Easy Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe (2024)

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4.53

2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 03/25/2018

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The easiest way you can make a Mongolian beef recipe! The beef gets meltingly tender in the slow cooker and the sauce becomes incredibly silky, with great spicy/sweet flavors!

All of the amazing spicy/sweet flavors of Mongolian beef, but in an incredibly easy slow cooker meal with just 10 minutes of prep. This is the Mongolian beef recipe for the busiest of people!

Who here loves Chinese take-out style meals? *raises hand frantically* I love all the bold flavors, great sauces, and how quickly things cook! One thing I don’t like though, is how hectic it can be to cook take-out style meals at home. The nature of a stir fry is that things cook really quickly, which means you have to have every component in the recipe ready to go… and things can STILL get stressful right?

The main thing I love so much about this Mongolian beef recipe is that unlike some slow cooker meals, it’s made entirely in the slow cooker, with no extra steps to take. No browning the meat, no broiling… just adding all the ingredients, turning on the slow cooker and walking away. Simply amazing.

And this meal is certainly not short on flavor! The garlic and ginger bring plenty of classic Mongolian beef flavor, and combined with sweet/heat combination of brown sugar and Sriracha sauce… it’s a powerhouse of amazing flavors!

WHAT SPICES ARE USED IN MONGOLIAN BEEF

Typically Mongolian beef is made with soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. I like mine to be a little sweet and spicy, so I add some Sriracha to it as well.

WHAT KIND OF BEEF DO YOU USE IN MONGOLIAN BEEF?

Most recipes, including both this slow cooker version and my classic recipe, use flank steak. I’ve also heard of people using sirloin steak as well.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING THIS SLOW COOKER MONGOLIAN BEEF RECIPE:

Slice your flank steak against the grain. As you’re looking at the beef, you’ll see lines, like the grain on a piece of wood. You want to slice it across those lines, not alongside them. Doing this ensures an incredibly tender piece of beef.
The carrots are optional, but add a great texture!
Add the Sriracha to your tastes. I like this recipe to have a little heat to balance out the sweetness.
To make this a complete meal, add some steamed broccoli and rice!

My original classic Mongolian beef recipe has done so well, with so many of you emailing with rave reviews, so I knew I didn’t want to deviate from those flavors. To adapt the sauce to work well in a slow cooker I added some extra soy sauce and water. Also, since there’s no marinating with this recipe, I added some extra ginger and Sriracha to boost the flavors.

HELPFUL TOOLS:

4 quart slow cooker – My absolute favorite slow cooker!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Easy Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe

4.53 from 161 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Calories: 330

Servings: 6 servings

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The easiest way you can make a Mongolian beef recipe! The beef gets meltingly tender in the slow cooker and the sauce becomes incredibly silky, with great spicy/sweet flavors!

Ingredients

▢ 1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced flank steak (1/4 inch thick)
▢ 1/4 cup cornstarch
▢ 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
▢ 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
▢ 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
▢ 3/4 cup water
▢ 3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
▢ 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
▢ 1 - 2 tsp Sriracha sauce (can substitute with red pepper flakes or cayenne instead - in whatever amount you prefer)
▢ 1 cup shredded carrots
▢ 4-6 green onions, thinly sliced
▢ sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Add sliced flank steak and cornstarch to a large resealable plastic bag. Close and shake to coat well. This can be done in a large mixing bowl as well, but I find it's less messy to do in a bag.
To the bottom of slow cooker, add vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, water, soy sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha sauce. Stir to combine.
Add in coated flank steak and carrots and stir again until everything is coated in the sauce.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours, until steak is cooked and tender.
Serve over white rice and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
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Chef Tips

Slice your flank steak against the grain. As you’re looking at the beef, you’ll see lines, like the grain on a piece of wood. You want to slice it across those lines, not alongside them. Doing this ensures an incredibly tender piece of beef.

