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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It Now- What Is Mongolian Beef?
- Mongolian Beef Ingredients
- How To Make Mongolian Beef In A Slow Cooker
- Is Mongolian Beef Spicy?
- Hunan Beef Vs. Mongolian Beef
- Can You Make Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Ahead?
- Can You Freeze Keto Mongolian Beef?
- More Low Carb Asian Dinner Ideas
- Tools To Make Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
- Keto Mongolian Beef Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
My slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe is loaded with flavor, without cornstarch or sugar! And, it’s so easy that you just might need to add it to your weeknight dinner rotation – stat. Keto Mongolian beef comes together in 5 easy steps, and most of it is hands-off cooking time. But the best part? This Crock Pot Mongolian beef tastes better than take-out! Serve this healthy Mongolian beef over a bed of cauliflower rice for a complete low carb meal.
What Is Mongolian Beef?
Traditionally, Mongolian beef is a stir fry dish with flank steak, onions and sometimes other vegetables. The seasonings are typically soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
My Mongolian beef Crock Pot recipe also has sliced flank steak at the base, but is much healthier than what you would get at a restaurant.
Mongolian Beef Ingredients
You will just need some basic ingredients for this gluten-free Mongolian beef. Here is a breakdown of your shopping list.
- Flank Steak – Because it’s cooked in the Crock Pot, you want this cut of meat to get it super tender.
- Unflavored Gelatin Powder – This is used as a thickener and stabilizer in the sauce, instead of starch.
- Coconut Aminos – You get the yummy flavor of soy sauce, without the gluten or other issues of soy (I avoid soy because it’s estrogenic). It’s a key flavor in this slow cooker Mongolian beef.
- Garlic – You can never have too much garlic when making this easy beef recipe. It brings just about any Asian dish to life.
- Sweetener of your choice – Use any sweetener that you prefer – either a powdered or liquid sweetener for low carb/keto versions (these dissolve best when using sugar-free sweeteners), or any kind of natural sugar, such as honey or coconut sugar, will work if you aren’t sugar-free.
- Blackstrap Molasses – Even though it’s a small amount, the molasses gives the Mongolian beef recipe classic flavor. I promise it doesn’t significantly impact carb count, and your Crock Pot beef will still be keto friendly. However, you can substitute a bit of maple extract instead if you insist on skipping the molasses.
- Sesame Oil – Gives depth and flavor to Asian dishes like keto Mongolian beef.
- Ground Ginger – It’s more convenient than fresh, and still gives this Crock Pot Asian beef the flavors you expect.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Season to taste, as always!
How To Make Mongolian Beef In A Slow Cooker
The slow cooker is the key to the best Mongolian beef recipe! It makes the meat juicy and tender, not to mention easy.
Here’s how to make Mongolian beef in the Crock Pot:
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain. This is important!
TIP: If you have trouble making thin slices, try freezing the beef for about 15 minutes to firm it up, making it easier to slice.
- Coat steak with gelatin powder. Slice steak as thinly as you can, toss with gelatin powder (which acts as a thickener) and then add to your Crock Pot.
TIP: You don’t need cornstarch for this easy Mongolian beef recipe! The gelatin powder replaces it. If you can’t use or find gelatin, try more cornstarch substitutes here.
- Mix sauce ingredients. Whisk together coconut aminos, garlic, sweetener, molasses, oil, ginger, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the sauce over the steak and mix well.
- Cook steak in the slow cooker until it’s cooked through and tender.
TIP: How long to cook Mongolian beef in the slow cooker? It will take 4-6 hours on Low or 2-3 hours on High.
- Optional step – reduce the sauce. If desired, remove the meat from slow cooker, pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer to reduce the sauce, until thickened. This is optional, as the sauce is still delicious just drizzled over the meat, too.
And there you have it – delicious, flavorful and simple slow cooker Mongolian beef!
Is Mongolian Beef Spicy?
No, this homemade Mongolian beef is not too spicy, as this Asian dish typically is not.
TIP: If you prefer spicy Mongolian beef, add some red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Hunan Beef Vs. Mongolian Beef
If you’re wondering what is the difference between Hunan and Mongolian beef, both dishes have similar flavors. However, Hunan beef tends to be pretty spicy and has some chili sauce to give it extra heat, while healthy Mongolian beef is pretty mild.
If you want to make Hunan beef, check out my healthy Hunan beef recipe here!
Can You Make Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Ahead?
Yes, you can make slow cooker Mongolian beef ahead! Isn’t that what the Crock Pot is for?!
In addition to prepping for dinner the morning-of, you can also use this easy Mongolian beef recipe for meal prep. It will last in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Reheat keto Mongolian beef in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or toss it back into the slow cooker to reheat.
TIP: Be sure to reheat the beef with the sauce so that it doesn’t dry out. If it seems a little dry, you can add a little bit of broth to give it some moisture.
If you’re in a rush, you can reheat pre-made Crock Pot Mongolian beef in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. It will warm up fairly quickly, so watch it closely.
Can You Freeze Keto Mongolian Beef?
Yes, you can freeze keto Mongolian beef. Store it in a freezer-safe bag and remove as much air as possible. It will last 3-6 months in the freezer.
To thaw, place the frozen Crock Pot Mongolian beef in the fridge the day before, or defrost in a zip lock bag in a bowl of cold water if it’s last minute. Then, reheat on the stove, in the microwave, or the slow cooker, just like the make-ahead instructions above.
More Low Carb Asian Dinner Ideas
If you love this Mongolian beef recipe and want to see other Asian-inspired low carb dinner ideas, I have more for you:
- Spicy Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps – Thai shrimp + lettuce wraps + peanut sauce. SO much to love about this meal.
- Keto Beef and Broccoli – If you love Mongolian beef, you’ll love this, too.
- Spicy Asian Green Beans – The perfect veggie side for an Asian meal.
Tools To Make Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Slow Cooker – This model is super easy to clean and works perfectly with this healthy Mongolian beef recipe.
- Chef’s Knife – I love this knife for slicing the beef and chopping vegetables.
Keto Mongolian Beef
By
This EASY, delicious slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe is better than takeout! Learn how to make Mongolian beef in the Crock Pot with just 8 ingredients, no starch, + 10 minutes to prep. No one will guess this is healthy keto Mongolian beef.
Instructions
[ See step photos ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Slice the flank steak as thinly as you can (1/4 inch (6.35 mm) or thinner), against the grain.
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In a large bowl or plastic bag, toss the flank steak with gelatin powder, until evenly coated.
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Place the steak into the slow cooker.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, minced garlic, sweetener, molasses, sesame oil, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over the steak in the slow cooker and stir to coat.
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Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on Low or 2-3 hours on High, until steak is tender and cooked through.
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Optional step: If you want a thicker sauce at the end, you can remove the meat, pour the sauce into a medium saucepan, and simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce the sauce. Otherwise, feel free to skip this step and just drizzle the liquid over the meat for serving.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya's Recipe Notes
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe
69 Comments
Angie Jacklin
1I made this last night for supper. I used soy sauce as I didn’t have coconut aminos and your maple syrup because I realized last minute I didn’t have any molasses. Mongolian beef is my husband’s go to order when we get Chinese. He loved it! Thanks for such great recipes!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Angie! I haven’t tried this with Wholesome Yum Sugar-Free Maple Syrup yet because it’s an older recipe from before I created it, but now I’m adding it to my rotation soon to try!
Chris Summers
1I followed the recipe but substituted thinly sliced lamb breast for the beef. I was concerned that it didn’t seem like much liquid in the slow cooker to start, but after 6 hours there was plenty. I even removed the liquid, separated the fat, and simmered it down by half. It was delicious! My hubby said this is definitely one to make again.
Janet
1Could ground beef be used instead of the sliced steak?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Janet, Yes, that would work.
Jada Ackerman
1This is so good!!! Trying to avoid sugar and eat low carb has left me missing Asian cuisine. This filled that void and then some! It will definitely be a recipe I make often!! *Side note – I never developed a love of cauliflower, so I used Palmini rice instead. 🙂 Delicious!!
Tammy
0I love palmini noodles and lasagna noodles but I’ve never knew they had rice. Did you have to order it online or purchased in a store?
Thx
Explorer
0It was very flavorful and tender. I’ll make it again.
Wholesome Yum A
0So glad you enjoyed it! I love that it turned out flavorful and tender for you.
Beverly
0Would this recipe work OK with skirt steak?
Wholesome Yum A
0Yes, skirt steak works great here 👍
Natasha
0Hey there! I want to try out this recipe and would like to utilize the two big bags of arrowroot powder (finally) as I’m reading your content and you mention it being an alternative to cornstarch! I had no idea. How much arrowroot powder would I use for this Mongolian beef recipe instead of the gelatin? Would this work? Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Natasha, I haven’t tried it in this particular recipe yet, but I do plan to and will update the post when I do. In general in my experience, arrowroot powder measures the same as cornstarch for thickening sauces.
Beth
0Beef tender and sauce delicious. I agree with others-double the sauce. Not enough for as good as it is
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for the feedback, Beth! I need to re-test this recipe soon to check on the sauce.
Kathy
0Hi,
Could round steak be used instead of flank steak?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kathy, Yes, that would work.
Beryl
0This was very good. I made it in the instant pot – cooked for 10min and natural release. Stirred in steamed broccoli and served over cauliflower steaks. It was good but salty. I didn’t add the extra salt recipe called for so I’m thinking it was the Liquid Ammio. I will make it again.
Jess
0Hi! I am looking forward to trying this recipe, but cannot do garlic. 🙁 Do you have any suggestions for an alternative to garlic in this recipe? Thanks in advance!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jess, You can omit the garlic.
Karey
0I made this doing this- I stir fried it. I’d looked at other recipes and I added 1/4-1/2 cup water to the sauce. I stir-fried the meat in batches removing to a plate. Then add chopped red pepper and 1/2# of broccoli, then added the sauce. Added back in the meat. Had to remove skillet a bit and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the browned yummy stuck on the pan back into the sauce. Then put it back on to heat a bit, adding in the green onion. It was very delicious. Loved your addition of blackstrap molasses.
Tonya
0This meal tasted exactly like the one I used to get at the Chinese restaurant. I made it Keto and used the extract. I also spent a little more money and bought beef slices already cut up to save time. So easy to make, has so little prep time, and is so delicious. Thank You, Wholesome Yum!
Letha Rodrigues
0Just made this but did not have molasses or pure maple syrup so I used monk maple syrup and I didnt have sesame oil as it messes with our stomachs so I used avacado/coconut/safflower oil. I also only had swerve confections sugar and I actually did a little less than it called for as it’s a sweeter sugar imo. It turned out superb. Every bite flavorful and meat tender. I made the mistake of using a cook in the bag cauliflower rice which was awful so I will not do that again, lesson learned. Thanks for your recipes, I appreciate having recipes to search for right on the app.
Kimberly L
0Can I substitute your brown sugar allulose blend instead of the molasses? How much would I need to add?
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Kimberly, that should work fine! Start with 1/2 tablespoon (or use a full tablespoon if you want it a bit sweeter). Let me know how it goes!
Kimberly
0Can I use a sweetener instead of the molasses? I have your monk fruit allulose brown sugar as well as the granulated and powdered.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Kimberly, start with 1/2 tablespoon of Besti Brown (or use a full tablespoon if you want it a bit sweeter) instead of the molasses. Let me know how it goes!
Sam
0Lacking taste and not enough liquid to last 4 hours at minimum in my slow cooker. I usually enjoy your recipes but this was just not tasty even after adding more garlic and sugar towards the end. Just bland and taste burnt.
Lori M.
0Love this dish! I have made it a couple times now. I am very appreciative of you being a soy-avoider. You must have developed it before your brown sweetener was available since the addition of molasses (or maple) with/to the sweetener is the comparable. You may want to update the recipe to use brown sweetener with the alternatives listed should one not have it on hand. The use of the molasses increases the carbs beyond what folks can use when they want more than one serving. While I agree that cauliflower rice is just the thing to absorb the sauce (especially after thickening), it’s inclusion doesn’t make this a “meal” or very ketogenic as the fats are quite low. Green beans swimming in butter, garlic and seeds/nuts could round out a “meal”. I know there are always dessert fat bombs to take up the slack, but some try to get away from excessive sweet stuff to have the meal deliver the fat. As it stands your recipe is a wonderful dish to be part of delightful meal.
Kate
0This is the third recipe I have made from this site. This might be the best I’ve made EVER !!! Everything I have made from this site has been phenomenal
Natasha Cox
0I have made this recipe twice now and it is soo delicious! It totally scratches that Chinese food itch without all the soy and sugar! My favorite way to eat this is with some cauliflower rice, stir fried veggies and kimchi. I know this is more Chinese and kimchi is more Korean but I don’t care! The sauce that this makes is so yummy soaked up in the cauliflower rice. My whole family loves this. Thanks to Maya’s amazing recipes we don’t miss the carbs at all! My family is quite happy to eat healthy! Thanks Maya for another fantastic recipe. Feel free to make more easy slow cooker Chinese creations!