I love my Instant Pot. Everything from beautifully tender pot roasts to cleverly-sauced chicken and pork can be on my table in under an hour. But one of my very favorite ways to use mine is to make some of my favorite Asian take out meals in about a half hour. And when it comes to this fun approach, nothing beats Mongolian Beef. My family loves it and making it in the Instant Pot is both quicker and yields nicer results than using the stove. Everyone wins ... especially me!
By cooking the steak strips in the sauce, you end up with incredibly tender, delightfully flavored meat. By leaving the carrots and onions as a last minute add-in to the mix, you up the texture and color of the dish, which can be very handy since the sauce and meat tend to keep things very dark. If you must add the carrots with the pressure step, julienne them instead of shredding them to keep them from simply melting into the final dish.
I like to serve this with steamed rice, fried taters, or even with lettuce leaves for wrapping. I also like to have a little bowl of fried onions or shallots (look near the Asian section in larger grocery stores) on hand to sprinkle over the top for a little more flavor and texture. You could also add a sprinkle of sesame seeds if you'd like.
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- 1 cup water
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 lb. round or sirloin steak, cut into bite-sized strips
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 green onions, sliced
Add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes to the instant pot; mix to combine. Add the sliced beef, garlic, and ginger; mix until everything is well-coated in the sauce.
Secure the lid to the Instant Pot and turn the venting knob to the sealing position. Select "pressure cook" on high and adjust the time to 10 minutes.
When the time is over, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. Then, carefully turn the vent to "venting," to release any extra pressure. Press “cancel” and remove the lid.
In a small bowl or cup, mix the cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Add the mixture to the beef; stir to combine and thicken.
Add the shredded carrots and sliced green onions and stir until mixed and warm.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes