Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

I will be the first to admit, I didn’t think I needed an Instant Pot because I LOVED my slow cooker but now that I have one I don’t know what I would do without it.  This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe is quick to make any night of the week and great for lunches!

As always I try to make my recipes healthy, whole food ingredients that you can easily substitute with what you have on hand.  For example, tamari can be substituted with soya sauce if you have it already.

I know there are a lot of multi-cookers on the market and this recipe will work with any of them. One of my favorites is the Mealthy Pot because of price point and ease of use but in all honesty, they all do the same thing it just comes down to personal preference and the size you want.

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs. flank steak, sliced thin against the grain
• 2 T. cornstarch
• 2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 large carrots, cut into 3” matchsticks
• 1 T. fresh ginger, minced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 T. Sriracha sauce (adjust to taste)
• 2 T. sesame oil
• ¾ c. tamari or coconut aminos
• ¾ c. warm water
• ¼ c. honey, preferably local
• ¼ c. maple syrup
• 3 c. long-grain brown rice, cooked
• 2 large green onions, cut on the diagonal
• 1 T. toasted sesame seeds

 

You’ll find these kitchen tools useful (I've included affiliate links to the products I use at home):

• Obviously an Instant Pot, the instructions are for the IP-Duo series, other models may offer different features or buttons.
• Kitchen tongs, I like the silicone version because they’re easy to clean and use.
• Silicone spatula, this is great for gently scrape the bottom of the pot.  If you’re making a sauce I like using a silicone whisk instead of the spatula, it works great and still gently scrapes the bottom of the pot.

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Directions:

1. Place beef and cornstarch in a one-gallon freezer bag. Seal and turn to combine until steak is lightly coated. Set aside.
2. Add one tablespoon olive oil to Instant Pot and select the Sauté function. Set to high and once the display reads “hot,” add beef, working in batches if necessary, and brown on both sides, approximately 3 minutes per side. Add additional olive oil, as necessary, to brown the remaining beef.
3. Transfer beef to a plate and add one tablespoon olive oil to Instant Pot. Add onion, carrots, ginger, and garlic, and cook, stirring continually, until onion and carrots are soft and turn golden brown, approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove from Instant Pot and set aside.
4. Return beef to the cooking container and add Sriracha sauce, sesame oil, tamari, water, honey, and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Add lid and set pressure valve to “Sealing” position. Select “Manual” option and set to high. Adjust cook time to 6 minutes.
5. When finished cooking, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, and then do a quick release for the remaining pressure.
6. Remove lid and add sautéed veggies back to the container. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Serve immediately over a bed of brown rice, topped with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!

Tip: For a thicker sauce, remove beef and veggies after cooking and use the “Sauté” function to reduce the liquids by one half.

 

This Mongolian Beef Instant Pot recipe pairs great with our cilantro lime rice.  It is a great recipe to have on hand for busy weeknights, especially if you do food prep when you grocery shop.  We hope you like this recipe as much as we do!

If you’re doing food prep for the week this recipe is great:

• Prep the onions and carrots
• Thinly slice the flank steak and store in the container you’ll use to coat with cornstarch before cooking
• Pre-cook your rice

On the day you’re going to make the Mongolian Beef all you have to do is coat your beef strips with cornstarch, mince the ginger and garlic (I like to use a fine cheese grater).  And then whip up your 5 ingredient sauce!  Your prep time will only be a few minutes.