Authentic Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe Like PF Chang's (2024)

Beef Recipes Chinese Recipes

34K Shares

This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure).

This copycat Mongolian Beef recipe is simply amazing! Nobody will believe this Mongolian Beef is homemade – it tastes exactly like the one from Chinese restaurant!

Authentic Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe Like PF Chang's (1)

This delicious recipe makes authentic Mongolian beef that tastes exactly like the Mongolian beef from your favorite Chinese restaurant. This dish is a copycat version of Mongolian beef served by PF Chang’s. Thinly sliced pieces of beef are cooked in the delicious sweet and salty sauce, and garnished with sliced green onions. Once you taste this amazing Mongolian beef recipe, you won’t be able to tell the difference between this homemade version and the PF Chang’s!

If you are reading it and thinking that “Authentic” and “PF Chang’s” shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, here’s some background on Mongolian beef. Mongolian beef recipe in the form that we know didn’t originate in Mongolia or China. According to Wikipedia, it is a Chinese-American creation by the Chinese restaurants in the US. In China, they have numerous dishes of stir-fried beef with green onions and other vegetables, but they don’t use the same sauce and don’t have the same taste as what we in the US know as a classic “Mongolian beef”.

So my goal is to recreate the recipe of Mongolian beef that we, as Americans, perceive as authentic – the taste of Mongolian beef that comes to our mind when we are craving one. And PF Chang’s version of Mongolian beef hits the spot :)

Authentic Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe Like PF Chang's (2)

Ever wondered how to achieve that unique flavor of Mongolian beef sauce? That sauce tastes mysteriously deep even though it’s not spicy, so what is the secret ingredient? If you thought it’s MSG, it is not :) This recipe doesn’t include MSG, but has the amazing and complete flavor you are looking for. The Mongolian beef sauce ingredients are soy sauce, garlic, fresh ginger, water and dark brown sugar – the ingredients that aren’t very unique on their own, but work wonders when combined together in the right proportions.

Authentic Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe Like PF Chang's (3)

Making Mongolian beef at home is pretty easy – you just combine the sauce ingredients in a blender, stir-fry the beef and add the sauce. From start to finish this recipe takes less than 20 minutes – that’s faster than getting a Chinese takeout. Not to mention that it will cost you a fraction of the restaurant meal!

Serve Mongolian beef over rice (I always cook rice in my rice cooker, so it will be ready by the time I’m ready to serve the Mongolian beef). Feel free to double the portion, as Mongolian beef reheats very well and makes great leftovers! We need to have leftovers to truly replicate the Chinese restaurant experience :)

Authentic Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe Like PF Chang's (4)

Click Here To Pin This Recipe

Authentic Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe Like PF Chang's (5)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

5 from 8 votes

This easy Mongolian beef recipe tastes exactly like the version served in a popular Chinese restaurant PF Chang's - amazing!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time7 minutes mins

Total Time12 minutes mins

Course: Beef

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: 4 servings

Author: MelanieCooks.com

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Slice the beef across the grain as thinly as you can.

  • Put the beef in the bowl and add cornstarch to it. Toss beef and cornstarch with your hands until all beef pieces are covered in cornstarch.

  • Slice the green onions and set aside in a separate bowl.

  • Combine soy sauce, water, garlic, ginger and brown sugar in a blender (or a food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade). Process for 1 minute or until smooth.

  • Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.

  • Add the beef to the frying pan and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes.

  • Add the sauce mixture to the beef in the frying pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

  • Add the green onions and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

  • Remove Mongolian beef from heat and serve over rice.

NEVER MISS A RECIPE!I publish a new recipe several times per week. Want the new recipes in your inbox? Sign up for FREE notifications!

Save This Recipe

If you like Mongolian Beef, you will also like my Orange Chicken recipe. Click on the picture below to check it out:

Save this for later on your social media:

34K Shares


Get Melanie's FREE Recipes In Your Inbox!

You also need these yummy recipes in your life:

34K Shares

Authentic Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe Like PF Chang's (2024)

FAQs

What is PF Chang's Mongolian sauce? ›

Deep and flavorful, our Mongolian Style BBQ Sauce can attribute its flavor profile to smoked black pepper, sweet molasses, soy sauce and garlic making this sauce versatile for marinades and as a finishing sauce.

What does PF Chang's Mongolian beef taste like? ›

Usually when we go to PF Chang's, I am all about the Kung Pao Scallops, but Mongolian Beef is also a favorite of mine. Crispy but tender pieces of beef coated in a thick, sweet and a little salty sauce. It's almost like eating beef candy! Add some red pepper flakes if you want to balance the sweetness with some heat.