Recipe originally seen on The Slow Roasted Italian

Video

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Reader Interactions

Elizabeth says
Posted on 1/30 at 6:54 pm
Very easy recipe. I used frozen steak and increased the time of cooking. > have adjusted the spice to what I can tolerate and it was delicious. I also served with sprouts which added some good flavor.
Reply
Melanie Rowley says
Posted on 9/6 at 10:18 pm
I love this recipe, but can I change the beef to lamb? Many thanks
Reply
- The Chunky Chef says
  Posted on 9/7 at 8:30 pm
  I haven’t tested this recipe using lamb, so I can’t say for certain whether any changes would need to be made. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
  Reply
Mary says
Posted on 7/19 at 11:23 am
I don’t have flank steak can you substitute for skirt steak?
Reply
- The Chunky Chef says
  Posted on 7/22 at 8:41 pm
  See Also
  Ratatouille Recipe | ChefDeHome.com
  Yes, that should work well 🙂
  Reply
Anne MacDougall says
Posted on 5/23 at 1:36 pm
Loved this!! So easy and has lots of flavor. My family loved it!!
Reply
Renee says
Posted on 5/7 at 9:06 am
Always a hit! Delicious and easy to put together.
Reply
- Maralee says
  Posted on 3/17 at 11:56 am
  Could you cook this on low for 8 hours?
  Reply
  - The Chunky Chef says
    Posted on 3/18 at 8:03 pm
    I’ve never cooked it longer than the recipe specifies, so I’m not sure how well it’ll hold up.
    Reply
Amanda Quill says
Posted on 4/19 at 2:49 pm
Loved it but found it a bit too sweet so will just use a little less brown sugar next time.
Any desert idea to go with this please?
Nothing too heavy!
Reply
- The Chunky Chef says
  Posted on 4/19 at 9:06 pm
  Glad you enjoyed! Desserts are a personal thing, so feel free to peruse my dessert recipe index and see what sounds good and light to you 🙂 https://www.thechunkychef.com/dessert/
  Reply
ginger says
Posted on 2/6 at 6:06 pm
This was amazing! I put the ingredients in the crockpot at lunchtime. Set to low, phenomenal fork-tender beef with great flavors for dinner. Thanks for posting!
Reply
Jason says
Posted on 2/2 at 3:46 pm
I used this recipe as a base recipe and added frozen stir fry veggies, baby corn, water chestnuts, and doubled up on the sauce. We made a couple crockpots for a school concession stand for my daughters volleyball team and it was gone quick! The second time we made it for concessions we had to hide some for the refs. Really good meal!
Reply
- Erica says
  Posted on 6/25 at 5:20 pm
  I love your idea of adding frozen stir fry veggies and water chestnuts to the mix. Did you put the veggies in right away or did you thaw them and put them in for the last hour or so of cooking? Thanks!
  Reply
Sandra says
Posted on 1/23 at 11:21 am
I am a bit disappointed that my question was ignored and disappeared (it was a nice simple question )
well succes The Chunky Chef
Reply
- The Chunky Chef says
  Posted on 1/23 at 1:07 pm
  My apologies Sandra, I didn’t see any previous comment from you? I get about 75 comments per day, and it’s just me running this website, so it may very well have just fallen through the cracks. I’m happy to answer any question you have, either here, or via email (amanda @ thechunkychef.com)
  Reply
Samantha E says
Posted on 1/15 at 8:11 pm
If I needed to double this recipe to feed more people can you tell me if I would have to double everything including the ginger and garlic etc or would that be too much?
Reply
- The Chunky Chef says
  Posted on 1/16 at 8:36 pm
  Yes, when doubling a recipe you have to double every ingredient, otherwise all the proportions and flavor profiles will be off.
  Reply
Pam says
Posted on 1/12 at 2:00 am
We would have loved this, but way to sweet for us. I absolutely will make again, but cut brown sugar down.
Reply
Sue says
Posted on 12/15 at 1:48 pm
3 fussy men to feed…swapped the beef for quorn steak strips, added red pepper strips and mangetout, cut my carrots into thin strips, only used 1 tsp of Sriracha sauce…turned out amazing, so tasty, 4 clean plates, definitely be doing again thank you
Reply
hjdubs says
Posted on 12/7 at 9:44 am
This is absolutely one of my faves. Easy to make and my family devours. My only suggestion is to double.
Reply
Niamh says
Posted on 11/29 at 10:56 am
Hi, my beef tends to be a little tough . I think I’m following recipe correctly and cooking it on high for 2 hours . What can I do to solve ?
Reply
- The Chunky Chef says
  Posted on 11/29 at 9:33 pm
  You could try cooking on low, and make sure you’re slicing the flank steak against the grain as mentioned in the post 🙂
  Reply
  - Stacy says
    Posted on 3/14 at 7:03 pm
    You should mention that tip in the recipe. Many folks don’t realize that. I am making this ASAP. Sounds delicious 😋
    Reply
    - The Chunky Chef says
      Posted on 3/14 at 8:10 pm
      Typically I don’t mention all the extra tips and information in the recipe, since then all that will print when people print the recipe, and I get quite a bit of flack about it. But since it’s just one tip, I’ve gone ahead and added it to the “chef tips” section of the recipe.
      Reply
Linda says
Posted on 11/22 at 11:39 am
Looks delicious! Am making a shopping list to make it for friends.
Reply
- Sarah says
  Posted on 12/8 at 4:52 pm
  Made it for dinner tonight! Tastes great!!
  Reply

Older Comments

Easy Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my beef go tough in slow cooker? ›

“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.

