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Mongolian Beef Bowls

Mongolian Beef Bowls

The ultimate comfort food, these Mongolian Beef Bowls are a sweet and savory delight that come together in no time! Tender beef, vibrant vegetables, and a luscious sauce make this an easy weeknight dinner. You’ll crave these bowls tonight!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound flank steak or pepper steak sliced into thin 1/4-inch strips against the grain
  • ⅓ cup cornstarch
  • ¾ cup brown sugar packed (light or dark)
  • ½ cup soy sauce I used reduced-sodium
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup peas I used frozen, and did not thaw beforehand
  • 1 cup grated or shredded carrots
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into thin 1/4-inch strips (or any color)
  • 2 stalks scallions green parts only, sliced into 1-inch segments
  • 3 or 4 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
  • 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and finely minced or grated OR 2 teaspoons dried ginger
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • Cooked rice for serving
  • Salt optional and to taste
  • Pepper optional and to taste

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Peeler
  • Grater
  • Skillet
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Chef's Knife
  • Frying Pan

Method
 

  1. Begin by cutting steak into thin ¼ inch thick strips, against the grain.
  2. Place it into a large ziptop bag, cover with the cornstarch, seal, and shake the bag to move the beef around to ensure it is evenly coated; set aside momentarily.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, mix; set aside.
  4. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the beef, evenly spaced, and sear for one minute on each side.
  5. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside after it’s cooked taking care not to overcook; don’t crowd the pan and cook in batches if you need to.
  6. Taking care that you only have about 1 tablespoon oil leftover in the pan after removing the steak (drain off excess if there is), add the peas (I added straight from the freezer), carrots, bell pepper, scallions, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Add garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, and sauté for an additional 1 minute, or until fragrant, stirring nearly constantly.
  8. Add the seared steak back into the skillet, pour the soy sauce mixture over everything, and let it simmer for about 2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
  9. Scoop around 1/2 cup cooked rice into serving bowls, spoon the beef and vegetables over the rice, and if desired add salt, pepper, or additional soy sauce to taste before serving.
  10. Recipe is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge (store rice separately) for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months, noting that the texture of the vegetables will change and they will be softer and not as crisp.

Notes

  • Dark brown sugar: will give a deeper, richer flavor profile than light brown, but both are fine.
  • Reduced-sodium soy sauce: I used reduced-sodium/lite soy sauce and prefer it but if you like more of a salty profile, you can use regular soy sauce.
  • Cooking denser vegetables: If you are going to use broccoli, mushrooms, or a denser vegetable, add it after searing and removing the beef, but before adding the peas, carrots, bell pepper, and scallions since they will likely need a 2 to 3 minute headstart.