Crispy Mongolian Beef
Frilly-edged beef in a sticky soy and brown sugar glaze.
Kit that makes this foolproof
A few inexpensive bits that get you crispier results with less mess.
A roomy air fryer
A larger basket means fewer batches and crispier results.
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Perforated liners
Less sticking and mess, without blocking the airflow.
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Silicone tongs
Turn and lift without scratching the non-stick basket.
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Before You Start
Mongolian beef stands or falls on the crisp edges of the meat, which normally means a wok of oil. A heavy cornflour dredge and a hot basket get you the same frilled, crunchy strips. The sauce is nothing but soy, brown sugar, garlic and ginger reduced to a glaze, which is exactly why it works.
Instructions
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1
Pat the beef slices dry, then toss them through the ½ cup cornflour until each strip is coated and dry-looking. Shake off the loose excess.
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2
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C / 400°F for 3 minutes. Spray the strips well on both sides.
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3
Lay them in as close to a single layer as you can and air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking and re-spraying at the halfway point, until the edges are browned and crisp.
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4
Meanwhile stir the soy, brown sugar, water, garlic, ginger and the teaspoon of cornflour in a pan. Simmer 2 minutes until it thickens to a glaze.
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5
Toss the crisp beef through the sauce with the spring onion batons for 30 seconds, off the heat.
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6
Serve immediately over rice, before the crunch has time to think about it.
♨️ Air fryer notes
- Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
💡 Cook's tips
- Slice against the grain and keep the strips under 1 cm thick. Thick slices of flank chew like rope.
- Freeze the steak for 20 minutes first and it slices thin with no drama.
🔀 Make it your own
- Add dried chillies to the sauce for the restaurant heat version.
- The same method makes crispy chilli chicken with thigh strips.
📦 Storing & reheating
Eat it now. The coating gives up within the hour, and reheated Mongolian beef is a stew. If you must, keep beef and sauce separate for a day and re-crisp the beef at 200°C for 3 minutes.
❓ Frequently asked
How do you get crispy beef in an air fryer?
A thick cornflour coat, a real spray of oil on every surface, and space in the basket. Any strip left dry or buried comes out grey and soft.
What cut of beef is best for Mongolian beef?
Flank is traditional and rump works well. Both need slicing thin against the grain. Avoid stewing cuts, which need hours the recipe does not have.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
