Better Than Takeout: Just 5 ingredients. Put sliced steak in the slow cooker and let the sauce do the work. It comes out sticky, sweet, and savory without the delivery fee.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker Mongolian beef is my kind of weeknight magic: you literally slice the flank steak, toss it in the crockpot, whisk together a quick sauce, and walk away. Hours later you lift the lid to glossy, sticky, sweet-and-savory strips of beef that taste like your favorite takeout, but with almost no effort and no delivery fee. Mongolian beef isn’t actually from Mongolia—it’s a Chinese-American restaurant classic known for its caramelized soy-garlic sauce and tender beef, and this version leans into that flavor with a super-short ingredient list and a hands-off cooking method that fits right into a busy schedule.

Serve this slow cooker Mongolian beef over a big bowl of steamed white or brown rice so it can soak up all that sticky, dark amber sauce. I like to add a simple side of steamed or stir-fried veggies—broccoli, green beans, or a frozen stir-fry blend—to round out the plate without extra fuss. If you’re watching carbs, spoon the beef over cauliflower rice or shredded cabbage. A sprinkle of sliced green onions or sesame seeds on top makes it feel restaurant-worthy, even if you threw it together between work emails.

2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain into strips
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup beef broth (or water)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)