Tell Me More ›

Does meat get softer the longer you cook it in slow cooker? ›

Collagen makes meat tough when cooked quickly, but when slow-cooked, it breaks down into gelatin, giving you that juicy, tender mouthfeel. Fattier — and cheaper — cuts of beef can also be good for slow cooking, because the fat helps to ensure the beef won't dry out while adding extra flavour.

Explore More ›

How to thicken a sauce in the crockpot? ›

A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of a cold liquid with cornstarch. It is used as a thickening agent, and is particularly common in Asian sauces. As a rule of thumb, dissolve 2 parts cold water and 1 part cornstarch. Add the slurry to your sauce as it simmers in the slow cooker.

Read On ›

What is the secret to slow cooking meat? ›

Avoid overcrowding: For the best results, fill a slow cooker between one-half and two-thirds full. Go ahead and cook big roasts and whole chickens; just make sure you use a large crock and that the lid fits snugly on top. Trim fat: For silky sauces and gravies, take a minute or two and cut the excess fat from the meat.

How do I make sure my beef is tender in a slow cooker? ›

Simply add the meat to your slow cooker with aromatics, stock and sauces and cook either on High for 4-5 hours or on Low for 5-8 hours. How do you make meat tender in a slow cooker? Choosing a cut of beef best suited for low and slow cooking is the ideal way to get extra tender meat.

View Details ›

What happens if you don't brown meat before a slow cooker? ›

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

Learn More ›

Does taking the lid off a slow cooker thicken the sauce? ›

Take the lid off

Place the cooker on a high setting, and open the lid for 30-45 minutes to let excess moisture cook off. The liquid will reduce, leaving you with a thick and delicious gravy or sauce. (Tip: This trick can also be applied for thickening stews, or when you've accidentally added too much liquid.)

Find Out More ›

Is it better to thicken stew with flour or cornstarch? ›

Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. When a gravy, sauce, soup or stew recipe calls for flour, use half as much cornstarch to thicken. To thicken hot liquids, first mix cornstarch with a little cold water until smooth. Gradually stir into hot liquid until blended.

Read On ›

Can I use a simmer sauce in a slow cooker? ›

The beauty of this approach lies in its versatility, as simmering sauces seamlessly adapt to the slow cooker's gentle heat, ensuring their flavors remain uncompromised. Simmer sauces because they are interchangeable, empowering you to explore a world of taste without limitations.

Get More Info Here ›

Do potatoes go on top or bottom of meat in a crockpot? ›

Slow cooker recipes have (obviously) long cook times, and it's the meat—not the carrots—that benefit from it. By placing the protein at the bottom (closest to the heating element), and vegetables at the top, you can keep your plant parts a little more toothsome, while ensuring your meat is fall-apart tender.

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Are you supposed to lock the lid on a slow cooker? ›

"Those latches are only designed to carry-out food somewhere to avoid spillage." If there is a locking lid feature on your glass lid, that is only to prevent spills when you're toting the Crockpot to your potluck, not for when you're cooking.

See Details ›

Should you flip meat in a slow cooker? ›

Should I Flip My Roast In The Slow Cooker?: There is no need to flip meat in a crock pot. In fact, I don't recommend trying it because it will be more hassle than it's worth.

How to stop beef from being chewy in a slow cooker? ›

To avoid your beef getting overcooked and becoming tough and chewy in the slow cooker, make sure you use the right cut of meat for low & slow cooking, and make sure you have a slow cooker that doesn't run too hot and bring the meat to a boil.

Know More ›

How do you cook beef so it doesn't get tough? ›

To cook it until it's so tender it falls apart, you'll need to choose a joint like chuck and blade or beef brisket and either braise, slow roast or slow cook it for at least a couple of hours.

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How do you keep beef from getting tough? ›

Salting. Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender.