Easy Mongolian Pork Recipe: Better Than Takeout in 20 Minutes!
Get ready to ditch the takeout menu and whip up a truly incredible meal right in your own kitchen! This Mongolian pork recipe delivers everything you love about your favorite Asian-inspired dish – juicy, tender strips of pork, coated in a rich, tangy, sweet, and perfectly spicy sauce, all infused with fragrant garlic and ginger. What’s even better? It’s an incredibly easy weeknight dinner that comes together in just 20 minutes, promising a flavor experience that surpasses any restaurant version.
Mongolian beef has long been a beloved takeout classic, famous for its irresistible combination of savory, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors. But imagine recreating that magic at home, with tender pork, in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost! This 20-minute Mongolian pork recipe transforms thin strips of perfectly seared pork into a culinary masterpiece. Each piece is generously coated in a luscious, velvety sauce featuring a harmonious blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and a hint of chili garlic paste. The result is a dish that’s not just good, but truly exceptional.
Beyond its incredible speed, this comforting takeout-style recipe is a powerhouse of fresh flavors. Loaded with pungent garlic and zingy ginger, and garnished with vibrant green onions, every bite feels both rich and incredibly fresh. Served simply over a fluffy bed of white rice, this quick Mongolian pork is the ultimate comfort food – a perfect blend of convenience, flavor, and satisfaction for any busy evening.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Mongolian Pork Recipe
This isn’t just another dinner recipe; it’s a game-changer for anyone who loves flavorful, easy meals. I find myself making this dish constantly, whether it’s a bustling weeknight, a relaxed weekend, or even when I’m entertaining guests. Here’s why this Mongolian pork recipe is destined to become a new favorite in your cooking repertoire:
- Quick and Easy: Forget spending hours in the kitchen. This recipe is designed for efficiency. With only 20 minutes from start to finish, the straightforward instructions make it perfect for even novice cooks. Minimal cleanup means you can enjoy your delicious meal without the added stress, making it an ideal choice after a long day at work.
- Better Than Takeout: If you’re accustomed to the Mongolian pork you find at popular chains like Panda Express, prepare for an upgrade. This homemade version boasts a depth of flavor and a freshness that simply can’t be matched by commercial takeout. You control the quality of ingredients, the spice level, and the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and savory.
- Affordable & Economical: Dining out has become increasingly expensive. This Mongolian pork recipe offers a delicious and satisfying alternative that’s significantly more budget-friendly. Not only is it cheaper to make at home, but you also get a dish that’s often juicier, tangier, and more flavorful than many restaurant offerings.
- Incredibly Flavorful: The combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and chili garlic paste creates a perfectly balanced sauce that is both sweet and savory with a delightful kick. Fresh garlic and ginger elevate the aroma and taste, making every bite an explosion of Asian-inspired flavors.
- Versatile & Customizable: While fantastic as is, this recipe is also wonderfully versatile. You can easily adjust the spice level to your preference, add in your favorite vegetables for extra nutrition, or even try it with other proteins like chicken or beef.
What Exactly Is Mongolian Pork?
Mongolian pork is a delicious and popular variation of the well-known Mongolian beef, a dish that originated in Taiwan rather than Mongolia, despite its name. At its heart, it features thin strips of tender, seared meat bathed in a rich, dark brown sauce. This sauce is typically characterized by a complex flavor profile: slightly spicy, a touch sour, and notably sweet. The key to its appeal lies in the rapid searing of the meat, which locks in juiciness, followed by a quick simmer in the thick, velvety sauce that clings to every piece. Essential aromatics like fresh garlic and ginger are crucial to building its distinctive fragrant base, making it a truly satisfying and deeply flavored dish.
Essential Ingredients for Mongolian Pork
Gathering your ingredients (often called “mise en place”) before you start cooking is key to how quickly this better-than-takeout Mongolian pork recipe comes together. While the full, precise measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this page, here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why each component is vital:
- Pork Tenderloin: This cut is ideal for Mongolian pork because it’s naturally lean and incredibly tender, cooking quickly and absorbing the flavors of the sauce beautifully. Make sure to trim any silver skin and excess fat, then slice it into thin, uniform strips for even cooking.
- Cornstarch: This serves two crucial purposes. First, it lightly coats the pork, helping to create a delicate crust when seared and locking in moisture, ensuring the pork stays juicy. Second, it’s the magical ingredient that thickens our sauce, giving it that luxurious, velvety texture.
- Sesame Oil: Used for cooking, sesame oil imparts a distinct nutty, aromatic flavor that is quintessential to many Asian dishes. You can use regular sesame oil, or for an even deeper, more roasted flavor, opt for toasted sesame oil.
- Fresh Garlic: Minced garlic is one of the foundational aromatics, providing a pungent, savory depth to the dish. Fresh garlic offers the best flavor compared to pre-minced jars.
- Fresh Ginger: Complementing the garlic, minced fresh ginger adds a bright, spicy, and slightly sweet undertone that is characteristic of Mongolian dishes.
