Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles – Easy Griddle or Skillet Recipe

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This Mongolian ground beef noodles recipe is one of the easiest Asian dinners that we’ve ever made! With a quick homemade sauce, lo mein noodles, and ground beef, this flavorful dish is done in under 25 minutes!

A few months ago, we cooked a fantastic Mongolian beef on the griddle. It was made with thinly sliced steak that was coated in cornstarch so that it got perfectly crispy, and the soy-based sweet sauce was perfect! You guys loved this recipe, but we heard from some people that they were a bit intimidated by cooking the crispy Asian beef on the griddle… so we decided to do a ground beef version!

We took our original Mongolian beef sauce and made a few tweaks to our recipe so that it was perfect for ground beef and noodles. And we may even love these Mongolian noodles with ground beef even more than the steak version that we originally made!

What are Mongolian Noodles?

Mongolian noodles are a stir-fried noodle dish inspired by Mongolian or Asian cuisine, typically consisting of a slightly sweet, soy-based sauce and a mix of vegetables, proteins, and noodles. The dish is popular in Mongolian BBQ restaurants, but although it has “Mongolian” in the name, the noodle dish is actually more similar to Chinese-American cooking.

Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles Video

Ingredients for Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles

• ground beef – We recommend a leaner beef so that the sauce doesn’t get too greasy. Choose a 90/10 or 93/7 blend for best results.
• noodles – Our Mongolian style beef dish was perfect with the organic Chinese lo mein noodles that we used (pictured above). You can also substitute regular linguini, fettuccini, or spaghetti noodles. Or to keep with the Asian flavors, go with udon noodles.
• beef broth – We made our beef broth using Better Than Bouillon, which we always have in the fridge for recipes that call for a small amount of broth or stock.
• soy sauce – We used low-sodium soy sauce.
• hoisin sauce – Gives the Mongolian beef sauce a wonderfully sweet and complex flavor… I definitely wouldn’t skip it. You can use the same sauce for other Asian recipes also!
• green onions – We thinly sliced the green onions, and then separated the whites from the greens. The whites of the onion can be cooked longer, while the green part is more of a finishing garnish.
• brown sugar
• minced garlic
• minced ginger
• cornstarch – Helps to thicken the sauce so that it holds on to the noodles well.
• black pepper

How to Make Mongolian Noodles with Ground Beef

Step 1: Boil the noodles.

Start by boiling the noodles in a pot on the stovetop, according to package instructions, but reduce the cooking time by about 1-2 minutes. You want the noodles to be just shy of al dente because they will continue to cook on the griddle with the ground beef and sauce.

When the noodles are done, drain them well and set to the side.

Step 2: Make the Mongolian beef sauce.

In a bowl, mix together the beef stock, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Add about 75% of the minced ginger and minced garlic, reserving the rest for later. Mix until the brown sugar and cornstarch are dissolved, and set the sauce to the side.

Step 3: Cook the ground beef.

Next, cook the ground beef… But don’t just add it in one large brick to the pan.

When you add a large amount of ingredients with a higher water or fat content to a hot cooking surface, like ground beef or moisture-heavy vegetables, then it tends to create more of a boiling or steaming effect. The moisture in the ingredients comes in contact with the heat and it creates steam.

Instead, place the ground beef in small chunks spread out on the griddle so that the beef can sear on the first side. Allow it to cook untouched for 2-3 minutes for a nice char to develop – that’s the maillard reaction that gives your dish extra flavor, similar to smash burgers.

When the beef is about halfway through, but you still see some pink on top (similar to the photo above), add the whites of the green onions, and chop and sauté the ground beef together. When the beef is almost all the way cooked through, move it to the side of the griddle to make room for the noodles, or for skillet cooking, transfer to a bowl.

*TIP – Don’t clean your griddle or skillet after cooking the beef. The flavorful brown bits left behind are pure flavor gold.

Step 4: Add the noodles, ground beef, and sauce together.

Next, add a small amount of oil to the griddle or skillet and spread it around a bit. This will help to pick up some of the brown bits left behind from the beef. Add the remaining minced garlic and ginger to the oil, and spread it out a bit to toast briefly. *You don’t want the ginger and garlic to burn, but this step helps to create wonderful aromatics and extra flavor for your noodle dish.

After about 1 minute, add the drained noodles to the griddle. Mix briefly to incorporate the garlic and ginger. Then, spread the noodles out in an even layer and cook untouched for about 1-2 minutes. This extra step helps to create a slight char on the noodles, adding extra texture and capturing all the flavors left behind by the beef.

Next, add the ground beef to the noodles and sauté together briefly. Then, slowly pour in the prepared sauce.

Toss everything together, ensuring the sauce fully coats the noodles. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened to your liking. *Remember, the sauce will continue to thicken a bit as the noodles cool also.

And then your Mongolian ground beef noodles are done! Sprinkle with the tops of the green onions, and serve the noodles immediately.

What kind of noodles should I use for Mongolian Noodles?

Wheat-based noodles like udon or lo mein are typically used, but egg noodles or even rice noodles can be substituted. You can also use a flatter-style pasta noodle like linguini or fettuccini. We loved the Wei-Chuan brand of Organic Chinese Lo Mein noodles that we used for this recipe.

Why did my sauce evaporate too quickly?

It’s likely your griddle or skillet was too hot. Start with medium-high heat and adjust down if necessary to prevent rapid evaporation. Also, be sure to pour the sauce directly on the noodles slowly, instead of pouring it directly on the hot griddle surface.

Can I substitute ground turkey or chicken for Mongolian noodles?

Absolutely! Ground turkey and chicken are a great leaner alternative and can easily be substituted in this dish. With ground poultry products, just be sure to cook them to the correct temperature, and don’t overcook, as the leaner meat is more prone to drying out.

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