Instant Pot Mongolian Beef—better than Chinese takeout! Saucy tender bites of beef with a savory and sweet sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.
Related: SLOW COOKER Mongolian Beef recipe
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Trying to make Mongolian beef in my Instant Pot has been on my to do list forever. I’m sad that it took me so long to get to it because it is so tasty and I’ve been missing out on this for months! My whole family loved the tender bites of beef. The pot was totally empty at the end of dinner.
Can I use another cut of beef?
I used beef chuck steaks and sliced them across the grain into half inch strips. They were super tender, the 20 minute cooking time worked well along with the natural pressure release. Beef stew meat will work also with the same cooking time. Another choice of cut is flank steak. Slice it into strips and pressure cook for 10 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
What should I serve with Instant Pot Mongolian Beef?
Instant Pot Mongolian beef is perfect with rice and steamed broccoli on the side (did you know you can cook broccoli with a zero minute pressure cooking time?). Riced cauliflower also works in the place of normal rice.
And for your knowledge here is a list of different types of rice and how to make them in the Instant Pot:
Can I cook the rice at the same time?
I did not cook my rice at the same time as my beef. However you can! Use the pot in pot method. Place appropriate amount of water and rice in a pan and cover the pan*. After step 2 in the recipe place a long legged trivet* into your Instant Pot on top of the beef. Then place your rice pan on top of the trivet. Seal the pot and the rice will cook perfectly along with your beef.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Yes you can! The leftovers will freeze nicely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
More Instant Pot Beef Recipes…
Instant Pot Or Slow Cooker Korean Beef Tacos
Instant Pot Sesame Beef With Zucchini
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Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Better than Chinese takeout! Saucy tender bites of beef with a savory and sweet sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck steaks, sliced across the grain into 1/2 inch thin strips
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch + 3 Tbsp cold water
- Sesame seeds and sliced scallions or green onions, for topping
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the oil and swirl it around. Working in batches place the beef strips into the pot in one single layer. Sear the meat on each side for about 1 minute each. Move the beef to a plate. Turn off the saute setting.
- In a bowl whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, pepper and broth. Pour the mixture into the Instant Pot and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the beef back into the pot. Stir.
- Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 20 minutes. When the time is up let the pot sit for 10-15 minutes. Then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the sesame oil and rice vinegar. Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. In a small bowl stir together 3 Tbsp of cornstarch with 3-4 Tbsp of water, until smooth. Then pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. The cornstarch mixture will thicken up the sauce quickly.
- Once the sauce it thickened turn off the Instant Pot. Serve beef topped with sesame seeds and scallions. This beef and sauce is perfect served over rice with a side of steamed broccoli.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
To make gluten free use gluten free Tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Chinese
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Hi Karen
On my recipe software I saw I had imported an IP Mongolian beef recipe, so thought I had already seen this. Turns out it was from another site.
Really looking forward to making this! I will say that the low sodium soy is probably needed, bc when I made the other recipe, which also calls for low sodium soy, I used regular and the result was WAY too salty!
So, I have a personal question as well. You obviously do a lot of cooking, so I was curious if you find it difficult to get your kids to like the recipes you’re posting. 😁 Some are invariably great for families but I’ve seen numbers of your recipes that my kids would never have eaten!
Dave
I have head of cabbage that I bought for the cabbage soup, now just trying to figure out how much cabbage and how much sauerkraut to use to try, unless I just the water from the sauerkraut…not sure how a combination of plain cabbage and sauerkraut would come out. 🙂
My kids are really good sports! They are so used to weird and different things since I have been doing this since they were 3 and 6 months. As far as the cabbage and sauerkraut go I think you can’t really go wrong. The cabbage shrinks down so much I always wish that I added more.
Karen, I’m grateful for all that I’ve learned from you about Instant Pot Cooking, including this wonderful recipe. But as an enthusiastic home cook, there are lots of times when I just enjoy the “work” of cooking, even if it takes longer and requires more effort; I actually find it relaxing. So, in addition to slow-cook variations, I would enjoy “stove-top” versions every now and then. For example, I would like to make this dish as a stir fry, using my wok. I assume the ingredients would remain the same, and that I’d cover and braise the beef in the wok for about 30 minutes or so. Does that sound about right, or o you think it would require more time to produce the same tenderness?
★★★★★
I’m not a stove top expert at all! haha! but that sounds about right to me
Love your recipes and can’t wait to try this one with chicken in lieu of beef! Thank you, Karen!
★★★★★
Thanks Teresa! Let me know how it goes with the chicken.
This recipe was amazingly delicious! I made it exactly as written (using London broil as that was all I could find) in my 3 qt. Instant Pot Mini. Even used spring onions and toasted sesame seeds as toppings, with broccoli & rice (with one tsp. coconut oil in the water as usual) side dishes as you suggested. My wife said that it was better than our local Chinese restaurant could have made. You do good work, Karen. Thank you!
★★★★★
P.S.
For our grandson’s first apartment, we had one of your books and an Instant Pot Mini sent to him. He’s already made and raved over a few meals he made!
Wow you are a good Grandpa!!!
Ahhh, thanks so much. I’m so glad to hear it went well. Thanks for the 5 stars!
I make a recipe much like this one and add one cup of grated carrots at the beginning. They add a little texture, turn brown, and are hardly noticeable. Good way to add a little more nutrition. Thanks for the additional meat options. Flat iron steak works well too but it has really gone up in price. These would be easier on the budget.
I like that carrot idea!
This is a great recipe that everyone really likes and so easy. Highly recommended.
★★★★★
Yay! Glad you liked it Sue!
Could this be made with chicken thighs or breasts. We loved it with the beef, but just wanted to change it up a bit. Love your recipes and ordered your book.
★★★★★
Yes it definitely could! I would change the cooking time to 3 minutes for bites or strips of raw chicken. It cooks quickly.
Can the sauce be doubled. We love a lot of sauce for our rice.
Sure!
Made this with London broil and it turned out great. I doubled the sauce and served it with rice, and broccoli. Wondering can I make this with chicken and not beef. I would think thighs would work best but what about chicken breasts. Any and all help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Love your recipes and I also ordered your book. Looking forward to getting it.
★★★★★
I made this with a bottom round roast which I needed to use up. My husband declared this is his new favorite meal.
Thanks!
★★★★★
NICE!!!
My family loved this Mongolian Beef! I made it using a chuck roast since I had no chuck steaks and it came out amazingly tender and so flavorful. It is a definite “make again” meal.
★★★★★
Delicious… we ❤️ Karen’s recipes. Thank you for enhancing our dining experience. Here is a photo of another gourmet meal:
https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/7cc00be7-2c0f-4286-4b1d-484e9b7493fd
★★★★★
Looks so tasty Helene! 👏👏
Another great recipe! I’ve made this one several times and it always comes out tasting so good. The first time I made it, I used chuck roast instead of chuck steaks. Somewhat of a mistake. I had a sirloin roast in my freezer and used it another time and it was OK. I am going to try flank steak this time and I’m sure it will be great. I recommend using what Karen says–chuck steaks, which is what I will use or the flank steak.
Thank you Karen for posting all these recipes. I just downloaded several from your “Better than takeout recipes” e-mail. Going to make the Adobo Chicken first.
★★★★★
Thanks Susan! I’m glad you are finding some good ideas on my website 😊
Oh boy…. I wish I’d read the comments before I cut up my chuck roast and got it in the pot. 🙁
How was it?
It was excellent Karen! Very tender and so good. I had sliced the chuck roast in the thin strips like I would have done with chuck steaks and I was actually shocked at how well it came out. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
So good to hear!
Wow! I made this today with flank steak that had been grilled….badly. It was tough and flavorless. I sliced it and didn’t brown it, since it had been grilled. It came out amazing! My kids licked their plates and asked for more sauce. I had been wanting to make this for awhile but we hardly ever have beef. We will definitely be making it again…but this time skipping the grilling part 😉
★★★★★
Yes! Way to make lemonade out of lemons 🙂
Hi Karen:
thank you for all of the great recipes! I was able to get some top sirloin at my market today so do you think that would work well for the Mongolian Beef recipe?
Thank you
yes I believe that would work 🙂
We have a large family of 8 with teenagers…can I double the recipe but still use same cooking time?
yes that will be perfect.
Would you change the recipe if you have a 10 qt IP? Thank you!
Wow! That is a big pot 🙂 You may need more broth to get it to come to pressure. But other than that I would keep it the same.
I have a 10 quart and follow Karen’s recipes, just add an additional cup of liquid. I always use 2 or 3 cups.
Karen, could you do the rice pot in pot.
Yes you could…just set it on top of a tall trivet
Thanks. Will try soon.
I have teh 8 quart pot is this enough liquid so it doesn’t come up with a burn notice?
I believe with the liquid in the recipe and from the meat that it will be more than enough for an 8 quart pot to come to pressure 🙂
Which rice would you recommend to use if I want to do pot-in-pot rice?
Jasmine rice is a good choice. But plain long grain white rice is great also!
I didn’t ask that question correctly. If the meat has to cook 15-20 min & then NPR for 15 min, what rice will be OK cooking that long?
Since you suggested Jasmine or plain white, then, they must be OK, right?
The pot in pot really protects it. I can’t think of a better way of saying it. I don’t know the right word to use but yes it will work. The pot in pot is gentle on the rice and it will work well.
Thank you, Karen, for taking the time to answer our questions. You are such a good teacher.
You’re welcome Kim!