Copycat PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef is an Asian dinner recipe featuring tender stir fried beef with a sweet, tangy Asian sauce. The dish is topped with scallions and sesame seeds, then served over fluffy white rice. This amazing copycat PF Chang’s Mongolian beef recipe tastes like the restaurant version, but it’s made at half the cost!

PF Changs meals are delicious, but expensive. That’s why this copycat Mongolian beef recipe is going to blow your mind! It’s the best Mongolian beef that I’ve ever tasted. Seriously!

I’ve tried to make copycat recipes before and I can tell you that while they may be delicious, it’s very difficult to hit the nail on the head and make a meal that tastes exactly like one you might order at a restaurant. This Mongolian beef tastes so close to the PF Chang’s version, it’ll blow your mind!

This Mongolian beef recipe comes together with a few simple ingredients, and in less than 30 minutes. The best part is, it’ll cost you less than half the cost of eating it at PF Chang’s, and you’ll know exactly what you are eating, too!

Copycat PF Chang’s Recipes

You may remember that I visited a P.F. Chang’s restaurant earlier this year. The closest one to my house is almost 90 minutes away, so I haven’t been back since.

Ever since that visit, I’ve been wanting to recreate some of the recipes from their menu. Why?  Well of course, because what I had was delicious, but mostly it’s because their menu is extremely overpriced! I can’t get over the fact that it costs almost twenty dollars for a simple Asian beef and rice dish like this Mongolian Beef.  It’s crazy!

The expense is probably why so many copycat PF Chang’s recipes are on the interwebs. I’ve seen copycat recipes for the PF Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps, and even a copycat PF Chang’s recipe for Coconut Lemon Soup!

What kind of beef do you use for Mongolian Beef?

You’ll want to use a tender cut of beef to make Mongolian beef, especially because it cooks quickly. Select a thin cut of beef, with little to no marbling, such as flank steak.

Flank steak can be a bit expensive, but you only need a pound of it to make this recipe. If the cost is above your price range, just use a lean piece of strip steak, which you can get for a couple of dollars less per pound.

Aside of the flank steak, the primary ingredients are easily accessible and inexpensive to buy.

Rice is one of the most frugal pantry items you can have on hand, and scallions?  You can get a huge bunch for less than a dollar at most grocery stores.

I splurged a little and bought organic rice. It doesn’t cost a whole lot more and I feel better knowing that it’s not filled with GMOs.

How do you make PF Changs Mongolian Beef Sauce?

Mongolian beef sauce is ridiculously easy to make, using a few basic pantry ingredients. You’ll need:

• soy sauce (I use low sodium soy sauce)
• ginger
• garlic
• brown sugar (or a brown sugar substitute)
• a slurry to thicken the sauce, made with water and cornstarch

If you’re looking for more frugal dinner ideas with beef, be sure to also check out my recipes for Spicy Ranch Burgers and Slow Cooker Italian Meatloaf.

More easy Asian recipes

• Easy Spring Rolls Recipe with Tuna
• Asian Sloppy Joes with Cabbage Slaw
• 3 Asian Dipping Sauce Recipes
• Asian Broccoli Slaw with Pineapple

Are you ready to make one of the best PF Chang’s recipes you’ll ever want to eat?

Grab your apron and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.  Let’s eat!

Copycat PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef Recipe

Copycat PF Chang's Mongolian Beef

Tender beef is stir fried with a sweet and tangy Asian sauce, then tossed with scallions and served over a hot bed of rice. This amazing dish tastes just like the restaurant version, at half the cost!

4.34 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

Calories 588 kcal

RECIPE VIDEO

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1.5 Tablespoons organic sesame oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
• 16 ounces (1 pound) beef flank or top sirloin steak (sometimes called stir fry beef)
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

For the Sauce:

• 1.5 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger)
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 8 ounces (1 liquid cup) low sodium soy sauce
• 8 ounces (1 liquid cup) water
• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cold water mixed with 1.5 Tablespoons corn starch

For Serving:

• 2 scallions (green tops only) thinly sliced
• White or black sesame seeds (optional)
• 2 cups cooked white rice

Instructions

 

• Cut flank steak across the grain into bite sized strips
  
• Place meat and cornstarch into a gallon sized plastic bag. Seal well and shake to coat the meat.
  
• Add all sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan. Stir to combine and place over medium heat. Cook until sauce is thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir fry the beef.
  
• Place oil into a wok, stir fry pan, or saute pan. Place over medium high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, add beef. Cook, stirring often, until meat is cooked to your liking (about 3-4 minutes for rare, 4-5 minutes for medium, and 6-7 minutes for well done)
  
• After meat is cooked, add about half of the sauce and stir to coat.
  
• Top with sliced scallions and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve over cooked rice. Enjoy!
  

Video

Notes

Serving Sizes: For the purposes of nutritional information, 1 serving = 3 ounces of cooked beef and 1/2 cup cooked rice.

You will have more sauce than you need. You can either double the recipe to serve more people, or freeze the leftover sauce for another time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 588kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 29gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 956mgPotassium: 563mgFiber: 1gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 3.5mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 3.3mg

Tried this recipe? Mention @itsyummi or tag #itsyummirecipe!