Tender, juicy pieces of beef ready in just 30 minutes! This P.F Chang’s copycat Mongolian beef recipe tastes better than takeout and is the perfect meal for busy nights. Made in the air fryer with only eight ingredients, this easy recipe is a hit with the whole family.
With just a few easy ingredients you can now make your favorite takeout recipe at home!
This Mongolian beef recipe comes out with tender, slightly crispy pieces of beef coated in the best sweet garlic sauce. The Mongolian beef sauce is surprisingly easy to make and packed with flavor.
From start to finish is only 30 minutes and you can serve it in a variety of ways making a great meal prep recipe too.
You’ll love this copycat recipe so much that you’ll never go back to the original.
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⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe ⭐
Easy – with 15 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cooking time it comes together quickly.
Healthier than the original as you can control the sodium and sugar.
Versatile – serve this copycat Mongolian beef in a variety of ways to make a unique dinner every time.
Simple ingredients – there are only 8 items you need to make this recipe and chances are you have them already!
Lots of flavor – the perfect balance of sticky sweet and savory.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Flank steak – this steak is perfect because it cooks up quickly. Make sure to slice it thinly though so that it comes out bite-sized as well. You can use sirloin steak as an alternative.
Corn starch helps to crisp up the steak slices as well as provide a sticky, delicious sauce.
Vegetable oil
Low sodium soy sauce – if you need to make this gluten-free make sure to check your soy sauce.
Brown sugar works best as it helps caramelize the steak. However, other sugars can work as well.
Spices – you’ll need ground ginger and minced garlic cloves for the most authentic flavor. If you prefer fresh ginger to ground, use 2 Tablespoons minced.
Optional Garnish – Sliced green onion and sesame seeds.
📌 Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with quantities and step-by-step instructions!
🔁 Variations
For the most authentic copycat recipe, you’ll want to follow the ingredients exactly.
However, there are a few variations or additions you can use:
- Add shredded carrots, bell pepper or steamed broccoli to the mixture.
- Opt for sliced pork chops or thinly sliced chicken breasts instead of beef.
- Top the Mongolian beef with spicy kimchi or red pepper for an added flavor punch.
🥣 How to Make
Preheat Air Fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
STEP 1: Toss steak in the cornstarch. Transfer to the air fryer basket to cook for 12 minutes until crispy.
STEP 2: Combine oil, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a serving bowl.
STEP 3: Transfer the mix to a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil before reducing the sauce for 2 minutes.
STEP 4: Add sauce back to your bowl along with the steak and mix well.
Which Air Fryer To Use
The size of your air fryer will make a bit of a difference to the Mongolian beef recipe.
I use this Chefman TurboFry 8-quart air fryer which cooks the beef perfectly.
One of the reasons I love this air fryer is because it’s “family-sized” meaning I don’t often have to cook in multiple batches. It’s not only a time saver but a great kitchen addition for busy days.
How To Serve P.F Chang’s Copycat Mongolian Beef
The best part about this copycat Mongolian beef is that it can be made the same but served differently each time. This makes it a delicious meal prep recipe!
Serve the beef topped with chopped green onions over:
- Cooked rice
- Spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice if you want to scale back carbs.
- Roasted or steamed vegetables
- Simple green salad
- Cooked quinoa
This Mongolian beef recipe adds a comforting, sweet, and savory flavor to whatever it’s paired with.
⭐ Pro Tips ⭐
Flank steak or sirloin steak work best for P.F Chang’s copycat Mongolian beef recipe as they cook quickly. Though other cuts can work, make sure not to use stewing meat as it’s a bit too tough.
Don’t overlook preheating the air fryer at the appropriate time. Not only does this save time in the long run but it also gives the beef a crispy exterior.
When cutting the beef, make sure to cut across the grain and to make the slices very thin so that they crisp up nicely.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days in the fridge.
📝 Recipe FAQs
Typically, Mongolian beef is a thinly sliced steak that is stir-fried in a sticky, sweet, garlicky soy sauce. It’s then normally served over white rice and garnished with green onions.
Typically, flank steak or sirloin steak is best as it cooks the fastest. Though any cut will work if you slice it thinly enough. That said, avoid stewing beef as it will take longer to cook, and the chunks of beef won’t be as tender.
More Copycat Takeout Recipes to Try
If you tried this P.F Chang’s Copycat Mongolian Beef Recipe or any other recipe on my site, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing about your results and thoughts!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer P.F Chang’s Copycat Mongolian Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup corn-starch
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tbsp minced garlic cloves
- green onions sliced for garnish optional
- sesame seeds for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 400 For 5 Minutes.
- Toss your steak in the corn-starch. Transfer to your air fryer basket. Cook at 400 For 12 Minutes or until crispy.
- In a medium sized bowl, add your oil, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Whisk.
- Transfer to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the sauce for 2 minutes.
- Add your sauce back to your bowl. Add your cooked steak to the bowl. Mix to incorporate the sauce and steak.
- (OPTIONAL) Top with sesame seeds and/or green onion.
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