- Soy Sauce: The backbone of the savory sauce. We recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to give you more control over the final saltiness of the dish.
- Brown Sugar: This provides the essential sweetness that balances the savory soy sauce and tangy vinegar, also contributing to the sauce’s rich, caramelized color and depth. Both light or dark brown sugar work well; dark brown sugar will give a slightly richer, more molasses-like flavor.
- Rice Vinegar: This mild, slightly sweet vinegar adds a crucial tangy counterpoint to the rich sauce, brightening the overall flavor profile. If you don’t have rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used as substitutes, though they may alter the flavor slightly.
- Chili Garlic Paste: This ingredient provides a mild, pleasant kick of heat and a robust garlic flavor. It’s not overly spicy, so it adds warmth without overwhelming the other flavors. Feel free to adjust the amount to suit your preferred spice level.
- Cooked White Rice: The perfect absorbent base for soaking up all that incredible sauce. While white rice is traditional, you can certainly use brown rice or even quinoa if you prefer.
- Sesame Seeds: Used as a garnish, sesame seeds add a subtle crunch and nutty finish, enhancing the visual appeal and textural complexity of the dish.
- Green Onions (Scallions): Thinly sliced green onions are a vibrant, fresh garnish that adds a mild oniony bite and a beautiful pop of color. You can use both the white and green parts, or just the green tops for a milder flavor.
How to Make This Delicious Mongolian Pork (Step-by-Step)
Get ready to cook! This 20-minute sweet-and-sour Mongolian pork recipe is surprisingly simple, even for those new to stir-frying. Follow these easy steps for a perfect weeknight meal:
- Prepare the Pork: Start by adding your thinly sliced pork tenderloin strips to a medium bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the pork, then toss until each piece is thoroughly and evenly coated. This step is key for achieving a tender texture and helping the sauce thicken.
- Sear the Pork: Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or a wok over high heat until it’s shimmering. Add the cornstarch-coated pork strips to the hot pan, ensuring not to overcrowd it (cook in batches if necessary). Cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is nicely browned and seared on all sides. This browning develops deep flavor.
- Add the Aromatics: Once the pork is browned, add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until they become fragrant and lightly browned. Be careful not to burn them.
- Whisk the Sauce: While the pork and aromatics are cooking, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and chili garlic paste in a separate small bowl. Whisk everything together until the brown sugar is fully dissolved, ensuring a smooth, well-combined sauce.
- Introduce the Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce directly into the skillet with the pork, garlic, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil over high heat.
- Thicken and Finish: Reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook the Mongolian pork for another 3-4 minutes. Stir continuously as the sauce begins to thicken and coat the pork beautifully. Ensure the pork is fully cooked through and the sauce has reached your desired consistency.
- Serve Immediately: Ladle the hot Mongolian pork generously over a bed of fluffy white rice. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a generous amount of thinly sliced green onions for freshness and visual appeal. Enjoy your homemade takeout feast!
Expert Tips for the Best Mongolian Pork
Achieving restaurant-quality Mongolian pork at home is easier than you think with a few simple tricks. Here are some pro tips and clever hacks to ensure your dish is absolutely perfect every time:
- Achieve a Deep Brown on the Pork: This is arguably the most critical step for maximizing flavor. Ensure your skillet or wok is very hot before adding the pork. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook the pork in batches if necessary so it can sear rather than steam. Resist the urge to stir the meat too frequently, allowing it to develop a beautiful, flavorful brown crust.
- Utilize a Wok: If you’re fortunate enough to own a wok, this is the perfect opportunity to use it! Woks are specifically designed for stir-frying; their sloped sides and excellent heat retention allow for quick, even cooking and easy tossing of ingredients, contributing to that authentic Asian taste.
- Toast Your Sesame Seeds: For an extra layer of earthy, nutty flavor, use toasted sesame seeds as a garnish. You can often buy them pre-toasted, or toast raw sesame seeds yourself in a dry skillet over medium heat for just a minute or two until fragrant and golden brown.
- Effortless Ginger Peeling: Peeling fresh ginger can be tricky with a knife. Instead, use the edge of a spoon! Scrape the spoon across the ginger root; the peel will come off quickly and efficiently, minimizing waste.
- Master the “Mise en Place”: This dish comes together incredibly fast, so having all your ingredients prepped, measured, and ready to go (your “mise en place”) is paramount. This ensures a smooth cooking process and prevents the pork from overcooking while you’re scrambling for sauce ingredients.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: As mentioned, cooking the pork in a single layer is essential for searing. If you add too much meat at once, the temperature of the pan will drop, and the pork will steam instead of brown, resulting in a less flavorful and tougher texture.
- Adjust the Spice to Your Liking: The chili garlic paste provides a mild heat, but you can easily customize it. For more spice, add an extra teaspoon or two of chili garlic paste, or a pinch of red pepper flakes. For less spice, reduce or omit the paste entirely.
- Consider a Quick Marinade: If you have an extra 15-30 minutes, you can marinate the pork in a tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of sesame oil before coating it in cornstarch. This step can enhance the overall flavor and tenderness.
