Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles
A quick and easy 30-minute dinner featuring ground beef, savory-sweet Mongolian sauce, and noodles. Perfect for busy weeknights, customizable with veggies, and tastes just like takeout at home.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz dried lo mein, spaghetti, ramen, or udon noodles
- 1 lb ground beef (85% lean preferred)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated (or 2 teaspoons ground ginger)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Optional: 1 cup chopped vegetables (broccoli florets, shredded carrots, snap peas, bell pepper strips)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente (8–10 minutes for lo mein, 9–11 minutes for spaghetti). Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar (if using), cornstarch, and sesame oil until smooth.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through (about 5–6 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the beef. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- If using, stir in chopped vegetables and sauté for 2–3 minutes until just tender.
- Stir the sauce again and pour over the beef mixture. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and looks glossy (2–3 minutes).
- Add cooked noodles to the skillet. Toss gently to coat noodles with sauce and beef. Add 1–2 tablespoons water if noodles clump.
- Taste and adjust seasoning: add more soy sauce for salt, sugar for sweetness, or red pepper flakes for heat. Optionally, add a splash more sesame oil.
- Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and extra red pepper flakes if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
For gluten-free, use rice noodles and tamari. For low-carb, swap noodles for spiralized zucchini. Ground chicken, turkey, pork, or tofu can replace beef. Add up to 2 cups of veggies for extra nutrition. Sauce thickens best when stirred constantly over heat. Leftovers keep well for 3 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 2 cups)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 980
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 58
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 26
Keywords: mongolian beef noodles, ground beef noodles, easy asian dinner, weeknight noodles, takeout at home, quick beef recipe, lo mein, stir fry noodles