Pei Wei’s Mongolian Beef stands as one of the most beloved dishes in Asian-American cuisine, delivering perfectly crispy beef tenderloin glazed in a sweet and savory sauce that strikes the ideal balance between comfort and sophistication. This restaurant favorite combines tender beef with fresh button mushrooms and vibrant scallions, all brought together by a glossy sauce that clings beautifully to every piece. With the proper techniques and quality ingredients, you can recreate this takeout favorite at home, achieving restaurant-quality results in your kitchen.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to exceptional Mongolian Beef lies in achieving the perfect crispy exterior on the beef while maintaining tender, juicy interiors. The cornstarch coating creates a protective barrier that crisps beautifully when seared at high heat, while the meat tenderizing process ensures every bite is fork-tender. The sauce combines sweet brown sugar with savory soy sauce and aromatic seasonings, creating layers of flavor that complement rather than overpower the beef.
Ingredients
For the Beef:
- Beef tenderloin – Premium cut that ensures maximum tenderness and flavor
- Cornstarch – Creates the crispy coating that makes this dish special
- Vegetable oil – High smoke point oil perfect for stir-frying at high heat
- Sesame oil – Adds nutty depth and authentic Asian flavor
For the Sauce:
- Fresh ginger – Provides warm, aromatic heat and authentic Asian flavor
- Garlic – Adds savory depth and aromatic complexity
- Soy sauce – Forms the salty, umami-rich base of the sauce
- Water – Helps achieve proper sauce consistency
- Maggi seasoning – Intensifies umami flavor and adds color depth
- Rice wine vinegar – Provides bright acidity that balances sweetness
- Brown sugar – Creates the signature sweet glaze and caramelization
For the Vegetables:
- White button mushrooms – Add meaty texture and earthy flavor
- Scallions – Green onions provide a fresh, oniony bite and vibrant color contrast
Ingredient Notes
Pei Wei makes their Mongolian beef with tenderloin, but you can use skirt steak. It won’t be quite the same, but skirt steak works very well. If you are going to use a skirt steak, you need to cut the meat on a bias, which means cutting it diagonally.
Then, take a meat tenderizer and gently pound the meat to achieve a more tender cut of beef. It won’t be quite the same, because tenderloin isn’t a skirt steak, but it works very well.
How to Make Pei Wei Mongolian Beef
- Slice beef very thin and place meat between sheets of plastic wrap.
- Use a meat tenderizer and gently pound the meat to achieve a uniform thickness.
- Place cornstarch in a bowl and dip the steak pieces into it, then shake off the excess.
- Allow the cornstarch dipped pieces of meat to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat vegetable oil, and sesame oil.
- Sauté beef in batches until just done and the outside begins to crisp.
- Remove meat from the pan.
- Add minced ginger and garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add soy sauce, water, Maggi seasoning, brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Stir until the sauce thickens.
- Return meat and mushrooms to the pan.
- Cook for 1 minute, then add scallions and stir to combine.
- Serve with chopped scallions sprinkled on top.
I don’t recommend reheating this dish, it doesn’t stay in an ideal state when left over. So be sure to eat this one after it is prepared. Many dishes reheat well, but this isn’t one.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Immediate Consumption: This dish is best enjoyed immediately after preparation for optimal texture and flavor.
- Not Recommended for Reheating: The crispy coating becomes soggy when reheated, and the beef can become tough.
- Fresh is Best: Plan to consume the entire batch when prepared, as this dish doesn’t maintain quality as leftovers.
Do you enjoy Asian recipes? Try these!
- Benihana Fried Rice
- Chinese Hot Mustard
- CPK Thai Chicken Pizza
- Egg Foo Young
- Hibachi Salad Dressing
- Hunan Chicken
- PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- Shrimp Tempura
- Spare Rib Tips Chinese
- Sweet N Sour Chicken
- Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry
Favorite Beef Recipes
Check out more of my easy Asian recipes and the best restaurant copycat recipes here on CopyKat!
Pei Wei Mongolian Beef Recipe – Easy Copycat Version
Ingredients
- 8 ounces beef tenderloin or skirt steak
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 ounces white button mushrooms, stem removed and quartered
- 2 – 3 scallions diced
Instructions
- Slice beef very thin, approximately 1/4 to 3/8 inches thick. Place meat between sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat tenderizer and gently pound meat into uniform pieces. If you are using skirt steak cut the meat diagonally, it will help make the meat more tender.
- Place cornstarch in a bowl and dip steak pieces into cornstarch and shake off excess cornstarch. Allow the cornstarch dipped pieces of meat to rest for 5 t0 10 minutes so the coating sticks to the meat.
- While the meat is resting you can continue to prep the remaining ingredients.
- In a wok, heat vegetable oil and sesame oil. Saute beef until just done, and the outside begins to crisp. Remove meat from pan. You may need to do this a few pieces at a time.
- Once all of the meat has been cooked and removed from the pan, add minced ginger and garlic. Saute ginger and garlic for approximately 60 seconds, the remaining oil should become very fragrant.
- Add soy sauce, water, Maggi seasoning, brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Stir until the sauce thickens.
- Return meat to the pan and add quartered button mushrooms to the pan. Cook for another 60 seconds or so and add half of the chopped scallions.
- When serving the Mongolian beef add remaining scallions to the dish.
the pei wei version i get, i take out mushrooms. and they put in sliced thin carrots..i normallyy dont like carrots. but this is amazing!! i plan to make my own version to see if i can save $ , make it at home.
The description and directions say you can use skirt steak but the ingredients list says flank. Im sure it will still taste delicious but consistency is key!
Let me correct that. I agree consistency is key.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe…My family loves this recipe and request it at least once a week. The flavors just burst and steak so tender….I use a filet or rib eye steak for choice of beef..guaranteed to be perfect every time.
Mongolian beef is one of my favorite Chinese dishes ever and this looks SO good!!
Recipe looks good.
The Mongolian Beef served in most Asian restaurants in my area have lots of green onions (scallions) both the white and green parts steamed and mixed in with the beef. This makes the dish extra tasty to me. I agree the sprinkling of the scallions look pretty on the plate but the extra onions taste good too.
Darla, I agree, I love the green onions on and in this dish. These have to one of my favorite parts of the dish.
They always have something we rural people can’t get. Maggi seasoning, and even at my store doesn’t sell rice wine vinegar. What a pain.
I am sorry that this happened. I can’t recreate all recipes without some use of a few unique ingredients. Let me know how I can help you. For the Maggi seasoning you could use soy sauce it won’t taste quite the same, but I don’t have a suggestion for the rice wine vinegar.
Very sweet, and does not taste like Pei Wei.
what is maggi seasoning?? can you make ti??
Found this explanation on this blog: http://blogs.transparent.com/dutch/demystifying-the-brown-bottle-maggi-seasoning-sauce/
So, what is Maggi seasoning? Maggi is a dark, hydrolyzed vegetable protein-based seasoning sauce, which is very similar to East Asian soy sauce without actually containing soy. It is used most often in soups and sauces.
It sounds like you can substitute soy sauce if you can’t find Maggi Seasoning.
Thank you for the clear explanation. Someone once told me you need to use this stuff, its great. For me it has been great!
mhh , the recipe is cool but ,pei wei recipe is too different
The recipe should read… 4 ounces white button mushrooms, STEM removed and quartered.
They are not to be “steamed”, (typo).
more mushrooms the BETTER
I agree with you!
The recipe should read… 4 ounces white button mushrooms, STEM removed and quartered.
They are not to be “steamed”, (typo).
This is a awesome and unique idea! It look refreshing and trendy. Thanks for this