Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles

Here is a recipe for Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles. It’s a quick, flavorful, and budget-friendly twist on the classic Mongolian beef dish. Using ground beef cuts down on cooking time significantly, making this a perfect weeknight dinner that’s way faster than takeout.

Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles

This dish features a savory-sweet sauce with garlic and ginger, coating tender noodles and quick-cooked ground beef. It comes together in about 20 minutes!

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 1/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark), packed

• 1/2 cup beef broth (or water)

• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (optional, but adds depth)

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Beef and Noodles:

• 1 lb ground beef (80/20 or 85/15 works well)

• 12 oz noodles (lo mein, spaghetti, udon, or ramen noodles work great)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable or avocado oil (divided)

• 4-5 green onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)

• Optional for garnish: Sesame seeds, additional green onion tops.

Instructions

Step 1: Prep and Sauce

1. Make the sauce: In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, hoisin (if using), sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch. Make sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.

2. Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

Step 2: Brown the Beef

1. While the water is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large skillet, wok, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until it’s nicely browned and cooked through (about 5-7 minutes).

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beef to a plate or bowl, leaving any rendered fat in the pan (or drain most of it, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor).

Step 3: Aromatics and Sauce

1. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the same skillet.

2. Add the white parts of the green onions, the minced garlic, and the grated ginger. Stir-fry for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

3. Give the sauce mixture another quick whisk (the cornstarch settles fast) and pour it into the skillet.

4. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring constantly. It will thicken and become glossy in about 1-2 minutes.

Step 4: Combine and Serve

1. Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet and stir to coat it in the sauce.

2. Add the drained noodles to the skillet. Toss everything together for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are well coated and heated through. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water or beef broth to loosen it up.

3. Stir in the green parts of the green onions, reserving a little for garnish.

4. Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and the remaining green onions.

Enjoy your quick and delicious Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles!