Mongolian Beef Noodles
For busy weeknights, Mongolian Beef Noodles are a game-changer, delivering restaurant-quality flavors in just 25 minutes with a mix of ground beef that’s both sweet and spicy. This savory, simple dish has delicious flavors that you’ll want to skip the takeout and make this easy, mouthwatering family favorite meal at home instead.
Mongolian Beef Noodles bring the excitement of Asian flavors right to your kitchen table. This delicious meal isn’t just a restaurant favorite; it’s a culinary adventure you can easily recreate at home. Whether new to cooking or a seasoned chef, the process is straightforward, making it a great option for a midweek dinner or a special weekend treat.
Why You’ll Love Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles
- Quick and Easy: This dish can be made in minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust the simple ingredients to suit your taste buds if you prefer your noodles with a little extra kick or just a hint of spice.
- Flavorful: The combination of tender ground beef, savory sauce, and hearty noodles creates a complex taste experience that’s comforting and exciting.
- Versatile: Serve it as a stand-alone dish or pair it with steamed vegetables or rice to turn it into a feast.
- Comforting: There’s something undeniably comforting about a bowl of warm, flavorful noodles that makes it the perfect comfort food.
Ingredients
- Fettuccine noodles: The base of your dish, these noodles will perfectly soak up the savory sauce.
- Lean ground beef: This protein adds hearty flavor and texture to Mongolian beef noodles.
- Soy sauce: A must-have for umami richness and that classic salty tang.
- Brown sugar: It balances the soy sauce with a hint of sweetness and caramel notes.
- Toasted sesame oil: For a nutty aroma and depth of flavor that will permeate the dish.
- Garlic: A crucial aromatic that adds a punch of flavor.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a touch of heat to liven up the noodles.
- Green onions: They bring freshness and a pop of color, both mixed in and as a garnish.
- Beef broth: Provides moisture and a rich base for the sauce to cling to the noodles.
- Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the sauce, ensuring it coats every noodle beautifully.
- Cold water: Mix with cornstarch to create a slurry that will thicken your sauce.
- Sesame seeds: Add a finishing touch with a sprinkle for texture and presentation.
How to Make Mongolian Beef Noodles
- Step One: Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Step Two: Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Drain off the grease.
- Step Three: Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, three green onions, and beef broth to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Step Four: Mix the cornstarch and cold water.
- Step Five: Stir in the cornstarch/water mixture once the beef mixture bubbles. Cook for 1 minute until it starts to thicken.
- Step Six: Add the cooked noodles and toss to coat.
- Step Seven: To serve, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Equipment Needed
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What to Serve with Mongolian Beef Noodles
- Spicy Steamed Broccoli: Add some greens with a kick by sprinkling red pepper flakes on steamed broccoli.
- Asian Slaw: Balance the rich beef with a crisp and tangy slaw.
- Spring Onion Pancakes: These add a satisfying crunch and layers of flavor.
Variations and Substitutions
- Meat Options: If you don’t have ground beef, try using ground turkey or a plant-based ground meat substitute for a lighter touch or a vegetarian version.
- Noodle Choices: Try spaghetti noodles, linguine noodles, ramen noodles, udon, rice noodles, or soba for a twist on texture and flavor.
- Sauce Alternatives: Soy sauce can be replaced with tamari or coconut aminos if you’re aiming for a gluten-free or lower-sodium dish. You can also add some hoisin sauce for extra flavor.
- Vegetarian Adjustments: For a meatless upgrade, you could replace beef with tofu or tempeh that has been marinated and sautéed until crispy.
- Replacements for Heat: Have no red pepper flakes on hand? A dash of hot sauce, chili paste, or a bit of diced jalapeño can provide a similar kick.
- Aromatic Alternates: Swap minced garlic with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if fresh garlic isn’t available. Add in fresh ginger if you like.
Storage Instructions
Let the noodles reach room temperature before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, I recommend dividing the noodles into portion-sized containers or freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to eat. Then reheat thoroughly before serving.
Can I make it ahead?
Certainly! Mongolian beef noodles are an excellent dish to prepare in advance. You can either pre-cook some of the components or assemble the entire dish and reheat it when you’re ready to serve.
Pre-cooking Components:
- Beef: Brown your beef and let it cool. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Noodles: Cook the noodles according to the instructions, rinse with cold water to stop cooking, and toss with some oil to prevent sticking.
- Sauce: The flavorful sauce can be mixed ahead of time and stored in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days.
Combining Your Dish:
When you’re ready to enjoy your Mongolian beef noodles, reheat the beef in a skillet, warm the sauce, and mix them. Give the noodles a quick blanch in hot water to warm them up before combining everything. This step ensures you maintain the perfect texture of the noodles.
What are Mongolian Beef Noodles?
Mongolian Beef Noodles are a deliciously savory dish with origins influenced by both Mongolian and Chinese cuisine. This dish boasts a combination of tender beef and noodles, all coated with a rich sauce that’s sweet, salty, and a little spicy.
Noodle Dinner Recipes
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST &
Get Your Free Weeknight Dinner Recipes eBook
Mongolian Beef Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine noodles uncooked
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- â…“ cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 green onions roughly chopped + extra for garnish
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cold water
- sesame seeds for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Drain off the grease.
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, 3 green onions and beef broth to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Mix the cornstarch and cold water.
- Once the beef mixture begins to bubble, stir in the cornstarch/water mixture. Cook for 1 minute until it begins to thicken.
- Add the noodles and toss to coat.
- To serve, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.