: Mongolian Beef)

Sliced beef marinated in soy and then stir-fried with peppers and onions.

What beef is best in slow cooker? ›

Here are the very best beef cuts to keep on hand to slow cook:
  • Chuck steak.
  • Round steak.
  • Blade steak.
  • Topside.
  • Silverside.
  • Skirt steak.
  • Shin (gravy) beef.
  • Sausages.

What is the best meat to slow cook in a slow cooker? ›

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

What is the best cut of beef for the crockpot? ›

Some of the best cuts of meat for slow cooking include:
  • Beef Chuck. This cut of beef is often used in stews and pot roasts, as it is well-marbled and contains a lot of connective tissue.
  • Lamb Shank. ...
  • Short Ribs. ...
  • Brisket. ...
  • Slow Cooker/Crockpot. ...
  • Braising. ...
  • Oven Roasting. ...
  • Slow Cooker Beef Stew.
Mar 26, 2023

What makes beef really tender? ›

Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender. Liberally salt the steaks up to an hour before cooking, then proceed according to your recipe.

What is the secret ingredient to tenderize meat? ›

Whether hosting a holiday cookout, serving up some stir-fry or tackling game meats, baking soda is the go-to meat tenderizer to help make your steak, chicken or turkey silkier, juicier and yummier.

What makes beef so tender? ›

The amino acid chains that form collagen. Weight-bearing muscles and muscles that are constantly used contain higher amounts of collagen than muscles that aren't used for support or aren't used as frequently. Cows and pigs have higher amounts of collagen in the legs, chest, and rump.

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