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Tender pieces of flank steak are slow-cooked in the tastiest sweet and savory sauce. This slow cooker Mongolian beef is melt-in-your-mouth perfection and bursting with flavor. Quick and easy to prepare and one of our favorite slow cooker meals!
If you love restaurant Mongolian Beef, this super easy make-at-home rendition will be your new favorite dinner. Serve over this easy fried rice for a complete meal. And if you really want to wow your guests, egg rolls and vegetable stir-fry on the side would be amazing!
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Mongolian beef made in the slow cooker is life-changing! Slow cooking the beef ensures that it’ll be delicate and succulent. This slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe is an explosion of flavors in every bite! Garlic, soy sauce, and brown sugar come together to create a caramelized sauce that coats the tender juicy pieces of steak.
This is hands down one of the BEST dinners that I have ever made. My family couldn’t get enough of it! It’s so easy to make restaurant-worthy meals for the family at home. If you love this slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe then I can’t wait for you to try more of our favorites. Make this sweet and sour chicken, these lettuce wraps, of this incredible bang bang chicken.
Mongolian Beef Ingredients
Slow cooker Mongolian beef is SO easy to make with minimal ingredients. The ingredients are simple, but the outcome is incredible! Your dinner is prepped and ready to go in under 10 minutes!
- Flank Steak: Sirloin can be substituted here but avoid stew meat.
- Corn Starch: This acts as a natural tenderizer for the beef.
- Olive Oil: Use canola oil if you’d rather.
- Garlic: Minced or chopped will give the most flavor.
- Soy Sauce: Either low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos can be used here.
- Water: This will help make it saucy.
- Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar is both great in the sauce.
- Carrots: Grate a carrot or instead use pre-shredded carrots.
- Green Onions and Sesame Seeds: Optional garnish, but make a stunning topping.
How to Make Mongolian Beef in a Slow Cooker
The beef literally just melts in your mouth! You can always count on the slow cooker for tender beef. The tasty sauce clings to the cornstarch-coated steak and every bite is bursting with flavor. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Cut and Coat: Cut the flank steak thinly and across the grain to ensure a tender bite. Place the steak in a ziplock bag with the cornstarch then shake to coat. Make sure to coat the beef evenly.
- Add ingredients to the Slow Cooker: Mix the oil, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and carrots in the slow cooker.
- Coat the Beef: Stir the beef into the slow cooker making sure it’s well-coated
- Cook: Set on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
- Garnish and Enjoy: Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds for added flavor and texture then enjoy over rice!
Tips and Variations
Everything about this Mongolian recipe is perfect, and I know that it will become a family favorite at your house just like it did at ours! Here are some ideas and variations to make it your own! I also included instructions for making it in the instant pot when you’re short on time!
- Slicing the Beef: When slicing the flank steak make sure to slice it against the grain. I like to slice mine about 1/4 inch thick.
- Veggies: Roast broccoli, green beans or red bell pepper then stir in before serving. Vegetables add texture and nutrition.
- Instant Pot: This easily converts to a quick Instant Pot recipe. Saute the steak on high until browned. Add the sauce ingredients and cook on “Manual” for 10 minutes. Lastly, quick release the pressure and enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftover Mongolian beef you may have, because it’s great for heating up and enjoying later! I like to make a little extra rice as well for a quick lunch that’s super satisfying!
- In the Refrigerator: Place leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- In the Freezer: Once cooled, store leftovers in an air-tight container or freezer ziplock bag for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rewarming.
- To Reheat: Place leftovers in a microwave-safe bowl then heat for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through.
More Savory Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow cooker dinners always save the day! They’re easy and SO delicious. Everyone loves coming home to a warm home-cooked dinner. Try some of our favorites this week for dinner. You’ll love them all!
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Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup carrots, grated
- green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine and add to the slow cooker.
- Add the grated carrots and coated flank steak to the slow cooker and stir until coated in the sauce.
- Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this Mongolian Beef, and it really is to die for!
I made three small changes to it. First, I love onions, though not necessarily part of the dish, I added them to the crock pot. I have a crock pot that is made to also be able to use of the stove. So, after coating the meat in corn starch, I very lightly browned the beef in just a bit of olive oil. Lastly, I only cooked this on high for 2 hours, to keep the meat from being well done. I never get tired of this recipe!
