Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (Printable Version)

Tender beef in a rich, savory-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger and soy, cooked to silky perfection in a slow cooker.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain

→ Sauce

02 - 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 cup water
05 - 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
08 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Thickener

11 - 1/4 cup cornstarch

→ Vegetables & Garnish

12 - 5 green onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
13 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
14 - Steamed white or brown rice, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Place sliced flank steak in a large bowl and toss with cornstarch until evenly coated. Shake off any excess powder before transferring to slow cooker.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes until sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Add cornstarch-coated beef to the slow cooker. Pour sauce over meat and toss gently to coat evenly. Scatter white parts of green onions across the top.
04 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours until beef becomes tender and sauce thickens slightly. Avoid lifting lid during cooking to maintain consistent temperature.
05 - Stir in sliced green onion tops and cook 10 additional minutes. Serve immediately over steamed rice, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and additional green onions if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender without any effort from you
  • That sweet and savory sauce thickens into restaurant quality perfection
  • Everything happens in one pot so cleanup is practically nonexistent
02 -
  • Slicing the beef against the grain and keeping it thin is the difference between tough meat and buttery tenderness
  • Don't skip the cornstarch coating because it creates that silky velveting effect Chinese restaurants use
03 -
  • Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make this completely gluten free
  • Let the beef come to room temperature before slicing for the cleanest cuts

Go Back