Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

Using only an instant pot, you can make perfectly tender Mongolian beef at home. Every bite is coated in a rich brown sugar, soy and ginger sauce that tastes just as good as take out!

This Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe was not anything that I had expected to be as tasty as it was, and I was so surprised when everything came together in one pot in such a delicious and easy way. I would make this recipe every week, it is just that good! (And it has restored my faith in the Instant Pot.)

I haven’t had that many successes with my instant pot device. I think there have been three recipes in total that I liked enough to share. The Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus was fantastic, I found a new family favorite with Game Day Chili, and I recreated a childhood memory with Beef with Broccoli, but those are the only things that I have been happy with… until this Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe. This one is a keeper!

How to make Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

Cut the beef into 1/4 inch thick strips against the grain. Remove any large gristle or excess fat. You can use top sirloin steak, London Broil (as I used here) or flank steak. A leaner cut of beef works well. Cutting the beef into strips is very easy to do when the meat is still partially frozen. Cutting the beef into strips can also be done by the butcher at most grocery stores before you buy it – you just need to ask.

Lightly season the beef strips with salt and pepper. You don’t have to do both sides. I did and my overall dish ended up too salty. The addition of a little salt and pepper now seals in the flavors when you brown the beef in the next step.

Set the instant pot or pressure cooker to the browning or saute mode. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and once it is hot, begin adding the beef in batches, browning both sides of the meat. Once the beef has been browned, remove it to a plate and continue the process until all the meat has been browned. You don’t want to crowd the beef because it will take longer to brown it. I had to brown the beef in three batches for this recipe.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pot and add the chopped garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add soy sauce, water, packed brown sugar and grated ginger to the pot and stir to combine. Using a spatula, scrape the brown bits up off the bottom. The brown bits add even more flavor to the sauce before you add the beef back in.

Add the browned beef and any accumulated juices from the plate back into the instant pot. Stir to coat all of the meat with the sauce.

Seal the instant pot or pressure cooker with the lid and select high pressure. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Once it beeps, use a quick pressure release and then carefully remove the lid.

In a small container, mix 3 tablespoons of water into the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, using a fork to incorporate. The order is important for it to blend correctly and be smooth and without lumps.

Add the cornstarch mixture into the hot Mongolian Beef and stir until the sauce thickens.

This happens really quickly, almost instantly as you stir it in to the hot beef.

Stir in the chopped green onions and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Other Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Recipes you may like:

Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus – Risotto can take forever to make but using the Instant Pot or pressure cooker cuts that time way dawn. Creamy and delicious!

Game Day Chili – This is a family favorite. The texture of the beans is perfect and the flavors jump right out at you!

Beef with Broccoli – Another Asian inspired favorite, the Instant Pot tenderizes the beef and infuses it with flavor. Yum!

Get the Printable Recipe Here

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