Copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef – 🤎💚🙌🏻 My copycat recipe is every bit as good as the restaurant version and my family says it’s actually BETTER! It’s ready in just 20 minutes, EASY, and makes for a great weeknight meal! The extra sauce is perfect over rice and even picky eaters will love this one!
Table of Contents
This copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef recipe is loaded with rich Asian flavors from the ginger, garlic, sesame, and soy. I love it when I can recreate a restaurant dish and make it taste as good at home, if not better, and it’s extremely easy!
It’s ready in 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknight dinners. Or picky eaters, if you happen to have one!
Rather than frying the beef in a wok with excess oil, I seared it in a skillet with just a bit of oil. The beef is wonderfully tender thanks to the tenderizing properties of cornstarch and so juicy from all the sauce.
The sauce tastes so authentic and is where it’s at with this dish. It’s so simple but really is the star of the show for me at home. You’ll likely have extra, and it’s great over rice.
Ingredients for This Recipe
You’ll need the following basic ingredients for this better-than-P.F. Chang’s Mongolian beef recipe:
- Flank steak
- Cornstarch
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Soy sauce – I used reduced sodium
- Dark brown sugar
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Mongolian Beef from P.F. Chang’s
This is such a fast and easy recipe for Mongolian beef that everyone adores! Follow my easy and straightforward steps:
- To a large bag, add sliced steak and cornstarch, then toss to coat.
- In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic and fresh ginger until garlic is fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- To that same saucepan, add soy sauce, water, and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow it to boil for a couple minutes before reducing the heat and simmering until slightly thickened and reduced.
- While the Mongolian sauce simmers, sear the steak in a well oiled skillet. Then pour in the soy sauce mixture and toss meat to coat it evenly with the sauce. Let the Mongolian beef continue cooking until the sauce thickens up, and give it a final taste before serving.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, then dig in!
What to Serve with P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef
Recipe FAQs
If you’ve never been to P.F. Chang’s before, you might be a little confused about why I’m so excited for this copycat recipe. Essentially, Mongolian beef is a stir-fry made up of sliced beef (I used flank steak in this recipe) and a savory brown sauce.
Sauce ingredients may vary, but a combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger gives you the right flavor. Depending on where you get Mongolian beef, it might come with stir-fried vegetables in it as well, and the sauce may be slightly spicy from the addition of chili peppers.
It’s always served with rice, but you can also make cauliflower rice or quinoa to go with it!
No! The cornstarch in this recipe is non-negotiable. It helps the beef crisp up a little when seared, and it thickens the sauce. If you omit the cornstarch, your sauce will be too runny and your Mongolian beef won’t be just like P.F. Chang’s!
To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure your soy sauce is certified gluten-free. I know that’s important for many of my readers, so I wanted to mention that!
Yes, you could add sugar snap peas, snow pea pods, or broccoli in the final few minutes of cooking the beef if you want to turn this into more of a ‘beef with broccoli’ type of dish.
Storage Instructions
In the fridge: Beef is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
In the freezer: Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to enjoy.
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P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak, (sliced with the grain in 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick bite-sized pieces*, alternatively use skirt steak, flat iron steak, flap (sirloin tip) steak, tri-tip steak, or hanger steak – listed in order of preference)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh ginger or to taste, finely minced
- ½ cup lite or reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed (light may be substituted), or to taste
- 1 or 2 green onions, sliced into thin rounds for garnishing
- sesame seeds, optional for garnishing
Instructions
- To a large ziptop bag, add the steak slices, cornstarch, seal, and toss to coat. Set aside while preparing the sauce.
- To a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and heat over medium-high for about 1 minute, or just until garlic is fragrant, taking care not to scorch it.
- Add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow it to boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced. Taste the sauce and make any necessary flavor adjustments. While the sauce simmers, sear the steak.
- To a large skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and steak. Cook over medium-high or high heat until steak is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes, flipping the pieces intermittently to ensure even cooking.
- Add the soy sauce mixture, noting it will bubble up. Toss meat to coat it evenly with the sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 3 minutes at medium-high heat before reducing heat to low and simmering for 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened to taste. Give mixture a final stir to coat all pieces evenly.
- Evenly garnish with the green onions, sesame seeds, and serve immediately. Beef is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Better-Than-Takeout Recipes:
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Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken – Juicy chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated with the best garlicky soy sauce! Skip takeout and make your own restaurant-quality meal that’s easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthier!
Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice – One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken!
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe — An easy, BETTER-THAN-TAKEOUT recipe with juicy chicken and such a flavorful sauce!! Don’t call for takeout when you can make this HEALTHIER version at home in 20 minutes!
Better-Than-Takeout Sticky Chicken — Stop calling for takeout or going to the mall food court and make this AMAZING sticky chicken at home in 15 minutes!! So EASY with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with plenty of sticky sauce!!
Originally posted January 4, 2017 and reposted with updated text January 13, 2023.
Took this to a household currently in quarantine and all I can say is everyone loved it. I doubled this recipe and made LOTS of extra rice. The leftover came home with me and later this week I will be bringing the family Fried Rice made with all the leftovers. The flavor is outstanding and this will be a regular in the meal rotation. (might add a bit of spice when I make it for my sister and more of my friends, a few red pepper flakes or a few spicy peppers would taste great)
Took this to a household currently in quarantine and all I can say is everyone loved it. I doubled this recipe and made LOTS of extra rice. The leftover came home with me and later this week I will be bringing the family Fried Rice made with all the leftovers. The flavor is outstanding and this will be a regular in the meal rotation. (might add a bit of spice when I make it for my sister and more of my friends, a few red pepper flakes or a few spicy peppers would taste great)
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that this will go into your regular rotation! And I agree about the spice aspect, that would be my preference as well!
For your extra rice (use protein of choice) https://www.averiecooks.com/easy-better-takeout-chicken-fried-rice/
Loved this recipe! Easy to make and great flavors! A definite keeper! 👍
Loved this recipe! Easy to make and great flavors! A definite keeper! 👍
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you loved it and that it’s a keeper!
Wow! Fantastic it was easy and quick but oh so tasty. Followed the recipe has written. Next time will some red pepper flakes for the husband since he likes some heat.
Wow! Fantastic it was easy and quick but oh so tasty. Followed the recipe has written. Next time will some red pepper flakes for the husband since he likes some heat.
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was fantastic and easy! Of course add spices to taste for heat next time.
I just made this for my family and it was delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was delicious for you and your family!
I love, love, love, this recipe!
It is so quick and easy to make, my husband even whipped up a batch while I was home recuperating from back surgery! The sauce is spot-on for P.F. Chang’s original recipe. A few years back, P.F. Changs removed this dish from their selection of gluten free entrees, it broke my heart as it was my favorite. Since I have a severe gluten allergy, the only way I can eat this is to make it myself. So, THANK YOU for breaking down the recipe so I can substitute my own gluten-free ingredients (gf soy sauce) to make it celiac friendly.
Thanks for LMK that you think the flavor is spot on for the PF Chang’s sauce. I didn’t know they took it off the menu but now you have a homemade version that you can make GF with GF soy sauce. Glad this is a winner!
Love all the Asian recipes. Will try several soon.
Wonderful and enjoy!
How did you know this was Mel’s absolute favorite order?? I have to make it for him!
Averie! These photos! So gorgeous! And I love Mongolian Beef!
Aww thanks! It was so shiny because of that glaze so I was a little worried but things turned out ok :)
Have you ever substituted chicken for beef in your P.F. Chang recipe? It looks so delicious, but I don’t eat meat.
I have not personally tried but it would probably work out fine.
hey girl- this looks amazing!
I love P.F.Chang and so happy to see one of our favorite recipes! Copycat recipes ROCK!! Thanks for sharing this Averie :)
Your sauce sounds amazing! Love the flavor combo.
The sauce is where it’s AT! So good!
I love seeing a copycat recipe as we have some great asian restaurants here but no PF Chang’s. This would be a nice surprise for Jon to come home to Friday. A couple of years ago the local paper published a “wish list” of businesses the city would like to have. PF Chang’s (and Trader Joe’s) were on it. We’re still waiting!!
I hope at the very least you one day get a TJ’s! There are staple products I buy there that I would have a very hard time going without!
This was wonderful Averie! I threw in your first suggestion ( sugar snap peas )and I’d like to make it again with broccoli. The sauce is so good–kind of like a dark, rich, gingery teriyaki and I’m sure it would be good using chicken too. Lots of possibilities for this one!
Glad you loved this one and yes the sauce is dark, rich, gingery, teriyaki like and it would go great with just about anything I think! Glad you threw in some snap peas too! Keep me posted if you use chicken, broccoli, etc!