By Becky Hardin
Published Sep 13, 2023
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef is a quick and easy dinner recipe that’s loaded with flavor! The pressure cooker pretty much does all of the work for you and cooks the beef and broccoli to tender perfection in no time. Ingredients like soy sauce, red pepper flakes and ginger are sure to wake up your taste buds!
What’s in Instant Pot Mongolian Beef and Broccoli
This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe is the quickest and easiest way to make a takeout favorite.
- Beef: Mongolian beef is most commonly made with flank steak, although you could use sirloin or New York strip if you prefer.
- Cornstarch: Helps absorb extra moisture on the surface of the steak so it gets a crisp edge. It also helps thicken the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a salty umami flavor to the beef. I’m using low-sodium soy sauce.
- Water: Helps thin the sauce and steam the broccoli.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness to the sauce.
- Garlic and Ginger: Classic flavorings in Asian-inspired sauces – I highly recommend fresh garlic and ginger, but you could use 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic and ½ teaspoon of dried ginger in a pinch.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add just a bit of heat – feel free to use as much or as little as you like. You can also substitute sriracha if you prefer.
- Olive Oil: Helps sear the beef to create a crisp crust.
- Broccoli: Delicious with Mongolian beef, but you could use pretty much any vegetable you like – carrots, snap peas, bok choy, etc.
PRO TIP: To make it easier to slice the beef thinly, place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes first.
Variations to Try
- While flank steak is traditional, you can also make this dish with sirloin, New York strip steak, or even chicken!
- To make this dish gluten free, swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
- If you don’t have fresh ginger and garlic, you can use ½ teaspoon of dried ginger and 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic instead.
- The red pepper flakes are optional to add a bit of spice. You could also use a few squirts or sriracha instead!
- Feel free to switch up the vegetables with carrots, snap peas, bok choy, or any other vegetable you like!
Mongolian beef, despite its name, is a Chinese dish consisting of thinly-sliced flank steak cooked in a sweet and spicy sauce.
It’s traditional to use flank steak, but you could also use sirloin or New York strip.
Yes! Sear the meat in a skillet, then add all ingredients to the Crockpot, cover, and cook for 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
How to Store/Reheat
Store leftover instant pot Mongolian beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
How to Freeze
Freeze instant pot Mongolian beef whole or in individual portions in airtight containers or Ziplock bags for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your beef and broccoli white or brown rice or noodles. For a full fake-out take-out dinner, make some more easy recipes like egg rolls , crab rangoons and egg drop soup .
MoreInstant Pot Dinner RecipesWe Love
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers
- Instant Pot Goulash
- Instant Pot Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 pound flank steak sliced very thin (¼-inch)
- ▢ 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ▢ ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (see note)
- ▢ ½ cup water
- ▢ ¼ cup brown sugar
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ▢ ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ▢ 2 cups broccoli florets
- ▢ Green onion and sesame seeds optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Add the beef and cornstarch to a medium bowl (or a plastic bag) and toss to combine. Allow the beef to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes– this will bring the beef to room temperature and help tenderize the meat. 1 pound flank steak, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, water, light brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes together. Set aside. ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup water, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Heat the Instant Pot using the Saute function and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef (feel free to cook the beef in batches– you don’t want to overcrowd the pot). Sear the beef for 2 minutes and then flip it and sear for an additional 2 minutes. 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine the sauce and beef.
- Place the broccoli on top of the beef but do not mix it into the sauce! 2 cups broccoli florets
- Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook Manual for 1 minute.
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Green onion and sesame seeds
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Becky’s Tips
- Soy Sauce: For a gluten-free alternative, use tamari or coconut aminos.
- While flank steak is traditional, you can also make this dish with sirloin, New York strip steak, or even chicken!
- If you don’t have fresh ginger and garlic, you can use ½ teaspoon of dried ginger and 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic instead.
- The red pepper flakes are optional to add a bit of spice. You could also use a few squirts or sriracha instead!
- Feel free to switch up the vegetables with carrots, snap peas, bok choy, or any other vegetable you like!
- To make it easier to slice the beef thinly, place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Always slice the beef against the grain.
- Let the beef sit in the cornstarch mixture for about 15 minutes to tenderize the meat before searing. Do not use flour instead of cornstarch!
- When searing the beef, don’t overcrowd the instant pot. Overcrowding will cause the beef to steam instead of sear. You may need to sear in batches.
- Serve over white or brown rice or noodles!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak sliced very thin (¼-inch)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (see note)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- Green onion and sesame seeds optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the beef and cornstarch to a medium bowl (or a plastic bag) and toss to combine. Allow the beef to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes– this will bring the beef to room temperature and help tenderize the meat. 1 pound flank steak, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, water, light brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes together. Set aside. ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup water, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Heat the Instant Pot using the Saute function and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef (feel free to cook the beef in batches– you don’t want to overcrowd the pot). Sear the beef for 2 minutes and then flip it and sear for an additional 2 minutes. 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine the sauce and beef.
- Place the broccoli on top of the beef but do not mix it into the sauce! 2 cups broccoli florets
- Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook Manual for 1 minute.
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Green onion and sesame seeds
Video
Notes
- Soy Sauce: For a gluten-free alternative, use tamari or coconut aminos.
- While flank steak is traditional, you can also make this dish with sirloin, New York strip steak, or even chicken!
- If you don’t have fresh ginger and garlic, you can use ½ teaspoon of dried ginger and 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic instead.
- The red pepper flakes are optional to add a bit of spice. You could also use a few squirts or sriracha instead!
- Feel free to switch up the vegetables with carrots, snap peas, bok choy, or any other vegetable you like!
- To make it easier to slice the beef thinly, place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Always slice the beef against the grain.
- Let the beef sit in the cornstarch mixture for about 15 minutes to tenderize the meat before searing. Do not use flour instead of cornstarch!
- When searing the beef, don’t overcrowd the instant pot. Overcrowding will cause the beef to steam instead of sear. You may need to sear in batches.
- Serve over white or brown rice or noodles!
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
