This quick and easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef is on the table in a fraction of the time than when cooked on the stovetop. Tender and flavorful Mongolian beef in a sweet and savory sauce has never been easier than when prepared in your pressure cooker!
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
My new Instant Pot has been a total game-changer when it comes to getting a meal on the table on busy weeknights. I was completely amazed at how tender and flavorful this beef was… like it had been slow cooking for hours and hours!
This sweet and tangy Mongolian beef is on the table in less than an hour from start to finish, and it’s so much better than takeout!
5 Star Review
I made this recipe the other night and it was a HUGE hit with my kids! I just got my instant pot and this was the first recipe I made using it. I was kind of intimidated to use my instant pot but this recipe was so easy and so tasty and now I love using my instant pot! Thank you for this recipe! ~ Christina
Storing Leftovers
Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
If you prefer using a slow cooker, be sure to check out my slow cooker Mongolian beef (it’s just as delicious!).
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy Mongolian beef as much as we did!
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak sliced into thin strips across the grain
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- ¾ cup soy sauce I used low sodium
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 cup shredded or julienned carrots
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- ⅓ cup cold water
- ¼ cup sliced green onions optional garnish
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds optional garnish
- Cooked white rice
Instructions
- Place ginger root, garlic, soy sauce, 1 cup water, brown sugar, and hoisin sauce in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting. Add olive oil. When olive oil is heated, add beef and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour mixture over beef and stir to combine. Add carrots and stir again.
- Turn Instant Pot off. Place the lid on and lock. Steam release knob should be set on “sealing”.
- Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove lid and stir. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Prepare the cornstarch slurry by whisking together cornstarch and ⅓ cup cold water in a small bowl or large measuring cup until smooth. Add to sauce and stir to combine. Turn on the saute setting and continue to stir until slightly thickened (about 2 minutes). Turn off your Instant Pot. Sauce will thicken as it sits (about 5 minutes).
- Serve over cooked white rice (if desired) and top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
- Cook time includes the time it took my pot to come to pressure.
- I used an Instant Pot LUX80 8 quart in this recipe.
- Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Nutrition info does not include rice.
Nutrition
If provided, nutritional info is a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline.
Michelle
Made this yesterday in a six-quart Duo. I decided to brown the beef in batches so that it didn’t all just steam in the bottom of the pot. That was the only change I made to your instructions. So, you can assure other readers that this recipe works in a 6-quart pressure cooker just fine!
Tasty recipe. I am curious, did you intend for the beef to brown in that initial saute step?
Katy
I’m so happy with how this turned out! Im new to instantpot and this is the first beef dish i made. Its moist and flavorful and not dry at all.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks so much, Katy! So happy to hear you liked it. I hope you enjoy your new Instant Pot! 🙂
Linda
Made this today, first recipe in my new instant pot. Love it, thank you sooo much. Where can I find more of your recipes?
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Linda, Thanks so much! My recipe index is here and there is a category dedicated to Instant Pot recipes. Hope you enjoy your new Instant Pot!
Sarah s
Absolutely fabulous and so easy.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks so much, Sarah!
Rodney Lucas
This fantastic recipe is the very first one we tried in our Instant Pot, and we’re immediate fans! Thank you so much!
Joan Clark
I liked the taste of this, but it was a bit on the sweet side. My sauce never thickened, even after increasing the amount of corn starch mixture that I added. Also, the carrots completely disappeared. I’m thinking it might be better to add them when the pressure cooking is done and the lid is removed. When I added the corn starch, a chemical reaction happened that made the sauce foam up and expand. It did eventually go down. It would be useful to add to the instructions to pour the corn starch mixture in slowly. I’ll definitely make this again and tweak the amount of liquid that goes in at the beginning. Any suggestions as to why the sauce didn’t thicken would be appreciated.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Joan, I honestly can’t say as to why your sauce didn’t thicken as I’ve never had that to happen (especially with adding more cornstarch mixture). As for the “chemical reaction” that has me baffled as well. So sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Joan Clark
I feel like a dunce! I just realized I used baking powder instead of corn starch! That’s why I got the chemical reaction and the sauce didn’t thicken. Remade, this time using corn starch. It was perfect!
Amy @ The Blond Cook
JOAN! So funny, I was going to suggest that being a possibility but decided not to (LOL). At least I’m not the only one that makes silly blunders in the kitchen! Thanks and have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Lindsey
Delicious! Even the 2 year old had 3 servings. Made exactly as recipe directed.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks, Lindsey! So happy to hear even your 2 year-old liked it. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Jessica
This was my first instant pot recipe. It came out so well! Very tasty and tender. I used a cheaper cut of beef and still came out great. Next time, I may use less brown sugar to cut down the sweetness.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Jessica, that’s so great to hear! So happy you liked it and hope you enjoy your new Instant Pot! 🙂
Steve B
Awesome flavor, loved it!! The only problem was the meat broke up into small pieces. Perhaps I cut too thin??
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Steve, that’s the only thing I can think of… sorry that happened! I hope you’ll try it again with slicing the meat thicker; glad you liked the flavor!
Karla Walters
We loved this recipe!! I am new to Instant Pot and love trying new recipes! The big drawback I am finding is no info on Nutritional Facts. I count calories & have to keep track of Hubby’s sodium. I couldn’t find a low sodium Hoisin sauce so I almost skipped it, but was well worth that flavor! I went to a small market and they didn’t have Flank or Skirt Steak but they did have Bottom Round Stir Fry Beef & I didn’t even have to slice the meat, BONUS!! I would like to try this again with Flank. If anyone has figured out the calories & sodium, please let me know since this is one of the new favorites!!
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks so much, Karla! I don’t have nutritional info for this recipe, but there are several online resources, just Google “nutritional calculator” and enter the ingredients. So happy to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
Jody
This was a great, east dish to make and delicious! I added red pepper flakes to it for some heat!
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks, Jody! The addition of red pepper flakes sounds delicious. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Cyndi Sobel
I do not have an instant pot – only crock pot.
this recipe has been going around for a very, very long time. I have not received any other recipes from you. do you only cook with an instant pot?
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Cyndi, if you browse around the site, you’ll see that I don’t cook only with an Instant Pot. At the end this post I included a link to a slow cooker version of this recipe that you can find here. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Melissa
Is it possible to substitute the brown sugar with honey?
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Melissa, I’ve never substituted honey for brown sugar in this recipe so I can’t say with certainty… but I wouldn’t hesitate to try it. Here is an article I found on how to substitute honey for brown sugar in recipes. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
scott hartfelder
If i wanted to include broccoli in the recipe, should it cook in the Instapot the same time the meat is cooking?
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Scott, I’ve never included broccoli in this recipe so I can’t say with certainty. I would steam the broccoli separately (microwave or stove top) and add them just before serving. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Evie Gibson
I tried this recipe today and I added broccoli. After adding the cornstarch and thickening the sauce, turned instantpot off, added broccoli, submerged in sauce, covered, and let it sit for 5 minutes. The broccoli was perfect and it wasn’t over cooked. I’m definitely making this again (with a little less brown sugar). It was delicious!
Tanya B.
Feel the same why. Half on the brown sugar cause it’s a little sweet. Beside that it’s great.
Katie Sullivan
My 3 grown boys and husband did backflips over this meal! We will definitely make again, but boys wanted seconds. New to Insta Pot, but can this recipe be doubled??
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks so much, Katie! I’ve never doubled this recipe so can’t say for certain. It would also depend on the size of your Instant Pot, as you shouldn’t go over the fill line. So happy to hear everyone enjoyed it! 🙂