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    Home » Keto Dinner Ideas » Easy Keto Mongolian Beef

    Published: Jul 4, 2022 by Carolyn

    Easy Keto Mongolian Beef

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    21.5K shares
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    Dinner doesn’t get any easier than this Keto Mongolian Beef. Simply add the ingredients to your slow cooker and let it do all the work! It’s as tasty as take-out and far healthier.

    Keto Mongolian Beef in a large bowl with cauliflower rice and green onion in the background.

    This Keto Mongolian Beef is one of my most popular keto slow cooker recipes. It’s what I like to call a “dump-and-run meal”, meaning you just dump in all the ingredients and walk away. A few hours later, dinner is done!

    But it still has all the great flavor of the original, with a fraction of the carbs. My kids love this so we make it often. Served over cauliflower rice, it’s an easy and healthy dinner we can all enjoy.

    Try my Keto Meatball Casserole for another family-friendly slow cooker recipe!

    A hand sprinkling sesame seeds over Keto Mongolian Beef.

    Why you will love this recipe

    We can all use more easy keto dinner recipes, and it really doesn’t get any easier than Keto Mongolian Beef. It takes only about 10 minutes of active prep and then it practically cooks itself.

    This recipe has all the classic umami flavor of your favorite takeout. It’s a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, with plenty of sauce that soaks into any keto rice or noodles you pair it with.

    I utilized my slow cooker for this dish to minimize the effort and the clean-up. Tougher cuts of meat like flank steak or skirt steak benefit from slow braising, and become melt-in-your-mouth tender.

    But not everyone has a crockpot so I’ve also included instructions for both the Instant Pot and the stovetop.

    Ingredients you need

    Top down image of the ingredients all laid out for Keto Mongolian Beef.

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    • Flank steak: Flank steak is a good choice for Mongolian beef, as it’s easy to slice thinly. You can also use top sirloin or skirt steak.
    • Swerve Brown: I highly recommend a brown sugar replacement, as it gives this recipe a more authentic flavor. You can also use granular sweetener and 1 teaspoon of molasses.
    • Allulose: You don’t have to add the allulose but it does help make the sauce a bit stickier, like traditional Mongolian beef.
    • Tamari: I prefer tamari over coconut aminos, because it has more umami flavor and fewer carbs. It’s also better than soy sauce as it’s completely gluten-free.
    • Sesame oil: Use toasted sesame oil for the best flavor.
    • Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is best, but if you must substitute granulated garlic, use ¾ teaspoon.
    • Ginger: I use ground ginger for simplicity, but you can also use a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger.
    • Red pepper flakes: Add another ¼ teaspoon if you like more heat.
    • Glucomannan: Traditional Mongolian beef takes cornstarch for a rich, thick sauce. A keto thickening agent, like glucomannan or xanthan gum, makes the sauce thicker without starch.
    • Garnish: Green onion, sesame seeds, salt.

    Step by Step Directions

    A collage of four images showing the steps for making Keto Mongolian Beef.

    1. Prep the beef: Slice the beef thinly against the grain. This is easier to do when the meat is partially frozen. You don’t want it rock hard, but it 30 to 45 minutes in the freezer is about right. Place the sliced beef at the bottom of a slow cooker.

    2. Make the sauce: Whisk together the sweeteners, water, tamari, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour over the meat and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

    3. Thicken the sauce: Remove some of the liquid into a bowl and add the glucomannan. Whisk to combined well, then pour back into the pot and stir to coat the beef.

    4. Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the Keto Mongolian Beef with sliced green onion and some sesame seeds. Serve over cauliflower rice.

    A plate of Keto Mongolian Beef with cauliflower rice and chopsticks.

    Expert Tips and FAQ

    Instant Pot Directions: Use the sauté function to brown the beef in a little oil first. Don’t add any water to the sauce, as pressure cookers force moisture out of the meat and it may end up quite soupy. Then cook the beef on Manual High for 10 minutes, then thicken with glucomannan.

    Stovetop Directions: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the beef and sauté until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with more oil and the remaining beef.

    Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Push all the beef to one side and whisk in the glucomannan, then stir well to combine.

    Is Mongolian beef high in carbs?

    This Keto Mongolian Beef has 2 grams of carbs per serving. It is much lower in carbohydrate than the traditional version, which can easily have 15 to 25 grams per serving.

    Is Mongolian beef sweet or spicy?

    Mongolian beef is a sweet and slightly spicy dish. You can easily adjust the heat to your liking by adding more or less red pepper flakes.

    Is there sugar in Mongolian beef?

    The popular version of this dish from PF Chang’s contains a great deal of sugar. But this keto recipe has no added sugars and all the great flavor of the original!

    Close up shot of keto Mongolian beef in a black bowl, with sesame seeds and green onion.

    More take-out copycat recipes

    • Keto Korean Beef tops my list of easy dinner favorites. The meat is richly flavored and perfect with lightly sautéed zucchini noodles.
    • Getting my whole family to agree on one dinner recipe is tough, but Easy Keto Chicken Fajitas works every time!
    • This Keto Chicken Yakitori always meets with approval. One reader says: “I made this recipe for dinner tonight. Delicious! Even my non keto eating husband loved and gobbled it up.”
    • Pizza night is back on with my delicious keto pizza dough. Add all your favorite toppings and dig in!
    Keto Mongolian Beef for recipe card.

    Keto Mongolian Beef Recipe

    Dinner doesn't get any easier than this Keto Mongolian Beef. Simply add the ingredients to your slow cooker and let it do all the work! It's as tasty as take-out and far healthier.
    4.87 from 45 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Keyword: keto mongolian beef
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 6 hours
    Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 417kcal

    Equipment

    • slow cooker (or Instant Pot)

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ lbs flank or sirloin steak
    • ⅓ cup Swerve Brown
    • 2 tablespoon allulose (optional)
    • ¼ cup water
    • ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
    • 2 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • ½ tsp glucomannan powder (or ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum)
    • 2 green onions, chopped
    • Sesame seeds for sprinkling
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Slice the beef very thinly against the grain. This works best when it is semi-frozen (but not rock solid). Place the beef in the bottom of a slow cooker.
    • In a medium bowl or glass measuring up, whisk together the sweeteners, water, tamari, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour over the beef.
    • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, OR high for 2 to 3 hours. 
    • When the beef has finished cooking, spoon some of the broth out of the pot into a bowl. Whisk in the glucomannan powder until combined, then pour the broth back into the pot and stir to coat. 
    • Sprinkle the beef with the chopped green onions and some sesame seeds and serve over cauliflower rice. 

    Notes

    Instant Pot Directions: Use the sauté function to brown the beef in a little oil first. Don’t add any water to the sauce, as pressure cookers force moisture out of the meat and it may end up quite soupy. Then cook the beef on Manual High for 10 minutes, then thicken with glucomannan.
    Stovetop Directions: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the beef and sauté until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with more oil and the remaining beef.
    Storage Instructions: Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Mongolian Beef Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving = ¼ of recipe)
    Calories 417 Calories from Fat 229
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 25.4g39%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 0.4g2%
    Protein 35.7g71%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    21.5K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Samantha says

      December 28, 2021 at 7:16 pm

      5 stars
      I’m always looking for new dinner recipes to make in the crock pot, and this one was a winner with my whole family! So easy to make and so delicious. They’ve already asked when I can make it again!

      Reply
    2. katerina @ diethood.com says

      December 28, 2021 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      We made this the other night and it was a huge hit!! Everyone loved it! Thank you for a great recipe!

      Reply
    3. Jess says

      October 18, 2021 at 7:59 am

      5 stars
      We love this recipe as written. Curious how it would be with chicken breast. Would you change anything out to go with chicken?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        October 18, 2021 at 6:10 pm

        It may take a bit longer to get tender but I am not sure, not having tried it myself.

        Reply
    4. Jana Gallagher says

      September 18, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      Another yummy recipe! Made this with shredded beef, cooked it and poured the yummy sauce over it. Took literally about 10 minutes. Hubby loved it and I did too!

