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This Mongolian ground beef is fast, saucy, and loaded with flavor. It’s the kind of weeknight dinner you can whip up in 30 minutes with pantry staples and serve over rice or noodles. It hits all the sweet, salty, garlicky notes of your favorite takeout, but it’s homemade and budget-friendly!
Craving more quick dinners? Try our Oyster Sauce Chicken or Chicken and Broccoli Recipe next.
Why you’ll love it
This is one of those low-effort, high-reward recipes that’s perfect for when you just can’t spend an hour in the kitchen. We’re talking bold flavors from garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, plus a little sweet-and-savory magic from brown sugar and oyster sauce.
No fancy ingredients, no complicated steps—just a delicious ground beef dinner that’s kid-approved and picky-eater friendly.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t rush the browning process. Let the beef get a little crispy around the edges for extra texture and flavor.
- Prep the sauce while the beef is cooking—it comes together fast!
- If you love extra sauce, feel free to double it. It’s so good over rice.
How to make Mongolian Ground Beef
This is an overview. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below!
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Want a lighter sauce option? Our versatile stir fry sauce makes a great substitute when you’re out of brown sugar.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet until crispy.
- Add scallions to the beef, then pour in the sauce.
- Simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the meat.
Substitutions and variations
- Swap beef for ground turkey or chicken if you want a lighter version.
- Don’t have oyster sauce? Hoisin sauce will work in a pinch.
- Want it spicier? Add extra red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha.
- Try tossing in some steamed broccoli, snow peas, or bell peppers to make it a one-pan meal.
What to serve with it
We love it over white rice, but jasmine, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice work too. You could also serve it with:
- Garlic noodles
- A simple side salad with sesame dressing
- Stir-fried bok choy or green beans
Leftovers and storage
Leftovers keep great! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until warmed through.
It’s also meal-prep friendly—just portion it into containers with rice or noodles and you’re set for lunch.
❓FAQs
Yes! It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave until warmed through.
Absolutely. Let it cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Lean ground beef (80–90%) works best. It gives you flavor without too much grease.
Yes! If you love extra sauce to spoon over rice or veggies, go ahead and double it.
If you try this Mongolian Ground Beef recipe, don’t forget to leave a star rating and comment below—We’d love to hear how it turned out for you!
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Mongolian Ground Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 6 scallions, trimmed and sliced into 2-inch pieces
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Whisk together the brown sugar, water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using) in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until fully browned and slightly crispy in spots, about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Combine & Simmer: Add the chopped scallions to the browned beef in the skillet, then immediately pour in the prepared sauce. Stir well to coat the meat evenly.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 2–3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and clings to the beef.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Remove from the heat add add the toasted sesame oil (optional). Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles. Garnish with extra scallions or sesame seeds if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made this on a weeknight and it was a huge hit. The sauce thickens beautifully and it’s great over rice.
Thanks, Jake! It really is a solid go-to for busy nights. Glad you enjoyed it!
Quick, easy, and my whole family devoured it. Definitely going into our weekly rotation.
That’s fantastic, Daniel! I’m so glad it earned a spot in your weeknight lineup.
Fast, flavorful, and budget-friendly. Sweet-savory sauce coats the beef beautifully—served over jasmine rice.
Thanks, Kevin!
Quick, easy, and packed with flavor. The sauce was spot on, and dinner was on the table in under 30 minutes.
Thanks, Chris! Fast and flavorful is always the goal—glad you enjoyed it.