This Crockpot Mongolian Beef is a super easy slow cooker recipe – just toss everything together and cook on low for a few hours. The meat is slightly tangy, spicy, and so tender, then served over hot cooked rice to soak up the delicious sauce!
Crockpot Mongolian Beef Recipe
The first time I ever had Mongolian Beef was at P.F. Changs and I loved every single bite. The beef practically melts in your mouth and the sweet and savory sauce is so delish. I’ve made it at home several times since then – it’s so quick and easy.
This crockpot mongolian beef recipe is a spin on the classic Chinese take-out, made in your slow cooker, with similar flavor. Serve with cooked rice and a steamed veggie for a practically effortless dinner the whole family will love.
What is Mongolian Beef?
Mongolian beef is essentially a stir fry dish that’s very popular in Chinese-American restaurants. It consists of thinly sliced tender beef (typically flank steak) in a savory-sweet sauce that includes soy sauce, brown sugar, and aromatics, then served over cooked white rice or cellophane noodles. Today we’re sharing a variation on this classic made in a crockpot.
Ingredients Needed
If you make stir fry pretty often, you will likely have most of these ingredients for Mongolian Beef in your cupboard.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for complete details.)
- Flank steak – This cut of beef is lean and flavorful and preferred for Mongolian Beef. Slicing it thin ensures it cooks up tender and absorbs the sweet-savory sauce. See other options below.
- Cornstarch – This is used to coat the sliced beef, which helps tenderize the meat and also thicken the sauce.
- Soy sauce – Low-sodium to cut down on salt levels.
- Sesame oil – Toasted sesame oil adds that classic umami Asian flavor.
- White wine and Vinegars – White wine, rice vinegar, and dry sherry, all add rich tangy flavor to the dish.
- Brown sugar – This is necessary for sweetness and to balance out the acidity from the wine and vinegar.
- Molasses – Adds a warm, sweet, smoky flavor!
- Seasonings – Dried onion, black pepper and red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
- Peanut butter – Asian food is particularly peanut rich. In this recipe, peanut butter is used for flavoring and thickening the sauce. Creamy almond butter also works beautifully if allergies are a concern.
- Garlic and Ginger – For wonderful flavor and aromatics.
- Scallions – These mild onions have a subtle peppery taste and are great in Asian dishes.
How to Make Crockpot Mongolian Beef
Making Mongolian beef in your crockpot is super easy!
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for complete details.)
- Thinly slice the beef. Slice the meat thin across the grain and coat evenly with the cornstarch, shaking off any excess.
- Combine ingredients. Put all the ingredients into the crockpot; mix well until combined and smooth. Put meat on top, gently toss to coat.
- Cook. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
- Enjoy. Serve over cooked white rice or noodles.
Tips and Substitutions
- Use the right cut of beef. Flank steak is typically used for Mongolian Beef because it’s lean and carries a lot of flavor. Sirloin or New York Strip can also be used or even filet, although more expensive. Avoid chuck or stew meat which will be too tough.
- Slice across the grain. Always cut the beef thinly and across the grain, which ensures it cooks up nice and tender.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch. This helps tenderize the meat and also thicken the sauce.
- Type of white wine. A sauvignon blanc or chardonnay work great here. No need for top shelf wine, just use something you’d enjoy drinking on its own.
- White wine substitute. The alcohol in the wine cooks off and leaves great depth of flavor, but if you don’t cook with alcohol, you can replace the wine with white grape juice or apple juice.
- Sherry substitute. Some acceptable subs for dry sherry include another dry fortified wine such as dry (white) vermouth, dry versions of madeira and marsala, or dry pinot grigio.
- Non-alcoholic substitute for sherry. Combine 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, and a 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar.
- Add in some chopped vegetables. Feel free to add in some thinly sliced red bell pepper or toward the end of cooking time, some steamed broccoli florets.
Serving Suggestions
Mongolian beef is ideal served over some cooked white rice or cellophane noodles. If you want a lower carb dinner option, brown rice or cauliflower rice are also great options. Steamed or stir fry vegetables can complete the meal. When it comes to side dishes, my go-to’s for any Asian stir fry are always egg rolls and crab rangoon. Just like takeout!
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store any leftover Mongolian beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer. Allow it to cool completely and store in a freezer safe container container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it slowly.
More Easy Crockpot Recipes
- Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
- Slow Cooker Italian Lemon Chicken
- Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Crockpot Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds flank steak
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon frech minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 4 scallions , diced
- cooked white rice and steamed veggies , for serving
Instructions
- Slice the meat thinly across the grain and coat evenly with the cornstarch, shaking off any excess.
- Put all the other ingredients into the crockpot; mix well until combined and smooth.
- Place meat on top and gently toss to coat.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Serve over cooked white rice and a steam vegetable.
the sauce was great, possibly my bad on the only 4 out of 5- i used sirloin steak and it was not tender enough- then i had a thought- instant pot version? could make the beef very tender- anyway- appreciate the recipes- also made chicken alfredo and was a hit. good luck and thank you. -pete
This was great.
Would this work as a slow cooker freezer meal? As in, can I put everything in a freezer bag, freeze, then put in the crock pot the morning of use?
Hi Pam – No, sorry. The meat should be fully thawed before proceeding with this recipe.
This was great! Thank you for posting it! I only used a little over a pound of meat since there was only 2 of us and we really like sauce, used a 4 quart crockpot, subbed chicken broth for white wine, and skipped the molasses cause i didn’t i realize i didn’t have any until too late! I also didn’t get home in time and it cooked for 6 hours and …. It was Fab-u-lous! Thank you! Can’t wait to make it again!
Any suggestions for what kind of white wine to use? I’m a red drinker so am pretty clueless on what would work with this recipe.
Hi Michelle – There are notes about this in the article, thanks!
This was so easy and delicious!
Great recipe!
The flavors sound amazing!! I love Mongolian beef!!
I was wondering…what is the final texture like? I assume very moist from being in the crock pot with those lovely acids helping it along. Does the exterior have a little bit of a crunch? It looks like it has a lovely crispness like it was pan fried.
Thanks!!
Hi Amber – the meat is tender, but not mushy on account of it cooking for 4 hours (as opposed to 6-8.) I wouldn’t say the exterior is crispy, but it does have a nice coating to it and the sauce is awesome.
Thanks for the recipe, it was so good! I had to sub honey for the molasses and rice vinegar for the white wine vinegar but those seemed like they weren’t too far off. This is the first time I’ve used flank steak in the crock pot and was very happy with the outcome. And very happy with how the sauce was all thickened up and ready to go without having to do any extra steps.
Should the ginger be fresh grated ginger root or dried ground ginger from the spice section? Thanks! Looking forward to making this.
fresh grated!
I love Mongolian Beef too. And it is a good idea to use crock pot.
This looks absolutely awesome, and I can’t wait to try it! I have a couple of questions though:
Can I cook it on high for 2 hours? The reason I ask is because, I leave the house by 6:30 AM, and don’t get home until about 6 PM. I can prepare everything and have my boyfriend throw it in when he gets home around 4, if it can cook like that.
Also, given that I can do the above, do you think it’s ok to just mix it all together in a ziplock and toss it in?
Hi Lucy – I think 2 hours on high might dry out the meat, or make it tough. BUT I really don’t know. I’ve never made it any other way than what I posted, sorry.
Love this recipe, making it for the second time this week.
Hi Amy,
I love the recipe but I was wondering if switching the flank steak out for a chuck would work here? I’m trying to find a good recipe for Asian style shredded beef.
Thank You!
Hi there Heidi – I would stay away from chuck, it will be too tough. I do list some other suggestions in the article, like sirloin or NY Strip.
I don’t have a crock pot, so I cooked at 300 degrees in the oven.
It was delicious. We had three meals from this one.
Amy-you did it again!! Made this tonight & it was GREAT!! I doubled the recipe for four of us & there’s only about one serving left over. So tasty! My DH had THIRDS. Thanks for another addition to my regular rotation. I didn’t really have a good beef crock pot recipe outside the standard pot roast & stew so I’m glad to have this one now. Thanks again for all your efforts & sharing your gift with us!
Omg Amy this was incredible!!!! Huuuuge hit at my house, so I’ll be making this over and over!! Thank you for sharing!
This looks amazing! However, with a soy allergy in our house, do you know of a good soy alternative for this recipe?
Hi Eisley – hm. I don’t know, honestly :( Maybe tamari or ponzu??
I made this the other day (with some changes) and it tasted good, but I have a very large size crock pot (I think 8 quart) and this was definitely a bit small for it. I ended up having a decreased cooking time, and a bit of a problem with things almost burning; thankfully I checked on it before it got to that point, just ended up being a pain to clean the pot.
I made this to it and it was excellent! My family likes things a little more highly seasoned so I doubled the red chili flakes and added 1/4 cup of hoisin sauce. To serve it I stir fried a huge bunch of vegetables and then out the beef over jasmine rice and the vegetables. This recipe is so great! Thank you!
This was very Good!
Hi, i just found thie recipe and it looks awsome! i was just wondering what kind of vegetables dish would you make with this. what has other people make. any suggestions would be great!
thanks
Sara
I did fresh green beans with bacon and it was a good combo with this recipe.
I found with the rice, it was so filling and didn’t need a side dish, BUT what you made sounds delicious in its own right.
This. Looks. Awesome. Printing out NOW. Thanks A!!!!!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was really delicious! I used a thin steak from the freezer that I had marked “Carne Asada” (so I don’t really remember what actual cut it was, but I’m sure it wasn’t ‘flank steak’…) and I added very thinly sliced red bell pepper. Right at the end, I added some steamed broccoli and served it over sticky rice. Super easy and really tasty! I added a couple of drops sesame oil right at the end a few minutes before serving. Thank you for sharing this recipe with all of us!
Mongolian Beef (Crockpot)
Just had this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! Such a great one-pot recipe – thank you for sharing!
Thank you for this recipe! I just made it and it was deliiiiish!! Ive been searching for a good mongolian beef recipe and this one takes the cake!
Well, the girl and I love steak, love hot and love not messy. Very tasty filling meal.
There’s something to be said about one-pot meals. Less cleanup and generally easier (especially crock pot meals). This looks outstanding! It’s simple, yet elegant. It’s your little secret that it’s a crock pot meal.
This is my kinda prep. You throw everything in and after an hour or so beautiful, succulent smells start to fly around your house…while you’re cleaning, sweeping and folding the laundry. ; ) That’s my Saturday today. I have a bed full of unfolded, un-ironed clothes. ugh.
Noted. :) Not for this week’s menu, though. I’m using the last of the cool weather to make lasagna bolognese to eat all weekend. Soon, though!
My dad will be asking for a second or (a take-home bag) of this dish,. Looks really delicious! Can’t wait to try this.
Your Mongolian Beef looks absolutely flavorful and juicy! I couldn’t believe it was done in a crock pot. Thanks for sharing!
This sounds wonderful and very flavorful. I bet flank steak would do very well in the crockpot..yum!
Can we make that a thing? Giving up chores for lent? Cause…I could so do that.
I’m actually totally a bad catholic and gave up nothing for lent…though I guess since I don’t eat meat, I’m actually a really good catholic? Hmm.
Yet, another winner! This was so good. My daughter & husband loved this.
Good point about red meat being expensive. And just when I was getting excited about grilling season arriving soon, too. I think we have a few steaks in the deep freeze I could use for this, because we are likely to get very sick of chicken. I’m hoping that since it is Lent, there might be some good sales on beef so I can stock up again! Can’t wait to try this!!
Saving this until Lent is over!! Looks and sounds TOO Yummy!!!!
Since Mom makes this and I’ve had yours, it’s worth every penny, it’s delicious and that’s no crock.
I do find it odd that you refer to your friends as fast and easy…albeit tidy.
Already printed out to try. Since I don’t have a crock pot, I’ll try stove top or oven on very low heat and see what happens.
Here, the meat–all meat–is off on Fridays. But since Milo is beef-free for his Hindu half, I’m going to try this with pork. I’ll let you know how it is. I need at least one decent crock-pot recipe a week. Thanks!
Mmmm, sounds yummy :D. Since thinly sliced pork loin will cook more quickly than the beef, I suggest checking it after 3 hours.
Keep rockin’ those crockpot recipes! They’re awesome! (thankfully I didn’t give up meat for lent =)
What can you use in place of the wine and sherry? I’m allergic to alcohol and can’t cook with it…
Hi there Brian – substituting ingredients takes a lot of trial and error practice, and I cannot vouch for how this dish will come out without the sherry and wine. However, here are some general guidelines. Let me know how it turns out!
A general substitution for sherry is apple cider…for the 1/4 cup sherry, use 4 tablespoons vinegar + 1/2 tablespoon sugar + 4 tablespoons water OR 1/2 tablespoon vinegar, plus chicken stock or water to make 1/4 cup.
A general substitution for white wine is white grape juice, apple cider, or apple juice…substitute an equal measure of one of those.
I don’t give up meat, I figure my week night gin and tonics was enough.
Lol. Yes, I’d say that’s sacrifice. Giving up both would just be cruel.
Ahem…..red meat a strike against it? I’d say that’s a strike FOR it! (I know it’s Lent and all, but just don’t eat it on Friday for cryin’ out loud.) A girl can’t live without red meat! Gonna make this tomorrow, thank you Miss Amy!
Every time I read “Crock Pot” I think it says “Crack Pot.” Honestly though, I’d totally make a recipe for Crack Pot Mongolian Beef.
Again, I totally hear you on the “cream of crap”. UGH!! None of those strikes apply to me so I’m all on board for this yummy recipe!! xoxo