The newest take-out-style dinner you can whip up at home. Tender, thinly sliced steak gets cooked in a rich, sweet, and tangy sauce until it’s caramelized around the edges. Serve it over steamed rice with a fresh sesame basil tomato salad on the side. The magic? A touch of butter and ginger. This dish is the perfect balance of salty, tangy, and sweet with just a hint of spice. So delicious!
You know how they say that when you’ve got way too much on your plate, you somehow work faster and get more done? Compared to when your to-do list is light, and you barely scratch anything off?
Well, a few weeks ago, right before a trip, I was swamped. It was exciting, and I was grateful for the work—but wow, it was a lot.
Turns out, when I’m overloaded, I actually thrive. Not the healthiest habit, sure, but I keep proving to myself that a tight deadline brings out my best work. And that’s exactly what happened with this recipe.
This easy, take-out-style Mongolian beef was a last-minute idea that ended up being so good! With just a few small tweaks, the homemade version can beat the restaurant classic.
My family loved it. Asher was especially obsessed and has asked me to make it again at least twice since the first time. Everyone’s hooked on that salty-sweet-tange sauce
Here’s the breakdown—surprise, it’s simple!
Step 1: Prep the beef (tips included!)
For a quick cook, use thin-cut flank steak. My best trick? Pop the steak in the freezer for 20 minutes before slicing. Slightly frozen meat makes it way easier to cut paper-thin—which is key here!
Oh, and a sharp knife helps too.
Next, toss the steak with cornstarch. This helps it crisp up and creates a light “breading” so the sauce clings perfectly
Step 2: Cook the steak
Grab a large skillet and cook the steak in butter, sesame oil, or olive oil. For extra flavor, start with sesame oil, then add the butter.
Throw in plenty of garlic and fresh ginger. I also like mixing in jarred sushi-style ginger—double the ginger means double the zing and a little kick!
Stir in soy sauce (I use tamari), a tiny bit of brown sugar (my go-to is organic dark brown), and chopped scallions. Let the steak simmer in the sauce until everything’s nicely coated. This whole step takes just minutes—timing depends on how thin your slices are.
Step 3: Make the tomato salad (optional but worth it!)
I had a bunch of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes to use up, so I tossed them with toasted sesame oil, tamari, chili flakes, and basil for a quick, fresh side.
Step 4: Serve it up
You’ll want rice—I usually go for plain steamed jasmine, but sometimes I’ll jazz it up with sesame oil, basil, or toasted sesame seeds and scallions.
Pile rice into a shallow bowl, top it with the saucy steak, and finish with fresh basil and a sprinkle of toasted seeds.
Add the tomatoes on the side—they bring such a pop of color to an otherwise simple-looking dish!
This recipe packs big flavor but stays super easy. Sweet, spicy, tangy, salty—it hits all the right notes, and they all work together perfectly.
It’s gonna be a lifesaver when school and work routines pick back up soon. Seriously, you only need 20 minutes to make this!
You couldn’t even get takeout that fast. Win!
