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Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef is a sweet and savory choice for dinner any night of the week. It is made with beef stew meat simmered in the slow cooker with soy sauce, ginger, onions, and more. Enjoy your favorite “take out” dish, right at home!

Want to make it a complete meal? Check out these Side Dishes, hand picked to pair perfectly with Mongolian Beef.

Bowl of Mongolian Beef, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds on top of a bed of white rice.

As busy as life gets, my husband and I have a weekly tradition. Every Sunday we have an ‘in date’- a date where we don’t go anywhere. The kids are all in their rooms doing homework or going to bed by this time, and we don’t have to ask any of them to babysit!

Some of our favorite meals to eat when we date at home are my stove-top version of Crock Pot Orange Chicken, Rustic Harvest Vegetable Pizza, and Southwest Chicken Bowl. All are equally delicious and healthier than take-out dinners.

But when we order out, we tend to get the same dishes each time. So I thought I would try one of his favorites right here in my kitchen. This Easy Mongolian Beef is my easy crockpot meal version of a great take-out recipe that is super simple and allows me more time with my guy.

Bonus: My whole family loves this recipe. I am sure yours will too!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Crockpot Easy: Set it and forget it!
  • Simple Ingredients: Nothing from a specialty store here- all of these are readily available.
  • Versatility: Can be adjusted in various ways to meet the needs of even the pickiest eaters.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for mongolian beef: stew meat, onions, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame seeds, garlic, cornstarch, and brown sugar.
  • Beef: Choose sirloin steaks, flank steak, fajita meat, or beef stew meat. Stew meat (pictured) and fajita meat are already cut for you if you like that short cut.
  • Onion: Yellow onions or sweet onions are great here. Slice into half moons.
  • Ginger: Fresh is best. However, you can use 1-2 teaspoons of dried ginger as a substitute.
  • Garlic: Peeled and pressed is best. You can also get the pre-minced version if you’d like.
  • Soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, and ginger: makes up this delicious Asian sauce.
  • Green Onions and Sesame Seeds: Garnish each servings for additional color and texture.

How to Make Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

This is an overview of the instructions, be sure to see the recipe card for all the details.

4 image collage showing steps to make Mongolian Beef in the slow cooker.
  1. Sprinkle the meat with cornstarch and toss to coat all the pieces.
  2. In a separate bowl. Whisk together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.
  3. Layer the beef on the bottom of the slow cooker, and top with the onions.
  4. Pour the sauce mix over the beef and onions. Set the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Then, serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Expert Tips

  • If you like your take-out spicy, add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce. Whatever you have on hand!
  • Use this garlic press for mincing garlic quickly. There is something to preparing garlic differently…chopped, minced, sliced, etc. But to keep this quick, I use the press.
  • I recommend using a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off the ginger. Many people use a spoon, and just scrape it, but I think the peeler is easier. To grate the ginger, use a ginger grater. I love the ceramic ones, they allow no waste for that yummy juice which adds flavor.
Twp bowls of homemade Mongolian beef on rice with chopsticks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Gluten-Free option?

Of course, there is. Simply use gluten-free soy sauce or GF Tamari sauce and the rest is naturally gluten-free.

What’s the difference between Mongolian beef and Szechuan beef?

The sauce for Mongolian beef is mild and isn’t spicy at all. (That is why I like it!) It is made with soy sauce and brown sugar, like Szechuan beef. But Szechuan sauce uses hoisin sauce instead of soy sauce.

Is Mongolian Beef Trim Healthy Mama friendly?

It sure can be. Here are my suggestions.

  • Substitute the brown sugar with Swerve brown sugar,  or 1/2 cup of Truvia or 3-4 Tablespoons Super Sweet Blend, depending on your tastes.
  • Instead of using cornstarch, you can use glucomannan. The conversion would be 4 teaspoons, but I think you could get away with 2 to 3. Just stir it into the sauce.
  • For a low-carb option, serve it over Spaghetti Squash instead of rice.

    • Storing and Freezing

    If you have leftovers, which I highly doubt, you can keep them in an airtight sealable container in the refrigerator for three to four days.

    Meal Prepper notes: Yes, you can place all the ingredients in a gallon-size zipper bag and freeze it until the evening before you want to serve it.

    Then, allow the bag to thaw in the fridge overnight. The next day, pour it into the crock-pot and enjoy! Could it be any easier?

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    slow cooker mongolian beef

    Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe

    Succulent, tender pieces of beef melt in your mouth. Great way to enjoy take out while staying in.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Save
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 6 hours
    Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 310kcal
    Author: Chellie Schmitz

    Equipment

    • Slow Cooker
    • sharp knife to cut onions
    • ginger grater

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs thin sliced sirloin beef often used for fajitas or carne picada
    • 1/4 cup cornstarch
    • 2 medium onions sliced
    • 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and grated
    • 3-4 garlic cloves peeled and pressed
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 cup soy sauce
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 green onions sliced diagonally
    • sesame seeds for garnishing

    Instructions

    • Sprinkle the meat with the cornstarch and toss to coat and set aside.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.
    • Place the meat in the slow cooker, then follow with the onions on top, finally pour the sauce over the top.
    • Cover and cook on low for low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours
    • Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds

    Notes

    • If you like a little kick, add some red pepper flakes.
    • I have made this recipe with all of the following cuts of meat and it works great: Sirloin steaks that I cut myself, stew meat, fajita meat (those two are already sliced) and flank steak, which you can again cut yourself or ask the butcher to do it for you. 
    • On the Trim Healthy Mama plan? Substitute the brown sugar with Swerve brown sugar,  or 1/2 cup of Truvia or 3-4 Tablespoons Super Sweet Blend, depending on your tastes. And, instead of using the cornstarch, you can use glucomannan. The conversion would be 4 teaspoons, but I think you could get away with 2-3. Just stir it into the sauce.
    • For a low carb or THM option, serve it over Spaghetti Squash instead of rice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1700mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 4.9mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg
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    Chellie Schmitz is the creator of Art From My Table, where her passion for delicious food and gathering with loved ones comes together. She believes anyone can cook a great meal, it doesn't have to be complicated or stressful. Her recipes and food photography have been featured in many publications including Buzzfeed, Southern Living, Today Food, and Fitness magazine.

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    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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    12 Comments

    3. This looks delicious! Ive never had homemade Mongolian beef. Looks easy to make and i love easy meal. Pinning!

    4. Oh I sooooo know what I’m making tonight. This looks yummy. Pinning too just in case I forget or get side tracked, lol!!

    5. Thanks for throwing such a great party! Glad to hear you found something useful here! It really is delicious! Enjoy!!

    8. Ok, Chellie!!! My daughter is going to DIG this recipe!!! Many thanks for linking up at Lambert’s Lately!!!

    10. I hear you Mishael! Hang in there, it will happen! That’s why we give them a special activity to keep them from wanting to come out! ha! 🙂

    11. I love Mongolian beef. And I love the idea of having a date night in…maybe when the kids are older and we can get them to stay in their rooms by themselves for longer than 10 minutes. LOL! 🙂