Craving the delicious flavors of Mongolian beef but trying to stick to a keto diet? This Keto Mongolian Beef recipe transforms a classic takeout dish into a low-carb, sugar-free delight that doesn't compromise on taste. Whether you choose to cook it on the stove top, in your slow cooker, or Instant Pot, this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings while keeping you on track with your health goals.
Why This Recipe Works
Traditional Mongolian beef is often loaded with sugar and cornstarch, making it unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. This recipe uses a few clever swaps to achieve the same delicious flavor profile without the added carbs. The key substitutions include:
- Sweetener: Instead of sugar, this recipe uses a keto-friendly sweetener like Swerve Brown or a combination of granular sweetener and molasses. Allulose can also be added to give the sauce a stickier consistency.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce, this recipe utilizes a low-carb thickening agent like glucomannan or xanthan gum instead of cornstarch.
- Rice: Instead of serving the beef over white rice, this recipe recommends cauliflower rice, shirataki rice, or cabbage rice for a low-carb alternative.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef: Flank steak is a popular choice for Mongolian beef as it's easy to slice thinly. However, you can also use top sirloin, flatiron steak, or skirt steak. Slicing the beef thinly against the grain, ideally when partially frozen, ensures tenderness.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is perfectly acceptable unless you are intentionally avoiding soy or gluten. For a gluten-free option, tamari is preferred for its umami flavor and lower carb content compared to coconut aminos. Low sodium soy sauce is highly recommended to control the salt level in the recipe.
- Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil provides the best flavor.
- Garlic and Ginger: Fresh minced garlic is preferred, but granulated garlic can be substituted. Ground ginger is used for simplicity, but fresh grated ginger can also be used.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to control the level of spiciness.
- Green Onion and Sesame Seeds: These are used as a garnish to add flavor and visual appeal.
- Cauliflower Rice: Chop a head of cauliflower into florets and pulse it in a food processor until it resembles rice. Cook it in a hot skillet with avocado oil and salt.
Slow Cooker Instructions
The slow cooker method is ideal for achieving melt-in-your-mouth tender beef with minimal effort.
- Prep the beef: Slice the beef thinly against the grain.
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the sweeteners, water, tamari, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Combine: Place the sliced beef in the bottom of a slow cooker and pour the sauce over it.
- Cook: Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours.
- Thicken the sauce: Remove some of the liquid into a bowl, add the glucomannan, and whisk to combine well. Pour back into the pot and stir to coat the beef.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with sliced green onion and sesame seeds. Serve over cauliflower rice.
Instant Pot Instructions
For a quicker cooking time, the Instant Pot is a great option.
- Brown the beef: Use the sauté function to brown the beef in a little oil first.
- Combine: Add the beef and sauce ingredients to the Instant Pot. Don’t add any water to the sauce, as pressure cookers force moisture out of the meat and it may end up quite soupy.
- Cook: Cook on Manual High for 10 minutes.
- Thicken: Thicken with glucomannan.
Stovetop Instructions
If you don't have a slow cooker or Instant Pot, you can easily make this dish on the stovetop.
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- Brown the beef: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the beef and sauté until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with more oil and the remaining beef.
- Add the sauce: Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer.
- Thicken: Push all the beef to one side and whisk in the glucomannan, then stir well to combine.
Tips and Variations
- Make it a freezer meal: Pour all of the ingredients (except the green onion) into a large zip-top freezer bag or freezer bowl. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and let thaw overnight. Dump the contents of the bag into a skillet and cook until the beef is cooked through.
- Add vegetables: Feel free to add your favorite low-carb vegetables like sliced zucchini, water chestnuts, mushrooms, bell peppers, or broccoli. For the slow cooker and Whole30 versions, add the vegetables 30 minutes prior to the end of the cook time to keep them crisp.
- Spice it up: Add more red pepper flakes or a dash of chili oil for extra heat.
- Adjust the sweetness: Adjust the amount of sweetener to your liking.
- Deep fry for extra crispiness: If you like your beef a bit on the crispy side, deep fry it instead of pan-frying it.
Serving Suggestions
- Cauliflower Rice: A classic low-carb alternative to white rice.
- Shirataki Rice: Another great low-carb option.
- Cabbage Rice: A simple and healthy side dish.
- Broccoli Rice: A nutritious and flavorful option.
- Asparagus: Instant Pot asparagus compliments the shirataki.
Nutritional Information
This Keto Mongolian Beef has approximately 2 grams of carbs per serving, significantly lower than traditional versions. Keep in mind that nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used. It's always best to calculate nutritional information independently.
Is Mongolian Beef Keto-Friendly?
Traditional Mongolian beef is not keto-friendly due to its high sugar and cornstarch content. However, this Keto Mongolian Beef recipe is specifically designed to be low-carb and sugar-free, making it a perfect option for those following a ketogenic diet.
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