This 30-minute Instant Pot Mongolian beef with fresh broccoli is a one-pot twist on a classic take-out meal. The sweet ‘n savory sauce with hints of spice throughout make it the perfect Asian-style weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
You’ll be driving past your favorite Asian restaurant every weeknight just so you can make this Mongolian beef dinner at home.
- Quick. This easy beef and broccoli dinner is ready in half an hour.
- Little clean-up. You only need the Instant Pot for cooking, so there’s little clean-up and is practically a splatter-free recipe.
- Great for beginners. Brown the beef, whisk the sauce, and let it all cook itself to sweet-and-savory perfection.
- Better than take-out. It’s super saucy, you can add more beef, or adjust the sweetness if you prefer.
Recipe Ingredients
The savory, glossy sauce with hints of spicy ginger and sweet honey pairs perfectly with the tender beef and broccoli. Scroll to the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
For the Broccoli and Beef
- Flank steak – Hanger steak or skirt steak can be used instead.
- Sesame oil – Peanut oil is a great swap.
- Broccoli florets – Use fresh or frozen (thawed).
For the Sauce
- Garlic – I prefer fresh garlic or garlic paste.
- Ginger – Fresh ginger will give you the best flavor, but ground ginger works too.
- Tamari sauce – Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce.
- Water – Beef or veggie broth are good swaps.
- Spicy mustard – Avoid American yellow mustard for this.
- Honey – Raw honey or agave nectar is best.
- Sriracha – Chili oil works too, but add it to taste because it’s spicier.
- Arrowroot – You can also use cornstarch or tapioca starch.
- Sesame seeds and green onions – These are optional garnishes.
How to Make Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
The Instant Pot allows you to carry out different types of cooking without dirtying more pots or pans. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Sautée the steak. Set the Instant Pot to its Sautée mode and let it heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the sesame oil. Stir in the steak and let it cook until browned. Remove it from the Instant Pot and set it aside.
- Make the sauce. Add the garlic and ginger, sautéeing them for 1 minute. Pour in the tamari, water, mustard, honey, and Sriracha. Mix well.
- Cook it. Return the beef to the Instant Pot. Seal the lid. Place it on the Meat setting and let it cook for 10 minutes. Use the Quick Release method and remove the lid when there’s no more pressure coming out.
- Make the slurry. Place the Instant Pot back on Sautée mode. Stir the arrowroot and 2 tablespoons of the liquid in the Instant Pot in a small bowl until completely smooth. Pour it into the Instant Pot and add the broccoli. Mix well. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Don’t just add the arrowroot directly to the Instant Pot because it’ll make the sauce lumpy.
- Serve. Turn off the Instant Pot. Serve the Mongolian beef over rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!
Tips & Variations
This Asian-inspired recipe is a great way to use up leftover juicy, grilled steak while adding more flavor to each bite.
- Make it spicy. Add more Sriracha to the sauce or sprinkle the finished dish with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Swap the protein. Use thinly sliced pork, turkey, or chicken instead of beef for an easy variation.
- Cook in batches. Don’t over-crowd the Instant Pot when cooking the beef, otherwise the meat will sweat and steam instead of brown. Cook it in batches as needed so that it’s not as crowded. Don’t worry about this for the sauce or broccoli, it’s just for the beef.
- Go veggie-friendly. Skip the steak and use extra-firm tofu (diced or crumbled) to make this a vegetarian dinner. Tempeh works too and so do Beyond burgers.
- Use leftovers. Stir any leftover Green Beans or Asian Brussel Sprouts into the mixture until heated through for a heartier bite. You can also chop up my Asian Grilled Flank Steak or Asian Meatballs to reduce food waste.
- Turn it into a noodle dinner. Double the sauce in the ingredients and prepare the recipe as usual. Cook enough egg or rice noodles (for 4 servings) according to package instructions. Drain and set them aside. Toss them into the Mongolian beef and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
This saucy Instant Pot Mongolian beef is great for dinner. Serve it over Jasmine Rice, Cauliflower Fried Rice, or my Asian Noodle Salad. For side dishes, try my Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce and Asian Brussel Sprouts. If you’d like a bowl-style dinner, add it to my Thai Vegetable Curry or Teriyaki Chicken Bowls.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Reheat it throughout the week for an easy dinner that’s ready faster than take-out.
- Fridge: Store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Transfer it to freezer bags in serving-size portions and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge or reheat it straight from frozen.
- To reheat it: Microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan (covered) over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring continuously. If it’s frozen, add 1-3 minutes to the reheating time for either method.
More Instant Pot Recipes To Try
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- An Easy Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs (Foolproof + Tender)
- The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
This quick Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe with a sweet ‘n savory sauce and broccoli is an at-home version of your favorite take-out.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. tenderized flank steak, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 cups broccoli florets
SAUCE:
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup tamari sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon spicy mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot
- Optional: top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot onto the Sauté setting and let it heat up.
- Add Sesame Oil to the Instant Pot.
- Next, add sliced flank steak to the Instant Pot and brown it. Once browned, remove beef from the Instant Pot and place on a plate.
- Next add the minced garlic and fresh ginger to your Instant Pot and sauté it for 1 minute. Then add in the tamari, water, spicy mustard, honey and sriracha. Stir until well combined
- Transfer the browned beef back to the Instant Pot. Seal the lid.
- Switch the Instant Pot over to the meat setting and cook it for 10 minutes.
- When it’s finished, use the the Quick Pressure Release method. Remove the lid once the pressure it completely released.
- Switch the Instant Pot back over to Sauté setting.
- To a small bowl add 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the Instant Pot and 1 tablespoon of arrowroot. Whisk together and pour back into Instant Pot. Then add in broccoli.
- Stir it constantly until the Mongolian Beef sauce is thickened.
- Serve your Mongolian Beef over cooked rice or cauliflower rice.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 264
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 1005 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg