Spicy Stir-Fried Beef (Previous Name: Mongolian Beef)

This Spicy Stir-Fried Beef (previously known as Mongolian Beef) recipe is made by my wonderful father. This was one of my favorites at his Chinese restaurant and was loved by many.

Let me convince you how flavorful, tender, and juicy this beef is! For the marinade, we add cornstarch, oil and water to make it extra juicy and soft. My dad’s marinade uses a little bit of baking soda to tenderize the beef. His cooking tip: seal the marinade with a little bit more oil to lock in the moisture. The stir fry process is super quick, so prep all your onions, garlic and chilis before cooking. The dish is cooked on high heat which gives the beef and onions a very nice smoky flavor.

My parents are now retired but I always will remember my dads’ delicious recipe. Hope you guys try to make it at home, you won’t regret it!

For another tasty stir-fry, don’t miss my Spicy Thai Basil Chicken in 30 Minutes. And if you’re looking for something to go with it, I recommend the Chicken Chow Fun for a full meal!

What kind of beef should I use?

Any lean beef (beef tenderloin or beef chuck) will do! To slice thinly, make sure you have a sharp knife. Cut into thin slices and lightly smash the beef with the back of your knife so the slice is even (and more thin!). Make sure you’re using a large knife with lots of surface area (Chinese knife) Watch video in the recipe card for reference.

Why change the name?

We called this dish Mongolian Beef at my parent’s Chinese restaurant and I shortly realized the name of this dish was not culturally appropriate. The dish’s flavors and origins had no relation to Mongolia whatsoever. I don’t know how the name started, but I can share our own personal experience of how this name keeps getting passed down. My parent’s immigrated to America from China without knowing any English. When they took over the Chinese restaurant, the menu already came with dishes that American customers loved and was familiar with. We made Mongolian Beef just the way the previous owners made it with a few modifications of course and never changed the menu. I think we unknowingly passed it down for years to come without thinking much of it and I would say some others have too.

Ingredients you need for your Spicy Stir-Fried Beef:

• beef tenderloin or beef chuck
• salt
• sugar
• soy sauce
• shaoxing cooking wine
• baking soda
• corn starch
• water
• olive oil
• chicken bouillon
• white pepper

stir-fry

• vegetable oil
• green onions
• white onion
• garlic cloves
• dried red pepper
• soy sauce
• sugar

Steps to make the Spicy Stir-Fried Beef:

Marinade beef

Step 1. Slice beef tenderloin or beef chuck into thin slices and place in a bowl.

Step 2. For the beef marinade: add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon shaoxing cooking wine, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon corn starch, ¼ cup water, 1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon, and a pinch of white pepper. Add a little bit of oil on top of the beef to seal in moisture.

Step 3. Marinate beef for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. After marinating, you will see that the liquid is soaked up. Give the beef a good stir before frying.

Stir Fry

Step 4. Prep your onions/garlic/dried red peppers before cooking the beef. Cut 6-8 green onions in 2 inches. Slice 1 small white onion and 2 garlic cloves. Set aside and prepare the stir fry!

Step 5. Heat up your pan or wok on high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 2 tbs oil. Next fry your beef on high heat until the beef has a nice brown sear. Be careful, the beef has moisture so when it hits the oil, there will be some splatter. I recommend to cover the pan with a lid when the oil starts to splatter.

Step 6. Once beef has a nice brown sear, set it aside.

Step 7. In the pan (still on high heat), there should be some leftover oil from frying the beef. The oil has good flavor so don’t throw away ◡̈ Add 6-8 dried red pepper and 2 sliced garlic. Keep stirring to make sure garlic doesn’t burn. We’re looking for a roasted red pepper and slight golden on the garlic. (takes 1 minute)

Step 8. Add sliced white onions in the pan when the dried red pepper has turned a darker red color. Stir fry onions until translucent. (takes 1-2 minutes)

Step 9. Add beef back in with the dried red peppers, white onions, garlic. Add green onions, 1 tbs soy sauce, ½ tbs sugar and fry for one minute. The dish is yummy and savory. Its perfect when you serve with some white rice ◡̈ Hope you enjoy!

If you’re looking for more beef recipes, check out some of my favorites here:

• LA galbi (korean marinated short ribs) are sweet and savory, perfect for grilling!
• beef chow fun tender beef sauteed with chewy rice noodles.