This copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef recipe comes together in 20 minutes, it’s EASY, and makes for a great weeknight meal! Even picky eaters will love this, and any leftover sauce can be served over rice.
Copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef
We don’t go to P.F.Chang’s all that often but when we do, this is a family favorite. And now I can make it at home.
I love it when I can recreate a restaurant dish and make it taste as good at home, if not better, and it’s extremely easy.
This copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef recipe is loaded with rich Asian flavors from the ginger, garlic, sesame, and soy.
It’s ready in 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknight dinners. Or picky eaters, if you happen to have one!
Rather than frying the beef in a wok with excess oil, I seared it in a skillet with just a bit of oil. The beef is wonderfully tender thanks to the tenderizing properties of cornstarch and so juicy from all the sauce.
The sauce tastes so authentic and is where it’s at with this dish. It’s so simple but really is the star of the show for me at home. You’ll likely have extra, and it’s great over rice.
I garnished my Mongolian beef with green onions, sesame seeds, and served it with rice (try this fried rice), but you could add sugar snap peas, snow pea pods, or broccoli in the final few minutes of cooking the beef if you want to turn this into more of a ‘beef with broccoli’ type of dish.
Tip: For those who love their Asian inspired beef recipes or beef with broccoli, I have Better-Than-Takeout Beef and Broccoli and 15-Minute Sheet Pan Chinese Beef and Broccoli.
What is Mongolian Beef?
If you’ve never been to P.F. Chang’s before, you might be a little confused about why I’m so excited for this copycat recipe. Essentially, Mongolian beef is a stir-fry made up of sliced beef (I used flank steak in this recipe) and a savory brown sauce.
Sauce ingredients may vary, but a combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger gives you the right flavor.
Depending on where you get Mongolian beef, it might come with stir-fried vegetables in it as well, and the sauce may be slightly spicy from the addition of chili peppers.
It’s always served with rice, but you can also make cauliflower rice or quinoa to go with it!
How to Make Mongolian Beef
This is such a fast and easy recipe for Mongolian Beef that everyone adores! Follow my easy and straightforward steps.
Step 1: To a large bag, add sliced steak and cornstarch, then toss to coat.
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic and fresh ginger until garlic is fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
Step 3: To that same saucepan, add soy sauce, water, and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow it to boil for a couple minutes before reducing the heat and simmering until slightly thickened and reduced.
Step 4: While the stir-fry sauce simmers, sear the steak in a well oiled skillet. Then pour in the soy sauce mixture and toss meat to coat it evenly with the sauce. Let the Mongolian beef continue cooking until the sauce thickens up, and give it a final taste before serving.
Step 5: I like to garnish my copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef with green onions and sesame seeds, but that’s completely optional.
Tips for the Best Mongolian Beef
Corn starch – The cornstarch in this recipe is non-negotiable. It helps the beef crisp up a little when seared, and it thickens the sauce. If you omit the cornstarch, your sauce will be too runny and your Mongolian beef won’t be just like P.F. Chang’s!
Gluten-free – To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure your soy sauce is certified gluten-free. I know that’s important for many of my readers, so I wanted to mention that!
Slicing – When slicing the flank steak, make sure to slice with the grain so that the pieces stay intact while they’re cooking. If you’re unsure how to slice beef this way, see if the butcher at your local grocery store will cut the steak for you.
I had the butcher slice the steak for me, which made the recipe even faster and easier.
More Asian Recipes:
- Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken – Juicy chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated with the best garlicky soy sauce! Skip takeout and make your own restaurant-quality meal that’s easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthier!
- Orange Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin – An orange-scented teriyaki sauce keeps the pork so tender, juicy, and flavorful! Easy, one-skillet recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and healthy! Under 250 calories with 25 grams of protein!
- Easy Sweet and Sour Asian Noodles – So much flavor in these easy noodles that are ready in 30 minutes! Plenty of vegetables add great crunch! You won’t miss takeout when homemade tastes way better and is healthier!
- Thai Coconut Chicken Stir Fry – Chicken, sugar snap peas, bell peppers, and carrots simmered in a rich coconut milk broth that’s irresistible! Layers of flavor, easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthy!
- Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken – The easiest peanut chicken ever and your slow cooker does all the work!! Topped with crunchy peanuts, cilantro, green onions, and the peanut sauce is irresistible!
- Skinny Broccoli and Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry – Skip takeout and make your own fast, easy, and healthy stir fry! Think of all the money and calories you’ll save!!
- Peanut Chicken with Peanut Noodles – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, tastes better, and way healthier than takeout! Peanut sauce automatically makes everything taste amazing!
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P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef
This copycat P.F. Change's Mongolian Beef recipe comes together in 20 minutes and makes for a great weeknight meal! It's quick, easy, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak, sliced with the grain in 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick bite-sized pieces*
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh ginger or to taste, finely minced
- 1/2 cup lite or reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed (light may be substituted), or to taste
- 1 or 2 green onions, sliced into thin rounds for garnishing
- sesame seeds, optional for garnishing
Instructions
- To a large ziptop bag, add the steak slices, cornstarch, seal, and toss to coat. Set aside while preparing the sauce.
- To a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and heat over medium-high for about 1 minute, or just until garlic is fragrant, taking care not to scorch it.
- Add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow it to boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced. Taste the sauce and make any necessary flavor adjustments. While the sauce simmers, sear the steak.
- To a large skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and steak. Cook over medium-high or high heat until steak is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes, flipping the pieces intermittently to ensure even cooking.
- Add the soy sauce mixture, noting it will bubble up. Toss meat to coat it evenly with the sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 3 minutes at medium-high heat before reducing heat to low and simmering for 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened to taste. Give mixture a final stir to coat all pieces evenly.
- Evenly garnish with the green onions, sesame seeds, and serve immediately. Beef is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
*You want the strips to stay intact, so slice the beef with the grain rather than against like you would for a stew.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 792Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 1633mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 2gSugar: 45gProtein: 48g
Even More Copycat Recipes:
P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps — You can skip the restaurant version and make your own in 20 minutes, and I promise you this homemade version tastes better!
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup — This is the best broccoli cheese soup. Not only that, it’s some of the best soup I’ve ever tasted, period. If you like Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup, this blows the pants off it.
Loaded Zuppa Toscana Soup — This COPYCAT version of the Olive Garden classic can be made either on the STOVETOP, INSTANT POT, or SLOW COOKER!! A comforting classic Tuscan kale soup that’s loaded with bacon, sausage, potatoes, Parmesan, cream, and more!!
Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup — This minestrone soup recipe takes just 30 minutes to make and it’s way better than what you get at Olive Garden! Homemade always wins in my book!
MY
Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken — This sweet and sour chicken recipe takes just 15 minutes to make and tastes way better than takeout. Perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken – Juicy chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated with the best garlicky soy sauce! Skip takeout and make your own restaurant-quality meal that’s easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthier!
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken – The easiest orange chicken ever because your slow cooker does all the work! Super juicy, tender, and coated with a sweet-yet-tangy orange glaze that’s irresistible!
Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice – One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken!
Healthy Sesame Chicken and Broccoli — Skip takeout and make this Asian favorite at home in just minutes!! So EASY and HEALTHIER than what you’d get in a restaurant but tastes just as AWESOME!!
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe — An easy, BETTER-THAN-TAKEOUT recipe with juicy chicken and such a flavorful sauce!! Don’t call for takeout when you can make this HEALTHIER version at home in 20 minutes!
Better-Than-Takeout Sticky Chicken — Stop calling for takeout or going to the mall food court and make this AMAZING sticky chicken at home in 15 minutes!! So EASY with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with plenty of sticky sauce!!
Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf — It took years but I finally recreated it!! Easy, no mixer, no cake mix, dangerously good, and SPOT ON!
Originally posted January 4, 2017 and reposted with updated text January 13, 2023.
Just made this and man was it a hit. Halfway through our bowls we added red chili flakes and both ways it was amazing! And so easy! I also added in some green onion with the steak and then topped with a little more raw green onion. Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’m the screen to rate this there are just bubbles so if it shows incorrect this is for sure 5 stars!!
Glad you give it 5 stars and that this was a big hit!
