This slow cooker Mongolian beef is flank steak cooked with garlic, ginger, brown sugar and soy sauce. This crock pot recipe tastes just like a meal you would get at a Chinese restaurant!
Make your own take out with this easy Mongolian beef recipe. This dinner is SO simple to put together and always gets rave reviews from family and friends.
Making meals like this slow cooker Mongolian beef, in the crock pot is one of my favorite things to do. Not only does it allow you to have a nice meal when you’re finished with your day but, it feels like you’re getting to skip all the cooking. It kind of feel like cheating because it makes dinner time that much simpler!
HOW DO YOU MAKE SLOW COOKER MONGOLIAN BEEF?
This Mongolian beef has the rich flavors of ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. It’s cooked slowly in the crock pot so every flavor has a chance to really sink in. When it’s almost ready to be served, the green onions get added to the pot and stirred in. The family is sure to love this one.
I highly suggest slightly freezing the flank steak before slicing it. It makes it much easier to slice if you do so. I prefer using the low sodium soy sauce because it keeps the dish a little healthier and you won’t have to worry about the finished dish being overly salty.
This crock pot Mongolian beef pairs well with steamed rice. I always serve it with a green vegetable on the side such as broccoli or asparagus. Of course, there are many other sides that would work as well, but I love the fresh counterpart of a lightly steamed veggie.
ARE THERE SUBSTITUTES FOR FLANK STEAK?
Yes, there are a few other options that will work for this crock pot Mongolian beef. Flank steak is my favorite option but you can also use skirt steak or even hanger steak if you can get your hands on it. You could also use thinly sliced sirloin steak if desired.
WHY IS IT CALLED MONGOLIAN BEEF?
Mongolian beef was created in Taiwan where dishes like this slow cooker Mongolian beef were popular. That area was where the first Mongolian restaurants started opening up. They made the Mongolian style of food popular which is why the name is carried with dishes like this one.
Looking for Mongolian beef but don’t have the time to wait for it to cook in a crock pot? Try my stove top version!
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it doesn’t take a ton of work to have a delicious meal. I love this crock pot Mongolian beef because it’s easy, but comes out totally delicious and satisfying. Even my kids love this one!
MORE ASIAN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Pepper Steak Stir Fry
- Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Cream Cheese Wontons
- Firecracker Chicken
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak thinly sliced against the grain
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup green onions cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Place the flank steak in a bowl with the cornstarch and toss to coat evenly.
- Add the flank steak to the slow cooker.
- Place the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar and water in the slow cooker. Stir to coat the meat in the sauce.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-5 hours.
- Stir in the green onions, then serve.
Sheri says
I just made this and it was tasty. I used 1 1/2 lbs of flank steak and the corn starch was too much. I’ll make it again with less corn starch and maybe a little less water because it was very saucy.
Sara says
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Ronf says
After tossing the beef in cornstarch there will be some cornstarch left in the bowl.
Dies that get added to the pot also?
Sara says
I typically add it in!
Debbie says
I tried this recipe and my family loved it! Going to slip in some vegetables next time
Suzanne says
If I need to have this in the crockpot for more than the stated cooking time, would I just add more water so the liquid doesn’t all cook off and burn? Or would I just need to have someone turn it down to the “keep warm” setting until we’re ready?
Sara says
I’d just use the keep warm setting, there will be plenty of liquid in the pot!
Jalise says
Could I use frozen flank or thaw it out first?
Sara says
Frozen should be fine, it just may take a bit longer to cook!
Anna says
I added three tablespoons of real maple syrup and 1/4 cup of orange juice to add a sweeter and slightly orangey flavor. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly, cooking on high in the slow cooker for two hours. It was a hit! The beef was tender and the sauce was delicious. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed it, I’m going to try it with orange juice next time!
Debbie says
Thank you to those who actually tried the recipe. Hate the ‘boy this looks good’…to those that have actually made this, a huge Thank You = I was sold AND I made it. No disappointment here, it was perfect. I added broccoli florets half way through, was fabulous! Thanks for a great recipe!
June C Long says
What other cuts of beef can you use? I just got a bottom round roast on sale would that do?
Sara says
That will work but it will need to cook for a lot longer as it’s not as tender as flank steak. Try high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Renee says
First time I tried this I did not have fresh garlic or ginger so used powdered…it was fabulous! Tonight I have the real deal so can’t wait to see how it tastes. So simple, yet so delicious!
Sara says
Yay so glad to hear you liked it! Thank you for reporting back!
Jamie magula says
So I’m in the middle of making this ! Everything is going great but I cut my flank steak into chunks instead of slices,do you think its gonna turn out ok? It’s too late to turn back now!
Sara says
I think it’ll be just fine, you may need to cook it for a little longer to make sure it’s tender!
Eric says
Another amazing recipe. I should have not cut the flank steak as thin as I did, but other than that is was amazing!
Sara says
Thanks so much Eric!
mary says
Has anyone tried thi in an Instant Pot?
Sara says
I have not, but I think it should work just fine!
Jackie says
What would be the cook time in an instant pot?
Sara says
You can cook this at high pressure for 10 minutes!
Arlene Pierce says
This looks fabulous and easy!!! What spice/spices would I add to make it more spicey hot, like Thai heat but not overboard! Thanks for the help, look forward to trying this!!
Sara says
You could try sriracha, crushed red chili flakes or chili garlic sauce!
Nancy at Whispered Inspirations says
Oh my goodness, this beef looks so flavorful. I am bookmarking this because I love slow cooker meals and this one is right up our alley. My whole family would love it. Thank you!
Debbie says
I’m a fan of the slow cooker as I love coming home from work to a cooked meal! Chinese food in a slow cooker sounds wonderful!
rachidi says
Looks like a delish and easy meal, I love slow-cooker recipes! I will be trying this for sure with back to school around the corner.
Tiffany Haywood says
I can’t believe how easy this recipe looks! Like I could actually pull this off and end up with a great meal! I will definitely be saving this because my slow cooker has been collecting dust for too long!
Shannon Gurnee says
This looks and sounds like a delicious recipe! I would love to try making this for my family for dinner. Thanks for sharing.
Melanie says
We are heading back to school soon, well the kids are! That means back to packed schedules and needing my slow cooker more than ever. This recipe sounds AWESOME!
kylie cre8tone says
Great recipe, yummy food.. nice to cook in slow cooker, easier and yummy! Great one..
Heather says
I’m such a slow cooker fan! I love to find new recipes.
Trina says
Looks like a delish and easy meal, I love slow-cooker recipes! I will be trying this for sure with back to school around the corner.
Nicole says
This looks so good! I love anything that is cooked in my slow cooker. I’ll definitely have to try this recipe out. Thanks for sharing!
kumamonjeng says
Wow, this suit us so well as we usually take rice. Mongolian beef would goes very well with white rice. I am going to try this out for my family in this weekend. Thanks for sharing me what to cook as I have always run out of recipe.
Kelli A says
I hear the name and it scares me, but then I see the recipe and realize I like all of that and have cooked with all of those products. I really wanna try this now!