Instant Pot Mongolian Beef (Better Than Takeout in 30 Minutes!) Recipe
This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe delivers a flavorful and tender beef dish that’s better than takeout, ready in just 30 minutes. Featuring thinly sliced flank steak cooked in a savory soy-ginger-garlic sauce with tender broccoli, this meal is perfect served over quinoa, rice, or cauliflower rice for a wholesome dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
- 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
- 4 stalks green onions
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa (or white rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice for serving)
Sauce and Seasoning
- 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
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
- Optional toppings: sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Cook the Base: Prepare the brown rice, quinoa, or your chosen grain according to package instructions and set aside for serving.
- Prepare the Steak: Slice the flank steak thinly against the grain. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the olive or sesame oil until shimmering. In 2-3 batches, sear the steak slices for 1-2 minutes per side to develop a browned crust without overcrowding, which causes steaming.
- Make the Sauce Mixture: While the steak sears, whisk together soy sauce (or alternatives), minced garlic, grated ginger, and water or beef broth in a bowl.
- Pressure Cook the Beef: Cancel the sauté setting. Pour the sauce mixture over the browned steak in the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set the pressure valve to sealed. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 5-7 minutes to come to pressure before counting down.
- Prepare the Thickening Mix: While the beef cooks, mix tapioca starch or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry.
- Release Pressure: Once cooking is complete, carefully quick-release the pressure by turning the valve to venting, using a towel to reduce noise and protect surfaces.
- Thicken Sauce and Cook Broccoli: Remove the lid. Add the cornstarch slurry, honey, and chopped broccoli to the Instant Pot. Resume sauté mode. Stir frequently until the sauce thickens and the broccoli softens, approximately 4-6 minutes. For thicker sauce, add an additional tablespoon of starch slurry and cook another minute.
- Serve: Plate the Mongolian beef and broccoli over your cooked grains. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes or sriracha for added heat.
Notes
- Cut steak thinly against the grain for the most tender texture.
- Do not overcrowd the Instant Pot when searing the steak to avoid steaming instead of browning.
- You can substitute quinoa with jasmine rice, white rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice as preferred.
- Adjust honey and red pepper flakes to control sweetness and spice levels.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, increase the amount of cornstarch slurry gradually.
- This recipe is easily doubled or halved to suit your needs.
Keywords: Instant Pot Mongolian Beef, Mongolian Beef, Pressure Cooker Beef, Quick Asian Beef Recipe, Healthy Mongolian Beef