I perfected my recipe for Healthy Mongolian Beef and I couldn’t be happier to share it with you guys.
It’s surprisingly quick and easy to make, and not-so-surprisingly better for you than any takeout version. I mean, IYKYK that putting a healthy spin on the classics is kind of my specialty.
It tastes incredible, and judging by the comments I got when I first shared a reel for it last year, you guys agree. And honestly, nothing makes my day more than when you love my recipes. So, I’d say this one is a definite must-make. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it!
A HOUSEHOLD HEALTHY MONGOLIAN BEEF OBSESSION
Since becoming a mom in May, I appreciate quick, easy and healthy meals now more than ever. And that’s exactly what this Healthy Mongolian Beef is.
To start, you simply whisk together the sauce ingredients – like fresh ginger (great for digestion!), coconut aminos, tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), and some chili crisp, for a little heat. Next, cut up your veggies (vitamin-packed carrots and bell peppers) and cook in a skillet until tender, then remove them so you can cook the flank steak (that’s been tossed in arrowroot starch) to brown. Add the veggies back in and cook all together with the sauce, and that’s essentially it!
I like to top with sesame seeds and serve with some rice. Soo delish.
Bridger and I are obsessed, and I know it’ll quickly become a household favorite for you too. Make it one time and tell me you’re not already planning to work it into your next week’s dinner rotation!
TASTIER THAN TAKEOUT
When I say this Healthy Mongolian Beef is ridiculously delicious… The tender beef, tasty veggies, and the sauce, well, it’s everything. Your kitchen will smell insane.
Who needs takeout when you can make a fresh, flavor-filled, better-for-you version in the comfort of your own home?
Not to mention, while not technically considered a ‘superfood’ in the way same way other foods are, beef’s nutritional benefits should not be ignored (more on that HERE).
Perfect for when you want to get a healthy, yummy dinner on the table in 30 minutes, or make a double batch for a crowd. You can’t go wrong with this one. Makes for great lunch leftovers the next day too! I’d love to hear what you think in the comment section below. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
Sauce:
- Water
- Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- Coconut aminos
- Sesame oil
- Rice vinegar
- Freshly ground ginger
- Minced garlic
- Chili crisp (I like Momofuku Goods)
- Sea salt
Mongolian Beef:
- Pasture-raised flank steak
- Carrots
- Red bell pepper
- Green onion stalks
- Arrowroot starch
- Avocado oil
- Sesame seeds
HOW TO MAKE MY HEALTHY MONGOLIAN BEEF
Prep all sauce and beef ingredients. Then, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
Using a serrated knife, slice the flank steak against the grain at an angle, making very thin slices (as thin as possible!).
Add sliced steak to a bowl with the arrowroot starch and toss until the steak is fully coated.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add about 2 tablespoons of the avocado oil to the pan. Add the sliced carrots and bell peppers and cover with a lid to steam for 3-5 minutes. Once tender, remove from pan and set aside.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil to the skillet. Once hot, add the beef and cook on medium to high heat. Be careful not to overcook and turn the heat down when it browns and you barely see any pink left.
Add the cooked veggies back in to the skillet, along with the green onions and sauce. Stir until well combined, then reduce heat and cover with a lid. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Remove from heat and add sesame seeds to serve. I typically pair with cooked, organic basmati rice, but any rice or grain, side salad or more veggies work. Enjoy!
To Store:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 3-4 days.
RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS
Feel free to customize this dish as needed based on dietary or personal taste preferences. You could use soy sauce instead of coconut aminos or tamari, and option to omit or lessen the amount of chili crisp based on your spice tolerance.
Flank steak is generally used to make Mongolian beef, but any quick-cooking beef will work, such as New York strip, hanger or sirloin. If you’re not into beef, you could definitely give this a try with chicken instead. I prefer to toss the steak in arrowroot starch since I’m gluten-free, but cornstarch or tapioca starch (another GF option) also works.
The carrots and red bell pepper go together nicely, but feel free to add or swap in broccoli or broccolini, and use whichever color bell pepper you’d like.
I typically serve this dish with organic white basmati rice, but any rice, or noodles, work!
WHY COAT BEEF IN STARCH BEFORE COOKING?
Tossing, or coating, your beef/steak before cooking is important because it helps to tenderize the meat, helping to create a flavorful sear, as well as helps to thicken the sauce which ultimately allows it to fully coat the meat.
HOW DO YOU KEEP THE STEAK TENDER?
To keep the steak tender (aka not tough and chewy), it’s important to slice the steak very thin and against the grain. To ensure you’re slicing it right, locate the parallel lines (aka the muscle fiber) that run along the steak, and cut perpendicular to the direction they’re running.
A trick to make the steak easier to slice thin and more uniformly is to try freezing it for up to 30 minutes before slicing so it firms up a little. And of course, be sure to use a sharp knife!
HERE’S MORE ASIAN-INSPIRED DISHES YOU’LL LOVE:
Creamy Crockpot Sesame Chicken
Click here to watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂
Healthy Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or about 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp, for medium heat; if you prefer less heat, reduce to 1 teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Mongolian Beef:
- 1.75 pounds (approximately) pasture-raised flank steak
- 2 loose carrots, peeled and cut into match sticks
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 3-5 green onion stalks, ends removed and chopped diagonally
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
- 3-4 tablespoons avocado oil
- Sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
- Prep all sauce and beef ingredients. Then, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
- Using a serrated knife, slice the flank steak against the grain at an angle, making very thin slices (as thin as possible!).
- Add sliced steak to a bowl with the arrowroot starch and toss until the steak is fully coated.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add about 2 tablespoons of the avocado oil to the pan. Add the sliced carrots and bell peppers and cover with a lid to steam for 3-5 minutes. Once tender, remove from pan and set aside.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil to the skillet. Once hot, add the beef and cook on medium to high heat. Be careful not to overcook and turn the heat down when it browns and you barely see any pink left.
- Add the cooked veggies back in to the skillet, along with the green onions and sauce. Stir until well combined, then reduce heat and cover with a lid. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat and add sesame seeds to serve. I typically pair with cooked, organic basmati rice, but any rice or grain, side salad or more veggies work. Enjoy!
To Store
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 3-4 days.
This was the first ever meal I made of yours and I have been hooked to your recipes ever since! Obsessed with the flavor in this meal!! Your cookbook is always open in my kitchen!
This was delicious! I did sub in 1/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce instead of tamari, 1/4 cup instead of coconut aminos, and omitted the salt since chili crisp tends to have a lot of salt already. I also added in two tsp of gochujang for more spice and it was delicious.