If you’re looking for a quick and easy week night dinner, that still packs a flavor punch, this Mongolian beef is perfect. It’s quick and easy, taking less than twenty minutes to put together. Serve it over rice, noodles, or on its own.
On the Ingredients
- Broccoli is known for being a very healthy vegetable, and boy, is it delicious. It’s mainly fiber and water with many vitamins and minerals. It has vitamin C (antioxidant), vitamin K1 (bone health), Folate (essential for pregnant people), potassium (beneficial for blood pressure control and heart disease prevention), magnesium, and iron. (Read more on the health benefits.)
- Ginger provides a warm, mild heat with a pungent earthy flavor. There’s a subtle sweetness to it, making it perfect in both savory and sweet applications. Since it was one of the first spices carried from the East to Europe by Arab traders, it’s become one of the most universal. Across Asia, It’s used in savory cuisines, candied, pickled, and used to make traditional teas and beverages. Ginger root has been a traditional medicine for centuries across many cultures. It’s been used for indigestion, aches, pains, and fighting the flu and the common cold. The component that gives fresh ginger its power is gingerol, a bioactive compound that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Among its many benefits, gingerol can help boost the immune system and fights off infections. There are some other ginger benefits as well. It may help with brain function and even lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Both menstrual pains and chronic indigestion can be improved with ginger, as well as muscle fatigue and soreness. There’s some evidence that ginger can lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Last but certainly not least, ginger is being studied for possible cancer-fighting properties. (Read more on the health benefits.)
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
Rice vs udon noodles. This recipe goes equally well with either option, but you might think rice is the more familiar choice for a beef and broccoli dish. However, noodles would be a more traditional option as rice is not a staple in Mongolia. Udon noodles are Japanese in origin, but they are also used in Mongolia. You could also use rice noodles.
Mongolian Beef and Broccoli
If you’re looking for a quick and easy week night dinner, that still packs a flavor punch, this Mongolian beef is perfect. It’s quick and easy, taking less than twenty minutes to put together. Serve it over rice, noodles, or on its own.
Ingredients
1 head broccoli (cut into spears)
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar OR monk fruit sweetener
1 lb shaved beef
2 tbsp potato starch or cornstarch
5 scallions (chopped)
rice or udon noodles to serve (optional)
Directions
- Steam the broccoli until tender. Set aside.
- Combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar or monk fruit in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the garlic and ginger are fragrant. Be sure to stir it occasionally to ensure the sauce doesn’t burn. Remove it from the heat and set it aside. Toss the shaved beef in potato starch or cornstarch.
- Heat the sesame oil over a medium flame. Cook the beef a few pieces at a time, working in batches. Cook the beef pieces for about one minute on each side and remove from heat. They do not have to be fully cooked. When all the beef has been sautéed, add all the meat to the frying pan and add the sauce and broccoli. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the beef is fully cooked. Add the scallions and serve hot, over rice, with udon noodles, or by itself.
