Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles
Our Spicy Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles are a perfect weeknight meal. Tender ground beef, a savory-sweet sauce with a kick, and your favorite noodles come together in under 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or sesame oil for extra flavor)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to your spice preference)
- 8 ounces spaghetti or ramen noodles (or your preferred noodle type)
- 2 green onions (sliced for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (slurry – optional, for thicker sauce)
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Cooking Steps
- Cook your spaghetti or ramen noodles according to package directions, then drain well and set aside. Rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until fully browned, breaking it up with a spoon, then drain any excess grease.
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the cooked ground beef, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the sauce over the beef in the skillet, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3-5 minutes to meld flavors and thicken slightly. For a thicker sauce, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for another minute.
- Add the cooked noodles to the skillet with the beef and sauce, then toss everything together until the noodles are well coated.
- Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions and optional sesame seeds.
Notes
For an extra layer of flavor, consider using sesame oil instead of olive oil to brown the beef. Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your preferred level of spiciness. If you like your sauce very thick, do not skip the cornstarch slurry!