Mongolian Beef Soup combines tender, seared flank steak with a rich, savory sauce and a flavorful broth filled with onions, leeks, red bell pepper, ginger, and tomato. The sauce brings together tamari or soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, and chili garlic sauce for a delicious balance of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors.
The beef is lightly coated with cornstarch and seared before being added to the soup, giving it a wonderful browned flavor while helping the sauce develop its signature glossy consistency. Serve the soup with cooked rice on the side so everyone can add as much as they like.
Keeping the rice separate is more than just a serving suggestion—it helps control the texture. If the rice is added directly to the soup, it will absorb the broth and quickly turn the dish into something closer to a stew. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but keeping it separate lets everyone enjoy the soup at the consistency they prefer.
Mongolian Beef Soup
Ingredients
For the beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound flank steak sliced thinly into 1″ wide pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper optional, but delish
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
for the sauce
- ½ cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce use more for more spiciness
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
for the soup
- red wine optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 leek chopped (white and light green parts only)
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger or ginger paste
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 3 cups rice cooked
- 2 green onions trimmed and cleaned, sliced thinly on the diagonal
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the beef
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven over medium heat, until the surface shimmers.
- Toss the beef pieces with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, optional Aleppo pepper, and paprika to coat. Add half of the beef to the pot in an even, single layer. Sear all sides. Remove to a bowl.
- Add another tablespoon of oil, and the remaining beef, repeating the cooking process. Transfer to the bowl and set aside
- Prepare the sauce
- While the beef cooks in the step above, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare the soup
- Add a splash of red wine or chicken broth to deglaze the pot. Add one tablespoon olive oil, plus the onions, leeks, and bell pepper. Saute until soft.
- Scoot the vegetables to one side of the pot. Add a splash of broth to the cleared space, and stir the tomato paste and ginger in the broth puddle until smooth and fragrant. Blend into the vegetables.
- Pour in the homemade sauce and mix well. Let heat for a few minutes – you’ll notice the sauce begins to thicken and turn glossy.
- Scrape the seared beef into the soup, along with all of the juices. Top with the remaining broth. Bring the soup to a light boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Top the soup with the green onions and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Serve with the rice on the side, so that your guests can add the amount they want.*
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Great flavor..