Mongolian Beef and Noodles is an easy one pan dinner made with ground beef and spaghetti tossed in a savory and sweet garlic, ginger and hoisin sauce.

From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito

This Mongolian Beef and Noodles recipe is such a good option when you want something quick, cozy and packed with flavor. The ground beef makes it incredibly easy to prepare, while the garlic, ginger, honey and hoisin sauce give it that sweet and savory takeout-inspired flavor everyone loves.

I originally made this with a smaller amount of broth, but the sauce cooked down a little too quickly. Increasing it to a full cup gives you plenty of glossy, flavorful sauce to coat every strand of spaghetti. Add a little chili crisp or extra red pepper flakes at the end for some heat, or keep it mild for an easy family friendly dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick and Easy – This flavorful dinner comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Simple Ingredients – It is made with easy-to-find ingredients like ground beef, spaghetti, soy sauce and beef broth.
Takeout-Inspired Flavor – The sweet and savory garlic, ginger and hoisin sauce coats every bite of beef and noodles.
Easy to Customize – Keep it mild for the family or add red pepper flakes and chili crisp for an extra kick.

Ingredients

Here is everything you’ll need to make this delicious dinner. You can find the full ingredients list along with measurements and instructions on the recipe card below.

Spaghetti: Soaks up the flavorful sauce and turns this into a filling dinner.
Ground Beef: Cooks quickly and makes this an easy, budget-friendly version of Mongolian beef.
Vegetable Oil: Helps brown the ground beef.
Garlic and Ginger: Add bold, aromatic flavor to the sauce.
Honey: Gives the sauce a touch of sweetness and helps balance the salty soy sauce.
Soy Sauce: Adds the savory, salty base flavor.
Hoisin Sauce: Brings sweetness, richness and a slightly sticky texture.
Beef Broth: Creates enough sauce to thoroughly coat the beef and pasta.
Cornstarch Slurry: Thickens the sauce so it clings nicely to the noodles

Ingredient Substitutions

Spaghetti – Linguine, fettuccine, ramen noodles or lo mein noodles can all be used instead.
Ground Beef – Swap it for ground turkey, ground chicken or ground pork for a lighter variation.
Vegetable Oil – Olive oil or another neutral cooking oil will work just as well.
Fresh Ginger – In a pinch, use about ½ teaspoon ground ginger, but fresh ginger will give you the best flavor.
Honey – Maple syrup or brown sugar can be used if that is what you have on hand.
Soy Sauce – Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari are both great options.
Beef Broth – Chicken broth can be used instead, although the flavor will be slightly lighter.

How To Make It

Here is how to make this amazing meal. You can find the full ingredients list along with measurements on the recipe card below.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until the beef is browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease if needed. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

ground beef browned with ginger and garlic

Add the honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and beef broth. Stir everything together and let the sauce gently simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together until smooth. Slowly pour the slurry into the skillet while stirring. Allow the sauce to simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it thickens slightly.

mongolian beef and noodles sauce being completed on the skillet

Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss until the noodles are evenly coated in the sauce. Serve warm and enjoy!

Variations

Use a different pasta: Lo mein noodles, ramen noodles, linguine or fettuccine would all work well.
Swap the protein: Try ground turkey, ground chicken or ground pork instead of beef.
Add vegetables: Stir in broccoli florets, sliced bell peppers, shredded carrots, mushrooms or snow peas. Sauté the vegetables before adding the sauce ingredients.
Make it spicier: Add additional crushed red pepper flakes, sriracha or chili crisp.

What to Serve This With?

This recipe is filling enough to serve on its own, but it would also be great with broccoli, Frozen Roasted Green Beans, sautéed snap peas or a simple side salad. Egg rolls, spring rolls or dumplings would make fun additions for an easy takeout-style dinner at home.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The noodles will absorb some of the sauce as they sit, so add a small splash of beef broth or water before reheating.

Warm leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat or microwave them in short intervals, stirring occasionally, until heated through.