Delicious Serving Suggestions for Mongolian Pork
While this quick Mongolian pork is perfectly satisfying on its own over a bed of rice, it also shines beautifully as part of a larger family-style meal with other complementary Asian dishes. Here are some of my favorite pairings that go wonderfully with this tender, sweet, and savory pork:
- Asian Napa Cabbage Slaw: A light, crunchy, and refreshing slaw with a tangy dressing provides a fantastic textural and flavor contrast to the rich pork.
- Instant Pot Jasmine Rice: Perfectly cooked, fragrant jasmine rice is the ideal canvas for soaking up every drop of that irresistible Mongolian sauce.
- Asian Salad: A crisp green salad with an Asian vinaigrette adds freshness and a medley of textures, balancing the richness of the main dish.
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls: Crispy, golden egg rolls cooked in the air fryer offer a delicious, lighter alternative to deep-fried versions, making a perfect appetizer or side.
- Steamed or Stir-fried Vegetables: Broccoli, bell peppers, snow peas, or asparagus stir-fried with a touch of soy sauce and garlic would make an excellent healthy addition.
- Noodles: For a heartier meal, serve it alongside simple stir-fried noodles or lo mein instead of rice.
Storing & Reheating Your Mongolian Pork Leftovers
One of the many benefits of this fantastic Mongolian pork recipe is how well it stores and reheats, making it excellent for meal prep or enjoying delicious leftovers. Here’s how to best handle any remaining portions:
- Fridge Storage: To keep your Mongolian pork fresh and flavorful, transfer it to an airtight container. It will last beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For optimal texture and to prevent the rice from getting soggy, it’s best to store the pork and any leftover rice in separate containers.
- Reheating: The best method for reheating Mongolian pork to maintain its tender texture and rich sauce is on the stovetop. Place the pork and sauce in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s warmed through. If you’re short on time, you can also reheat it in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each interval, until hot.
- Freezer Storage: If you’d like to prepare this dish in advance or save it for a later date, it freezes wonderfully. Ensure the cooked pork is completely cooled before transferring it to a freezer-safe, airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Always thaw or defrost the pork entirely in the refrigerator before reheating for the best results.
Discover More Easy & Delicious Pork Recipes
If you’re a fan of the versatility and flavor of pork, just like I am, then you’re in for a treat! After you’ve mastered this Mongolian pork, be sure to explore these other fantastic and easy-to-make pork recipes:
- Green Chili Pork: A hearty and flavorful dish, perfect for stews, tacos, or burritos.
- French Onion Pork Chops: Tender pork chops smothered in a rich, savory French onion sauce.
- Pork Carnitas: Slow-cooked, succulent pork that’s crispy on the outside and incredibly tender within, ideal for tacos.
- Pork Stir-Fry: A quick and customizable stir-fry packed with vibrant vegetables and a savory sauce.
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin: A super easy way to cook a perfectly tender and juicy pork tenderloin with minimal effort.
Mongolian Pork
Erin Sellin
5 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
4
servings
Pin Recipe
Rate Recipe
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Ingredients
-
1
pound
pork tenderloin
,
trimmed and cut into thin strips -
1/4
cup
cornstarch
-
2
Tablespoons
sesame oil
-
4
cloves
garlic
,
minced -
2
Tablespoons
fresh ginger
,
minced -
1/2
cup
soy sauce
-
1/3
cup
brown sugar
-
1
Tablespoon
rice vinegar
-
1
Tablespoon
chili garlic paste -
2
cups
cooked white rice
-
1
Tablespoon
sesame seeds
-
2
green onions
,
thinly sliced
Instructions
-
Add the pork strips and cornstarch to a bowl and toss together until the meat is well coated.1 pound pork tenderloin,
1/4 cup cornstarch -
Heat a large skillet over high heat, then add the sesame oil. Swirl to coat the pan.2 Tablespoons sesame oil
-
When the oil is hot, add the pork and brown it for 3-4 minutes.
-
Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for 3-4 more minutes, until browned on the outside.4 cloves garlic,
2 Tablespoons fresh ginger -
While the meat, garlic, and ginger cook, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, chili garlic paste, and brown sugar.1/2 cup soy sauce,
1/3 cup brown sugar,
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar,
1 Tablespoon chili garlic paste -
Pour the sauce over the pork and bring it to a boil.
-
Cook the meat and the sauce for 3-4 minutes until the pork is fully cooked and the sauce is thick.
-
Serve the pork over warm rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.2 cups cooked white rice,
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds,
2 green onions
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Reheat on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave in 30-second increments.
Nutrition
Calories:
467
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
49
g
|
Protein:
35
g
|
Fat:
14
g
|
Saturated Fat:
3
g
|
Polyunsaturated Fat:
10
g
|
Cholesterol:
84
mg
|
Sodium:
1882
mg
|
Fiber:
1
g
|
Sugar:
15
g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Erin Sellin
5 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
Dinner Recipes
Asian
4
servings
467
mongolian pork, mongolian pork panda express, mongolian pork recipe
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