Description
This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe offers a flavorful, tender, and quick version of the classic takeout dish. Featuring thinly sliced flank steak simmered in a savory soy-ginger sauce and crisp-tender broccoli, it’s perfect served over your choice of brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s an easy weeknight dinner that pleases the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 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 for topping)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
For Serving
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa, white rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice
Instructions
- Prepare Rice: Cook the brown rice or quinoa according to package instructions and set aside.
- Slice Steak: Cut the flank steak into thin pieces against the grain and set aside.
- Sear Steak: Turn the Instant Pot on the sauté setting and heat olive or sesame oil. When hot and shimmering, sear the steak in 2-3 batches for 1-2 minutes per side to achieve caramelized browned bits; avoid overcrowding to prevent steaming.
- Make Sauce Mixture: While searing, whisk together soy sauce (or alternative), minced garlic, grated ginger, and water or beef broth.
- Pressure Cook: After browning the steak, cancel the sauté mode, pour the sauce mixture over the meat, lock the lid, and ensure the pressure valve is sealed. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. It will take 5-7 minutes to reach pressure before the timer counts down.
- Prepare Slurry: While beef cooks, mix tapioca starch or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water in a small dish to create a slurry.
- Release Pressure: When cooking completes, carefully quick-release the steam by turning the seal to venting position, using a dish towel to shield from steam noise and splatter.
- Thicken Sauce and Steam Broccoli: Remove lid, add the starch slurry, honey, and broccoli to the pot. Press the sauté button again and stir frequently until the sauce thickens and the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp, about 4-6 minutes. For thicker sauce, add another tablespoon of slurry and sauté for one more minute.
- Serve: Serve the Mongolian beef and broccoli over your prepared rice or quinoa, and garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce for heat.
Notes
- Searing the steak first adds rich caramelized flavor to the dish.
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain to keep it tender and prevent chewiness.
- Use fresh garlic and ginger to give the sauce a vibrant, aromatic flavor.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch or tapioca starch slurry for perfectly thickened sauce.
- Steam broccoli just until bright green to keep it crisp-tender and flavorful.
- You can substitute beef broth for water to deepen flavor.
- If preferred, use coconut aminos or Tamari for a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
