Mongolian Ground Beef

Tasty dinner with ground beef and a homemade, flavorful sauce. Serve it over rice for a family-friendly meal.

Published Mar 05, 2026

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This delicious Mongolian Ground Beef recipe is a simple twist on the classic dish, using thinly sliced beef.

A bowl of white rice topped with savory Mongolian Ground Beef, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds.

It’s the perfect weeknight meal, especially loved for its sweet-and-sticky sauce. The best part is that it can be ready in 30 minutes and only uses simple ingredients.

Serve it over fluffy rice and your favorite steamed veggies for a cozy family-friendly dinner.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Mongolian Ground Beef

Delicious family meal.
Ready in 30 minutes.
Versatile dinner you can enjoy with a variety of sides.
Freezer-friendly.

Two bowls of white rice topped with savory Mongolian Ground Beef and chopped green onions, surrounded by small dishes of lime wedges, sesame seeds, green onions, and garlic cloves.

Mongolian Ground Beef Ingredients

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!

Ground beef: I use beef with 8-12% fat as I like the taste better, but use what you prefer.
Ginger: Peel the fresh ginger with a teaspoon and grate it finely.
Garlic: Mince 4 cloves, but adjust to your taste.
Soy sauce: Use an all-purpose or light soy sauce. The soy sauce provides saltiness, umami, and color.
Dark brown sugar: Caramelizes with the soy sauce, adding sweetness and stickiness.
Plain flour: Absorbs excess liquid from the beef, coating the beef in the sauce.
Green onions: Add a peppery flavor to balance the sweetness. A little goes a long way.
Sesame seeds: For crunch. You can toast them or serve them raw.

Ingredients for a recipe arranged on a gray surface, including ground beef, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, butter, green onion, flour, salt, and a small bowl of water.

How to Make Mongolian Ground Beef

Brown the ground beef: Add the beef to a large pan, wok, or skillet on medium-high heat until browned. Sprinkle flour on top and heat through.
Make the sauce: Combine grated garlic and ginger with soy sauce, water, and sugar in a bowl.
Pour the sauce over the ground beef. Allow it thicken on medium heat.
Serve the beef over fluffy rice, sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Mongolian Ground Beef cooking in a pan with white flour sprinkled on top.

A metal whisk stirs a dark Mongolian Ground Beef sauce in a stainless steel mixing bowl.

Possible Variations

Minced beef: Swap for ground chicken, turkey, or pork. You can also use flank steak for a classic Mongolian beef.
Butter: Use sesame oil or omit.
Ginger: Frozen ginger or ginger from a tube (you may need to add more than the recipe calls for, as the flavor is not as strong).
Garlic: Adjust to your taste. Swap for minced shallots or chives.
Dark brown sugar: Use any sugar you have: maple syrup, honey, granulated sugar, cane sugar, or even coconut sugar will be fine.
Soy sauce: Try tamari, coconut aminos, or hoisin sauce.
Seasoning: You might find the beef is already salty enough from the soy sauce, but season with sea salt and black pepper to your liking.
Garnish: Toast the sesame seeds slightly golden, or swap for chopped peanuts, chili slices, red pepper flakes, or chopped cilantro.

Serving Suggestion

Serve the beef with an omelet, add it to your next pasta salad, or enjoy it in a poké bowl with avocado, rice, tomatoes, and edamame.

Best served with

Jasmine or basmati rice.
Roasted vegetables.
Green beans.
Steamed broccoli.
Udon noodles.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the dish for 3 months. Allow the frozen beef to thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat it in a pot on low heat (it helps to add a small quantity of water).

FAQs

Can I meal prep the beef for later?

Yes! I brown the beef and prepare the sauce separately. Then, I store both in the fridge and combine them in a pan at dinnertime for that freshly made taste.

My beef won’t brown. What can I do?

It may help to remove excess fat with a paper towel, then leave the meat to sear undisturbed for a few minutes.

Can I make this glutenfree?

Absolutely! Use a glutenfree cornstarch or flour, and ensure the soy sauce you use is free from gluten, too.