Description
This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe delivers a flavorful, tender beef dish with a vibrant sauce, perfect for a quick and easy dinner. Served over your choice of rice or cauliflower rice, it’s better than takeout and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa, white rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice for serving
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
- 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 (optional, for topping)
- Red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Cook the rice or quinoa: Follow the package instructions to cook your choice of rice or quinoa. Set aside once cooked and keep warm.
- Prepare the steak: Slice the flank steak thinly against the grain to ensure tenderness and set aside.
- Sear the steak: Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the olive or sesame oil. In batches, sear the steak for 1-2 minutes on each side until browned, avoiding overcrowding to prevent steaming.
- Mix the sauce: While searing, whisk together soy sauce or coconut aminos, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water or beef broth.
- Pressure cook the beef: Cancel sauté mode, pour the sauce mixture over the steak, secure the lid, and seal the pressure valve. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, allowing 5-7 minutes for the pot to reach pressure before timing.
- Prepare the thickening slurry: While beef cooks, whisk together tapioca starch or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth.
- Release pressure and add broccoli: Carefully quick-release the pressure using a dish towel for safety. Remove the lid, then add the slurry, honey, and broccoli florets to the pot.
- Thicken sauce and steam broccoli: Turn on sauté mode again and stir frequently until the sauce thickens and broccoli is steamed, approximately 4-6 minutes. Optionally, add more slurry to thicken further if desired.
- Serve: Serve the Mongolian beef over your preferred rice or quinoa. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes or sriracha for added heat.
Notes
- Sear the beef first to develop rich, caramelized flavors in the sauce.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain to maintain tenderness and avoid chewiness.
- Use fresh garlic and ginger to enhance the brightness and depth of the sauce.
- Don’t skip the starch slurry; it thickens the sauce perfectly.
- Steam the broccoli just until bright green and slightly tender to keep a crisp texture.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, prepare extra cornstarch slurry and add gradually while sautéing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
