Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef

This Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef is a quick weeknight dinner made with tender ground beef tossed in a sweet, savory, garlicky sauce with just the right amount of heat. Serve it over fluffy rice with broccoli for an easy dinner that comes together in about 25 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

When I’m looking for quick dinner ideas, ground beef is one of those ingredients I can always turn into something good without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Instead of burgers, tacos, or spaghetti, this recipe takes a pound of ground beef in a completely different direction with a Mongolian-inspired sauce that’s sweet, savory, a little spicy, and full of garlic and ginger.

It’s also the kind of dinner that feels like takeout but is simple enough to make on a busy weeknight. There’s no meat to slice or marinate, and almost everything comes together in one skillet. Add broccoli and spoon everything over hot jasmine rice, and you have a complete meal with plenty of that glossy sauce soaking into the rice.

Ingredients

The base of this recipe starts with lean ground beef, which cooks quickly and makes this much easier than using thinly sliced steak. Fresh garlic and ginger give the beef plenty of flavor, while the white parts of the green onions are sautéed right along with them.

The sauce is a combination of low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha. You get sweetness from the brown sugar, plenty of savory flavor from the soy and hoisin, and heat from the sriracha. If you want it even spicier, a little crushed red pepper goes a long way.

The green portions of the onions are cut into larger pieces and added during the final minute so they soften slightly without disappearing into the dish. If I’m adding a vegetable, broccoli is my first choice. It holds up well in the sauce and turns this into an easy all-in-one dinner.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, if needed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3 green onions, white and green parts separated
• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1–2 tablespoons sriracha
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• 2–3 cups broccoli florets, optional

How to Make Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef

Start by getting the broccoli ready if you’re using it. I like to blanch the florets for about 2 minutes so they’re already crisp-tender when they go into the skillet. This way, they only need enough time in the sauce to heat through and get coated.

Next, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks. If there’s a lot of grease in the pan, drain off the excess.

Separate the green onions before adding them. Thinly slice the white portions and cut the green tops into roughly 1-inch pieces. Add the white parts to the browned beef along with the garlic and ginger and sauté everything for about 30 to 60 seconds. You’ll know it’s ready when the garlic and ginger become really fragrant.

Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha. Add crushed red pepper flakes here if you want even more heat. Pour the mixture into the skillet and let everything come to a gentle simmer.

If you’re using broccoli, stir it in so the florets can get completely coated in the sauce. As everything simmers, the thin sauce will turn thick and glossy and cling to the beef and broccoli.

During the final minute, add the 1-inch pieces of green onion. You only want to cook them briefly so they soften slightly while still keeping some texture and color.

Spoon everything over hot jasmine rice and finish with sesame seeds.

Ingredient Notes

Ground beef: Lean ground beef works especially well because you don’t end up with a lot of excess grease in the sauce. If you use a higher-fat ground beef, simply drain it well after browning.

Brown sugar: This gives the sauce its signature sweetness and helps create that sticky, glossy texture. The sweetness also balances the soy sauce and sriracha.

Beef broth: Using ½ cup gives you enough sauce to coat the beef and any vegetables while still leaving a little extra to spoon over rice.

Sriracha: Start with 1 tablespoon for a noticeable but manageable heat. If you really want the spicy in Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef, go with 2 tablespoons.

Green onions: Don’t add them all at once. Sautéing the white parts with the garlic and ginger builds flavor, while adding the larger green pieces during the final minute gives the finished dish a fresher onion flavor and better texture.

Broccoli: Blanching it first gives you more control over the texture. It should be tender enough to eat but still have a little bite once it’s tossed with the beef and sauce.

Tips for The Best Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef

Have your ingredients prepped before you start cooking. This is a fast recipe, and once the ground beef is browned, everything comes together within minutes.

Don’t cook the garlic and ginger for too long. About 30 to 60 seconds is plenty. You want them fragrant without letting the garlic burn.

And don’t forget the rice. This is one of those dishes where that extra sauce at the bottom of the skillet might be the best part, especially once it gets soaked up by warm jasmine rice.

What To Serve with Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef

My favorite way to serve this is over steamed jasmine rice with broccoli. The rice balances the bold sauce, and the broccoli makes it feel like a complete dinner without needing to prepare several separate sides.

You could also serve the beef over fried rice, lo mein, ramen noodles, or even simple steamed white rice. For more vegetables, try snap peas, bell peppers, green beans, or bok choy.

If you want to turn it into more of a takeout-style dinner, serve it alongside egg rolls, spring rolls, or potstickers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add broccoli directly to the skillet without blanching it?
Yes. Add the raw broccoli along with the sauce, cover the skillet, and let it steam for a few minutes. Once it reaches your preferred tenderness, add the cornstarch slurry and finish the recipe.

Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes. Thaw the broccoli first and remove as much excess moisture as possible before adding it to the skillet.

Can I make this less spicy?
Absolutely. Reduce the sriracha or leave out the crushed red pepper flakes. You can always add more heat to individual servings.

Can I use ground turkey or chicken?
Yes. Either will work, although ground beef gives the dish a richer flavor.

How do I store leftovers?
Store the beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It reheats well in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat.

What other vegetables can I add?
Bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and green beans would all work well.

Recipe