Mongolian beef has a bit of an identity crisis — it’s not Mongolian, and it’s not quite Chinese either. The dish was born in Taiwan, where “Mongolian barbecue” restaurants took off in the 1950s, and it eventually found a permanent home on Chinese American restaurant menus across the country. The name stuck. So did the craving.
This version, developed by food blogger and cookbook author Cathy Erway, is built for a weeknight: thin-sliced flank steak, crisp celery, onion, and a deeply savory sauce, all ready in 30 minutes. No deep-frying, no overnight marinade, no special equipment beyond a hot pan.
The secret to getting restaurant-quality results at home is velveting — a Chinese technique where a cornstarch-based marinade insulates the meat from the wok’s fierce heat, keeping it silky and tender instead of tough and chewy. A pinch of baking soda in the mix does double duty, lightly tenderizing the steak while also coaxing out a deeper, more satisfying sear.
The sauce ties it all together: Taiwanese soy paste brings a rounded, almost caramel-like depth that soy sauce alone can’t match, brightened with fresh ginger for a glossy, cling-to-every-bite finish. Spooned over steamed rice, it’s the kind of dinner that makes takeout feel unnecessary.
NOTE: Taiwanese soy paste (jiang you gao) is a thick, soy sauce–based condiment traditionally made by simmering soy sauce with a starch — often glutinous rice flour, though some bottled versions use cornstarch or other thickeners — to give it body. It’s also commonly sweetened with sugar. It’s texturally similar to Cantonese oyster sauce, but the flavor is gentler and less briny.
If you can’t find (or don’t have) Taiwanese soy paste, the most common substitutes are:
Closest in flavor:
- Chinese sweet bean paste (tianmianjiang) — thick, savory, and slightly sweet, very similar in profile
- Hoisin sauce — a little sweeter and more complex, but works well; use slightly less since it’s more assertive
- Oyster Sauce — while similar in color, oyster sauce tends to be more liquid than soy paste sauce.
In a pinch:
- Regular soy sauce + a small amount of sugar and cornstarch — approximates the body and subtle sweetness; about 1 tbsp soy sauce + ½ tsp brown sugar + ¼ tsp cornstarch per tablespoon of soy paste called for
- Dark soy sauce — adds the deeper color and slightly sweeter, more molasses-like richness, though it’s thinner
For this particular recipe, hoisin or tianmianjiang would be the smoothest swap since the sauce is meant to be glossy and rounded rather than sharp. If you go the soy sauce + sugar route, just taste as you go — it’s easy to over-salt.
Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs. flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 Tbsp. Taiwanese soy paste (see above for substitutions)
- 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil (such as canola), divided
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- 3 small celery stalks, thinly sliced on an angle (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup white onion
- Chile crisp, for garnish
- Cooked white rice, for serving
- Scallion greens, cut on the diagonal, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Toss together steak, sesame oil, baking soda, white pepper, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a medium bowl using your hands. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Stir together 1/2 cup cold water, soy paste, remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large wok or 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high. Add steak mixture in an even layer; cook, undisturbed, until browned on bottom side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip steak, and spread in an even layer; cook, undisturbed, until almost cooked through, about 1 minute. (Since our steak was slightly larger than called for, we decided to cook it in two batches.) Transfer steak to a large plate; do not wipe wok clean.
- Add ginger and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to reserved wok; cook over high, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add celery; cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 1 minute.
- Stir soy paste mixture into vegetable mixture in wok. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir in steak; cook, stirring constantly, until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with chile crisp; serve with rice.
Recipe by Kathy Erway for Food & Wine