Just finished dinner. This is the best Mongolian beef ever. Simple recipe to follow. Way better than take out. Never been to P. F Chang’s. If the food is this good, guess I should go.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad it’s the best Mongolian Beef ever for yo! If you’ve never been to PF Changs, no need to go now :) this is the only dish to go for IMO or this one and the homemade versions are way better!
https://www.averiecooks.com/p-f-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps-copycat-recipe/
I made it last nigh and it was delicious my 5 yr old granddaughter loved it !! She even had seconds ! I did modify with the sugar I used trivia and honey just cuz we are watching our sugar intake . It was delicious 😋. I will make it again
Thanks for the five star review and it’s great your 5 year old GD loved it! And that it even worked well with less sugar!
Perfect! Instant hit with the entire family.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was perfect and an instant family favorite!
I’m recently on my own and taking up cooking. This is a great (read easy and delicious) recipe. I got it right the first time. I also made it on a recent visit to my elderly parents. They loved it.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad to hear you recently started cooking and that this dish came out great for you and also that your parents loved it!
Took this to a household currently in quarantine and all I can say is everyone loved it. I doubled this recipe and made LOTS of extra rice. The leftover came home with me and later this week I will be bringing the family Fried Rice made with all the leftovers. The flavor is outstanding and this will be a regular in the meal rotation. (might add a bit of spice when I make it for my sister and more of my friends, a few red pepper flakes or a few spicy peppers would taste great)
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that this will go into your regular rotation! And I agree about the spice aspect, that would be my preference as well!
For your extra rice (use protein of choice) https://www.averiecooks.com/easy-better-takeout-chicken-fried-rice/
Loved this recipe! Easy to make and great flavors! A definite keeper! 👍
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you loved it and that it’s a keeper!
Wow! Fantastic it was easy and quick but oh so tasty. Followed the recipe has written. Next time will some red pepper flakes for the husband since he likes some heat.
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was fantastic and easy! Of course add spices to taste for heat next time.
I just made this for my family and it was delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was delicious for you and your family!
I love, love, love, this recipe!
It is so quick and easy to make, my husband even whipped up a batch while I was home recuperating from back surgery! The sauce is spot-on for P.F. Chang’s original recipe. A few years back, P.F. Changs removed this dish from their selection of gluten free entrees, it broke my heart as it was my favorite. Since I have a severe gluten allergy, the only way I can eat this is to make it myself. So, THANK YOU for breaking down the recipe so I can substitute my own gluten-free ingredients (gf soy sauce) to make it celiac friendly.
Thanks for LMK that you think the flavor is spot on for the PF Chang’s sauce. I didn’t know they took it off the menu but now you have a homemade version that you can make GF with GF soy sauce. Glad this is a winner!
Love all the Asian recipes. Will try several soon.
Wonderful and enjoy!
How did you know this was Mel’s absolute favorite order?? I have to make it for him!
Averie! These photos! So gorgeous! And I love Mongolian Beef!
Aww thanks! It was so shiny because of that glaze so I was a little worried but things turned out ok :)
Have you ever substituted chicken for beef in your P.F. Chang recipe? It looks so delicious, but I don’t eat meat.
I have not personally tried but it would probably work out fine.
hey girl- this looks amazing!
I love P.F.Chang and so happy to see one of our favorite recipes! Copycat recipes ROCK!! Thanks for sharing this Averie :)
Your sauce sounds amazing! Love the flavor combo.
The sauce is where it’s AT! So good!
I love seeing a copycat recipe as we have some great asian restaurants here but no PF Chang’s. This would be a nice surprise for Jon to come home to Friday. A couple of years ago the local paper published a “wish list” of businesses the city would like to have. PF Chang’s (and Trader Joe’s) were on it. We’re still waiting!!
I hope at the very least you one day get a TJ’s! There are staple products I buy there that I would have a very hard time going without!
This was wonderful Averie! I threw in your first suggestion ( sugar snap peas )and I’d like to make it again with broccoli. The sauce is so good–kind of like a dark, rich, gingery teriyaki and I’m sure it would be good using chicken too. Lots of possibilities for this one!
Glad you loved this one and yes the sauce is dark, rich, gingery, teriyaki like and it would go great with just about anything I think! Glad you threw in some snap peas too! Keep me posted if you use chicken, broccoli, etc!