Air Fryer Mongolian Beef

Published: Apr 11, 2025 by Nicole Kendrick · This post may contain affiliate links · 49 Comments

This air fryer Mongolian beef is a healthy version of one of the best Chinese inspired dishes ever. Sweetened with honey instead of brown sugar and cooked in the air fryer instead of fried, this healthy Mongolian beef recipe delivers tons of flavor and texture with zero guilt.

Overhead shot of plateful of beef and rice.

Mongolian beef is a classic Chinese dish that all of us love. And why wouldn't we? After all, with all that crispy flavor and those bold flavors, it's a dish that satisfies on all levels. Except maybe one...

We love classic Mongolian beef, but it can be a little heavy, especially with all that frying. Just like we did with our air fryer crispy chilli beef recipe, we took the classic and made it lighter and healthier by substituting honey for brown sugar and coating the beef in cornstarch for a crispy texture without breading. Then, we air-fried it for less oil.

The result is a healthy Mongolian beef dish with just as much sweet, zesty flavor and crispy texture as the original but with far less fat and fewer calories. We call that a win!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Flavor Variations
Instructions
Expert Tips
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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💬 Comments

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Limited Ingredients: This recipe only uses a few simple ingredients to create all its delicious flavor.
Easy: The entire recipe only takes about 15 to 20 minutes!
Classic Flavor: We might have made the dish lighter, but it's still heavy on classic Chinese flavor in every bite.
Better for You: With crispy beef without breading and no refined sugar, this is a better-for-you version that you can feel good about.

Ingredients

Beef

Flank Steak: Flank steak sliced against the grain gets tender while cooking fast, so it's perfect for the air fryer.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch gives the beef strips a nice, crispy coating without heavy breading.

Sauce

Olive Oil: Olive oil gives the sauce a luxurious texture, adds depth of flavor, and helps it cling to the beef.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a classic blend of salty, sweet, nutty, and subtle bitterness to the sauce.
Honey: Honey sweetness the Mongolian beef without refined sugar while maintaining a great depth of flavor.
Seasoning: A blend of ginger and garlic adds the classic blend of earthy, warm flavor you expect in this dish.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.

Flavor Variations

Proteins: You can make this dish with chicken or pork strips, as well. While it wouldn't be authentic, shrimp would work well with these flavors, too.
Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the sauce or air fry red chili peppers along with the beef for a kick of flavor and heat.
Veggies: Try adding sliced peppers, onions, carrots, broccoli, baby corn, bamboo shoots, or these keto air fryer mushrooms.

Instructions

Add the beef strips and cornstarch to a large, resealable baggie and shake to coat.
Lay the strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket, lightly spray with cooking spray, and cook at 390, flipping once, until crispy.
While the beef cooks, mix all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring.
Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened.
Combine the beef and sauce in a bowl and let it sit until the sauce has thickened further. Enjoy with rice and your favorite veggies!

Expert Tips

Always preheat your air fryer for even cooking and accurate cooking times.
Be sure to slice the flank steak against the grain. Going against the grain is what makes the beef stay tender while cooking quickly.
The easiest way to evenly coat your beef in cornstarch is to use a baggie. It's so much quicker and far less messy.

Pairing Suggestions

Serve this air fryer Mongolian beef with Jasmine rice, fried rice, or noodles, and your favorite vegetables like broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, baby corn, or bamboo shoots.

Overhead shot of Mongolian beef with rice on plate.

FAQ

What is Mongolian beef?

Mongolian beef is a hybrid Chinese-American dish made with crispy, fried beef strips in a savory, sweet, and tangy brown sauce, often served over rice or noodles.

Does this air fryer Mongolian beef taste like traditional Mongolian beef?

Yes, it does! The honey adds a slightly different flavor profile, but overall, this recipe tastes just like regular Mongolian beef. Even the beef is crispy, thanks to the cornstarch coating.

How do you slice flank steak?

Flank steak is a tough cut of meat with long protein fibers. To make it tender, it should always be sliced against the grain. This breaks up the long muscle fibers and allows them to get tender while they cook.

Why was my flank steak tough?

It's essential to cut flank steak against the grain to ensure it gets tender while cooking. If you cut the steak along the grain, it will always come out tough and chewy.

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