Name: Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cups soy sauce (use a gluten free variety, if necessary); 3/4 cups beef broth (divided); 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed); 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (use a gluten free variety, if necessary); 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less depending on your heat preference); 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 2 pounds flank steak (halved lengthwise, then sliced against the grain into 1/2 inch thick strips); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 large yellow onion (sliced); 1/4 cup cornstarch; Instant pot rice (for serving); Chopped green onions (for garnish); Asian roasted broccoli (for serving)

This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef is tastier and cheaper than takeout! Tender steak is coated in a brown sugar, ginger, garlic sauce and served over rice.

General
Ingredients
How to make
Get the recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
What beef to use
How long to cook
Make without Instant Pot
Pairing suggestions
How to store
Nutrition information

This Instant Pot Mongolian beef is so delicious, you’ll never order takeout again. Ok. Never say never. 😉 But Seriously. It’s sweet, tender, slightly spicy, and SO full of flavor.

Ingredients

If you love Asian inspired cooking, then you likely have these pantry staples at home already!

Soy Sauce – soaks into the beef to give a salty, rich umami flavor. Use a low sodium soy sauce if you’re watching your intake. Gluten free? Use tamari or coconut aminos instead.
Beef Broth – the base of our sauce. Beef broth can be found in a can, carton, and can also be made using beef bouillon cubes. As with the soy sauce, feel free to use a low sodium variety.
Brown Sugar – gives the Mongolian beef it’s classic, sweet flavor. Dark brown sugar is approximately 20% molasses and light brown sugar is 10%. Dark brown sugar is called for in the recipe, but either can be used.
Seasoned Rice Vinegar – balances out the rich flavors of soy sauce and beef broth with a bright, tangy flavor. Seasoned rice vinegar has the addition of salt and sugar, so if you need to substitute with another vinegar (like apple cider vinegar), use half the amount called for so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
Sesame Oil – adds a rich, nutty flavor. Be sure you’re using toasted sesame oil which has a deeper, roasted flavor than “regular” sesame oil.
Red Pepper Flakes – Mongolian beef isn’t typically spicy, but just a few red pepper flakes provides a mild spicy flavor to contrast the sweet brown sugar.
Ground Ginger – adds a bit of spiciness and a refreshing flavor. Feel free to use freshly grated or minced ginger instead. I never have fresh on hand, but if you prefer the flavor, use 1 tablespoon minced ginger to replace the 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger in the original recipe.
Garlic – gives a subtle kick of nutty flavor. Use pre-minced jarred garlic for easy prep. If fresh is all you have on hand, you’ll need about 3-6 cloves to equal the 1 tablespoon called for in the original recipe.
Flank Steak – halved lengthwise, then sliced against the grain into 1/2 inch thick strips. Flank steak is very lean so it’s important to not slice it too thick or overcook it.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – a high quality unrefined oil that’s used to cook the yellow onion. It has a fairly low smoke point, but it’s fine for the Instant Pot. Feel free to substitute with whatever oil you have on hand such as coconut oil, avocado oil, canola oil, etc.
Yellow Onion – yellow onion is used in the recipe, but feel free to use white or red onion. Yellow and red onions will yield a sweeter flavor whereas white onion will have more of a “bite” to it.
Cornstarch – whisked together with some reserved beef broth to make a slurry. Once the slurry is made, it’s slowly whisked into the cooking liquid and simmered until it has thickened. Without a slurry, the sauce would be too thin.

Pro tip

I love this recipe, because it’s super fast. If you have the time, whisk together the sauce, let the sliced flank steak marinate in it while you’re at work, then throw everything in the Instant Pot when you get home!

How to make

Multi-task! While the Instant Pot is cooking, throw some broccoli in the oven, and rice on the stove.

Whisk together soy sauce, some of the broth, brown sugar, hoisin, vinegar, seasme oil, red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic until well combined, stir in the sliced flank steak, then cover and let marinate.
Sauté extra virgin olive oil and onions in a hot 6 quart Instant Pot, then pour steak and marinade in.
Cover and lock the lid, then cook on HIGH pressure for 6 minutes. When the time is up, allow a natural release for 15 minutes, then flip the valve to release the remaining pressure.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup broth until smooth, slowly whisk into the Instant Pot, then allow to simmer until sauce has thickened to your liking.
Taste and re-season, if necessary, then serve over rice with chopped green onions and a side of roasted broccoli and enjoy!

Pro tip

Some recipes call for a “quick release” of the Instant Pot. Today, we’re using a “natural release” to allow the IP to gradually stop cooking. This helps the meat from becoming tough.

What beef to use

Flank steak is the classic cut of meat for Mongolian beef. It’s leaner than other cuts of beef, but there are a few things to ensure tender steak:

Marinating. The marinade not only flavors the meat, it also breaks it down!
Slicing against the grain. This breaks up the muscle fibers.
Cutting it thinly. Thicker pieces are too chewy and can become rubbery.

If you can’t find flank steak, skirt steak, round steak, or sirloin steak may be used instead.

How long do you cook beef in an instant pot?

There are many variables on how long to cook beef in an Instant Pot: type of beef, how big the steak is, how the beef is cut, does the steak have bones or no bones, etc. For this mongolian beef, 2 pounds of flank steak is halved lengthwise, then sliced against the grain into 1/2 inch thick strips and is then cooked on HIGH pressure for 6 minutes. This doesn’t include the time it takes for the IP to come to pressure or the 15 minute natural release.

Can you make mongolian beef without an instant pot?

Yes! Check out my stovetop Mongolian beef or my slow cooker Mongolian beef instead.

What to serve with instant pot mongolian beef

Serve over rice or fried rice and top off with green onions for garnish! Round out your meal with a couple of Asian-inspired side dishes!

Asian Roasted Broccoli
Egg Rolls (don’t forget the sweet and sour)
Potstickers
Egg Drop Soup

How to store

Leftover beef will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then microwave or warm on the stove until heated through.

– Jennifer