Why is Mongolian beef so tender? ›

The science behind using baking soda to marinate Mongolian Beef: The alkalinity of baking soda raises the pH of the meat, causing the proteins to move further apart, and that makes it more tender and easier for us to chew or bite into.

What is Mongolian beef sauce made of? ›

Our recipe for Mongolian beef sauce includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, tamari soy sauce (as a replacement for dark soy sauce), chili sauce, sugar, and cooking wine. Check the ingredient list to see precise amounts. Don't forget that you can scale the recipe up and down!

What is Mongolian sauce made of? ›

This Mongolian sauce is a delicious combo of soy sauce, brown sugar and corn flour (cornstarch) mixture. The key elements of this sauce are soy sauce and brown sugar. These two ingredients create the contrasting flavors of sour and sweet. And obviously, they are the 'must' ingredients of this sauce.

What oil does PF Changs use? ›

As a bastion of Asian fusion cuisine, PF Chang's offers a tantalizing array of dishes that dance on the palate. However, for those who prioritize health alongside flavor, the widespread use of soybean oil serves as a caveat.

What are the ingredients in PF Chang's sauce? ›

Water, Sugars (brown Sugar, Sugar), Soy Sauce (water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Modified Corn Starch, Vinegar, Sesame Oil, Salt, White Wine, Sesame Seeds, Oyster Flavoured Sauce (water, Sugar, Salt, Oyster Extractives, Modified Corn Starch, Caramel), Garlic, Ginger, Chili, Shallot Juice Concentrate, Chicken Paste ( ...

What do the P and F stand for in PF Chang's? ›

P.F. Chang's was conceived and developed by Paul Fleming (P.F.) and Philip Chiang (Chang) so both names were incorporated into the name of the concept.

What makes Mongolian beef Mongolian? ›

Despite its name, the dish has nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine. Mongolian beef is among the meat dishes developed in Taiwan where Mongolian barbecue restaurants first appeared. Thus, none of the ingredients or the preparation methods are drawn from traditional Mongolian cuisine but rather from Chinese cuisine.

What's better Mongolian beef or Szechuan beef? ›

Szechuan Beef vs Mongolian Beef

Szechuan Beef has a sweet and spicy flavor with added chili peppers and Szechuan peppercorns. The Szechuan peppercorns has a distinctive tingly numbing sensation when eaten. Mongolian beef has a mild and much simpler taste, making it a kids' favorite, outside of broccoli beef.

What is the difference between Mongolian beef and Chinese beef? ›

Szechuan Beef is known for its use of Szechuan peppercorns, chili peppers, and often a spicy sauce made with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Mongolian Beef, on the other hand, features ingredients such as soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, and sometimes oyster sauce for a sweet and savory flavor.

What is the secret ingredient to tenderize meat? ›

Whether hosting a holiday cookout, serving up some stir-fry or tackling game meats, baking soda is the go-to meat tenderizer to help make your steak, chicken or turkey silkier, juicier and yummier.

How do Chinese get their beef so tender? ›

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

What is the difference between Mongolian and Szechuan? ›

Szechuan Beef has a sweet and spicy flavor with added chili peppers and Szechuan peppercorns. The Szechuan peppercorns has a distinctive tingly numbing sensation when eaten. Mongolian beef has a mild and much simpler taste, making it a kids' favorite, outside of broccoli beef.

Which is hotter Mongolian or Szechuan? ›

Szechuan Beef is characterized by its bold, spicy, and numbing flavors, often derived from Szechuan peppercorns and chili peppers. Mongolian Beef, on the other hand, has a milder and sweeter flavor profile, with a balance of savory and sweet notes from ingredients like soy sauce and brown sugar.

What is Mongolian flavor? ›

Typically, Mongolian consists of hoisin sauce, chili peppers, soy sauce, scallions, cabbage, green onions, ginger, broccoli, and mushrooms. Mongolian has a much simpler taste than Szechuan.

How spicy is Mongolian food? ›

Mongolian food is heavy in meat but because they do not have lots of spices this food qualifies for light spicy food.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Edwin Metz

Last Updated:

Views: 5965

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edwin Metz

Birthday: 1997-04-16

Address: 51593 Leanne Light, Kuphalmouth, DE 50012-5183

Phone: +639107620957

Job: Corporate Banking Technician

Hobby: Reading, scrapbook, role-playing games, Fishing, Fishing, Scuba diving, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.