      Reply
    5. Janet says

      September 17, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      Would anyone happen to know the sodium content per serving? My husband has high blood pressure and is very sensitive to sodium. thank You!!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        September 17, 2021 at 9:48 pm

        You should be able to use an online nutritional calculator for that. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jenn says

      August 11, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. Made as written and loved it. I served with caluiflower fried rice and I can’t believe I can eat Chinese again. SO exciting. Thank you ????

      Reply
    7. betty seaman says

      August 09, 2021 at 10:13 am

      5 stars
      Yum! Loved it. Added veggies like carrots, celery, red peppers, onions (stir fried them in a separate pan and added them to meat just before serving) and it made an amazing meal. Husband practically liked the crock pot clean.

      Reply
    8. Deborah M Kloss says

      August 08, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent! We had this for dinner tonight and it is a new favorite!

      Reply
    9. Pam Vienneau says

      August 08, 2021 at 6:52 am

      Can this be made in an instant pot?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 08, 2021 at 7:14 am

        I am sure it can but I can’t guide you as to the timing.

        Reply
    10. deb says

      August 04, 2021 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious. Too bad they shoot up beef with tons of fluids. I used a pound and a half and it barely looks like two servings. But the broth is wonderful over the cauliflower and the recipe itself is wonderful!!!! Thank you!

      Reply
    11. Kae says

      July 12, 2021 at 8:37 am

      5 stars
      : I made this tonight for dinner and its soooo good! The family loves it and didn’t even notice that its low carb!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 13, 2021 at 5:56 am

        Glad to hear it!

        Reply
    12. Laurie Hale says

      April 09, 2021 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      I made this last night stir fry style and my family and I thought it was delicious! I love the flavor of the sauce. I will definitely make this again!

      Reply
    13. Herbal chef says

      March 24, 2021 at 8:34 am

      5 stars
      This recipe looks amazing. Planning to make it this week. Can anyone tell me why the calories are so high? Swerve brown does not have calories and all the other ingredients seem fine. Help, I’m baffled. Yes, I do count calories as well as carbs (please do not judge) and thanks if you can answer

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 24, 2021 at 9:40 pm

        Steak…it’s pretty calorie dense, but in a good way.

        Reply
    14. Gloria says

      January 28, 2021 at 7:07 am

      5 stars
      It was a perfect drop and go meal that is so delicious! Could you please link me to some other recipes you have like this easy, yet wonderful crockpot meal? It was way better than takeout and I knew what was in it. The ONLY thing I did differently was added more crushed peppers (1.5 tsp and that worked great for me).Thank you, thank you, thank you!

      Reply
    15. Mel says

      January 03, 2021 at 7:31 pm

      4 stars
      It tasted really good but it looked nothing like the pic. The meat “dissolved” it was more like pulled beef if you know what I mean, not entirely sure where I went wrong…

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 03, 2021 at 8:02 pm

        If meat cooks too long, that can happen. Could be the cut of meat you used, or perhaps your slow cooker is more powerful? How long did you cook it?

        Reply
    16. SimplyCin says

      December 16, 2020 at 9:25 pm

      5 stars
      Nice flavor. I overcooked my meat, as it started to fall apart. Oops. But the flavor was nice and even falling apart tender it had enough texture to be good. I added onions while cooking and used guar gum as my thickener, as that is what I had. Worked well. Thanks!

      Reply
    17. Erin Ross says

      November 09, 2020 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out really great! Good flavors

      Reply
    18. Christa says

      October 16, 2020 at 7:59 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!

      Reply
    19. Lori Payawal says

      October 14, 2020 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      This was soooooo good! Followed the instructions exactly and it was so tasty! I ate it with cauliflower rice and my husband had it with white basmati. Im definitely making this again!!!

      Reply
    20. Renee Ann Carolan says

      September 23, 2020 at 7:59 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was not only spot on, it was also so crazy delicious!! It made me feel like I might be able to learn and live this lifestyle. It was easy, and my carb eating family loved it too!!!!! I served it with cauliflower fried rice. They ate it up!! Thank you so much for being so gracious and sharing your recipes!!

      Reply
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