Hi, Can this be left in the slow cooker on ‘warm’ for several hours without ruining it? I work all day and have to set the slow cooker before I leave (so if I cook on low for 5 hours it would be on ‘warm’ for another 51/2)? If not, do you have any slow cooker recipes that will work for working moms?
Yes, this meal can be. Enjoy! Let me know how it turns out! XOXO
I made this today and it was on warm for about six hours. I put it on high first, next time I would definitely put it on low since it will be on warm for so long. On high it was a bit overcooked. I also added lots of onions because that’s our favorite part of Mongolian beef here! I agree with the other comments about reducing the amount of sugar a little and using the low-sodium soy sauce
What size slow cooker was used to cook this MONGOLIAN BEEF recipe? Thankyou
I use a regular 8 quart slow cooker.
Alyssa, love the Mongolian beef in slow cooker! I am on a diet and have a Fitbit. Would you happen to know the calories on this recipe?
I like to use skinny taste.com or myfitnesspal.com for any questions in regards to nutrition. Hope that helps you find your answers that you are looking for! XOXO
I made this for my husband and he loved it! He was still talking about it the next day! I will definitely add this to my permanent recipe list!
Alyssa,
Am I missing something? The regular recipe has ginger in it, but the crockpot doesn’t. Is that right?
Yes, that is correct. Hope that helps! XOXO
Isn’t Monglian Beef supposed to be spicy? What do I use to make it spicy? Thank you!
It can have a hint of spice depending on the restaurant or recipe. You are always welcome to add spice with red pepper flakes or use a chili sauce. Let me know which one you like! XOXO
Typically not spicy but we love sriracha on it.
I somehow managed to miss the low sodium part of the soy sauce ingredient. Needless to say my results were a bit salty. But it still so delicious I will definitely make again!
How do you re-write a Slow Cooker recipe into an Instant Pot recipe?
I love this Mongolian Beef recipe! Everyone I make it for raves, and it beats anyone else’s hands down! They even wanted to save the sauce (with nothing else left) for pouring over rice.
I do have 2 suggestions, how I tweaked the recipe. I have the Crock-Pot that let’s me use it on the stove top (not the regular crock), and I coat my meat first, then lightly and quickly cook, just to sear in the flavor, then, (my second tip), I prefer my meat more medium than done, so I cook everything together, including the seared meat, on high, but usually for just an hour. (Cooking it on low for longer will make the meat well done). When the meat is cooked longer than that, it becomes chewey and loses the good flavor.
I have made this twice and am making it again tonight. We Love it! It is a little too sweet though so I am cutting back on the brown sugar tonight! Easy recipe!
Cooked this once.It was really good!
I will try it but i want to know should i make it in electric cooker. and if i can cook it in electric cooker than for how many minutes i have to cook it. thanks by the way you explain it very well.
This is the tastiest and easiest recipe I have found in some time! My whole family loves it. Thanks!
Marianne!!
Thanks so much for the comment. I am so happy that your family liked the recipe! Thanks for following along with me! XOXO
Looks very delicious and simple! Must try! But…I don’t have slow cook pot/ instant pot. Can i use non-electric roasting pot. If yes, What’s the temp and time instructions i should follow?
Yes, you can do it in a roasting pot. You will mix all the ingredients the same way then you will simmer it for about an 1/2 hour to an hour. Let me know how it turn out! XOXO
“This reminds me Asian junk food” said my husband who used to travel to China. I would use 1/4 cup less sugar as it is really sweet. I also used coco aminos in place of the soy sauce to make it Gluten and soy free. Delicious!
I agree…3/4 cup of brown sugar was too much. I reduced to 1/2 cup this time and also used Swerve brown sugar reduced calorie sweetener. It’s cooking in the crockpot now so the verdict is still out on taste. Hopeful though!
KK please let us know how the Swerve was in this recipe!!
KK how was it using the reduced calorie sweetener?
I have to use 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of soy in the instapot because it doesn’t need all the water and the sugar makes it burn on. Also, I start the pot up on crockpot mode to stir the sauce ingredients together an get them all mixed before adding the rest. I cook it on the meat setting for about 30 minutes under steam.
Very good just dont over cook the meat
Looks delicious can’t wait to try it.