Description
This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe delivers tender, flavorful beef in a savory sauce with a perfect balance of sweetness and garlic-ginger zest. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's an easy and delicious alternative to takeout that pairs wonderfully with rice or quinoa.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa, white rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice for serving
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, Tamari or coconut aminos
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
- 1/2 cup water or beef broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or cornstarch
- 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
- 4 stalks green onions
- Sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or sriracha sauce (optional topping)
Instructions
- Prepare Rice: Cook the brown rice or quinoa according to the package instructions and set aside to keep warm.
- Slice Steak: Cut the flank steak into thin pieces against the grain to ensure tender bites and set aside.
- Sear Steak: Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and heat the olive or sesame oil until shimmering. In 2-3 batches, sear the steak pieces for 1-2 minutes on each side without overcrowding to develop caramelized browned bits important for flavor.
- Mix Sauce: While steak sears, whisk together soy sauce or coconut aminos, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water or beef broth in a bowl.
- Add Sauce and Pressure Cook: Cancel the sauté setting, pour the sauce mixture over the browned steak, lock the lid, and ensure the valve is sealed. Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes; it will take 5-7 minutes to reach pressure before counting down.
- Create Thickener: While beef cooks, whisk together the cornstarch or tapioca starch and 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.
- Release Pressure: When cooking is complete, carefully quick-release the pressure valve using a dish towel to limit steam spray and noise. Remove the lid once the pressure is fully released.
- Thicken Sauce and Steam Broccoli: Add the slurry, honey, and chopped broccoli into the Instant Pot. Turn on the sauté setting again, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens and the broccoli steams and becomes bright green and crisp-tender, about 4-6 minutes. For a thicker sauce, add another tablespoon of slurry and cook for an additional minute.
- Serve: Serve the Mongolian beef over your choice of cooked rice or quinoa. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce for extra flavor and heat.
- Enjoy and Review: Enjoy your homemade Mongolian beef meal and consider leaving a review to share your experience.
Notes
- Sear first to develop rich caramelized flavors in the beef.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain to keep it tender instead of chewy.
- Use fresh garlic and ginger to give the sauce a vibrant, fresh taste.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry; it thickens the sauce perfectly with a smooth texture.
- Steam broccoli just until bright green to keep it crisp-tender and prevent overcooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
