BHA & BHT Free Ginger-Scallion Mongolian Beef
Sticky, glossy, and packed with bold umami flavor, this Mongolian beef hits every note you want from a takeout-style dish — without a single synthetic preservative in sight. BHA and BHT are common in bottled sauces, seasoning packets, and processed condiments, which makes restaurant versions and jarred shortcuts a real concern for anyone avoiding these additives. Here, the sauce is built entirely from scratch using coconut aminos, pure maple syrup, fresh ginger, and garlic, so you know exactly what's going into every bite. Arrowroot starch does double duty — coating the flank steak for a beautifully caramelized sear and thickening the sauce into that irresistible, spoon-coating gloss. The technique of resting the coated beef before searing is a small step that makes a big difference, helping the strips brown deeply in a hot wok rather than turning gray and steaming. Scallions added in two stages — white parts cooked down for sweetness, green parts tossed in at the end for freshness — give the dish real depth and a little brightness to balance the rich sauce. This is weeknight cooking that genuinely tastes like something special.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the beef
- 1 ½ lb flank steak, sliced against the grain into ¼-inch strips
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
For the sauce
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
For cooking
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, divided
- 6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces (white and green parts separated)
Instructions
- 1
Place the sliced flank steak in a large bowl, sprinkle with the arrowroot starch and salt, and toss until every piece is evenly coated. Let the coated beef rest at room temperature for 30 minutes — this allows the starch to adhere and helps the beef sear rather than steam.
- 2
While the beef rests, whisk together the coconut aminos, maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, 1 tsp arrowroot starch, and turmeric in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
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