Mongolian Ground Beef Lo Mein
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This Mongolian ground beef lo mein recipe is flavorful and easy to make. It combines flavorful ground beef with egg noodles, all tossed in a savory and slightly sweet sauce.
If you need a fast and easy dinner that is also filling and delicious, look no further than this easy ground beef lo mein recipe. Mongolian beef noodles have umami and caramelized flavors, infused with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a hint of brown sugar.
This recipe is delicious example of how you can make a few quality ingredients shine. My family adores it and we make these Mongolian ground beef noodles at least a few times a month.
Why You’ll Love This Mongolian Ground Beef Lo Mein Recipe
- Quick and Easy! This recipe is ready in about 30 minutes and has very easy-to-follow instructions.
- Better than Takeout! You can skip the takeout order and bring some International flavors to your your table straight from the kitchen.
- Substitute Friendly! You can use a variety of noodles based on what you have available. You can also add additional vegetables or update the recipe to use ground chicken or turkey.
- Balanced flavors. A little sweet, a little savory, and lots of unami flavors. It all works together like a symphony.
Ingredients for Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles
I mentioned above that this recipe only takes a few, easy to find ingredients. Here is an overview of the key ingredients. You can find the full list, including measurements, in the recipe card.
- Egg Noodles – Lo mein or fresh ramen noodles work best in the recipe. If you can’t find those, you can substitute spaghetti or linguine noodles but it will add to the cooking time.
- Ground Beef – I highly recommend using a lean ground beef. If you use a higher fat version, be sure to drain the excess grease after cooking. You can also substitute with ground chicken but you’ll need to add a little oil when cooking the meat.
- Oil – Any neutral oil works here.
- Garlic Cloves
- Fresh Ginger
- Crushed Pepper Flakes
- Shredded Carrots – You could substitute diced bell peppers or similar here.
- Green Onion
- Soy Sauce – You can substitute tamari or coconut aminos here.
- Brown Sugar
- Oyster Sauce
- Cornstarch – This is used to thicken the sauce.
How to Make Mongolian Ground Beef Lo Mein
This recipe is so simple to make and requires on a few simple steps. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card and here is a brief overview.
The first set of steps involves cooking and seasoning the meat and vegetables.
Then, you will make the sauce that is used and combine everything together.
I usually serve this with some egg rolls or spring rolls. If I want to add some additional vegetables to the meal, I will serve something like an Asian inspired cucumber salad or steamed edamame.
More Great Better than Takeout Recipes
Mongolian Ground Beef Lo Mein
Ingredients
- 10 ounces egg noodles such as lo mein or ramen noodles
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil optional
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ Tablespoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped green onion
For the sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according the package instructions. Drain and set them aside.10 ounces egg noodles such as lo mein or ramen noodles
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, oyster sauce, and cornstarch. Set aside.⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup water, 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, stirring to crumble, until browned. (If you are using a lean ground beef, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil before adding the ground beef to prevent sticking.)1 pound ground beef, 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add minced garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes into the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently,for 2 minutes. Add shredded carrots and cook for 3 more minutes.4 garlic cloves, ½ Tablespoon minced ginger, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 cup shredded carrots
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Add cooked noodles and green onions. Toss to coat everything with the sauce. Adjust soy sauce if needed.½ cup chopped green onion
Notes
- Opt for egg noodles like lo mein or fresh ramen noodles for the best texture. If unavailable, spaghetti or udon noodles are good substitutes.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes based on your spice tolerance. For a milder dish, use less or skip it entirely.
- While carrots are included, feel free to add other vegetables like bell peppers, snap peas, or broccoli for added nutrition and color. This may require adjustment to the cooking time depending on the vegetable(s) added.
- Cook the noodles just until al dente, as they will absorb some sauce and soften further when mixed in the skillet.
Nutrition
