Mongolian Meatloaf

I’m kind of a fan of P.F. Chang’s. It’s not a place I crave if I’m in a city like San Francisco, but if I’m stranded with few good options in a mall in rural Upstate New York, like I was so many times while visiting my mom, it was a welcomed respite to the usual food court fare. I will also admit to using a P.F. Chang’s copycat Mongolian beef recipe I found many years ago in the occasional stir-fry. It’s that simple, sweet, salty sauce which found its way on top of this meatloaf mash-up.

As I mentioned, Mongolian beef (or Mongolian meatloaf) has absolutely nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine. Apparently, it’s a Taiwanese dish that made its way to American-Chinese restaurants. But, horribly inaccurate names aside, this is an easy-to-make flavor bomb. I loved how this came out. You can easily adapt this to other ground meats (I think lamb, pork, chicken, or turkey would all work beautifully). Regardless of what you use, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

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Mongolian Meatloaf

4.7

(18)

slice of meatloaf on bed of bok choy rice with dark sauce and sesame seeds in ceramic bowl

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Chill Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

1 hr 45 mins

Servings:

Ingredients

Meatloaf:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup cooked rice, cold or at room temperature
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 rounded teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons water

To Serve:

cornstarch, as needed for dusting (optional)
vegetable oil, as needed for frying
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
sliced green onions and chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly oil a loaf pan.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté yellow onions with a pinch of salt until they start to turn golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cloves crushed garlic and 2 teaspoons ginger, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Add cooled onion mixture to ground beef along with rice, egg, green onions, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Use a fork, spatula, or your hands to mix together until evenly combined. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan, press in firmly, and smooth the top.
Bake in the preheated oven until an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 145 to 150 degrees F (63 to 65 degrees C), about 1 hour. Meatloaf can be served hot, or let cool, wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 45 minutes.
For the sauce, combine 2 teaspoons oil, 1 tablespoon ginger, and 4 minced garlic cloves in a cold nonstick skillet.
Turn heat on to medium-high. Once ginger and garlic start to sizzle, cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, then whisk in brown sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, ketchup, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.
Whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water together in a small bowl to make a slurry; stir into the sauce. Raise heat to medium-high and return to a simmer. Cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until needed (Sauce may be made ahead and reheated on medium-low heat).
Remove cold meatloaf from the refrigerator and slice into 8 portions. Dust each side with cornstarch, and reheat over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet in a little bit of vegetable oil until browned and heated through. If surface browns before meatloaf is heated through, reduce heat to medium, and cover until done.
Serve topped with the sauce; garnish with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro if desired.

Chef John

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

462	Calories
25g	Fat
24g	Carbs
34g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 462
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g	32%
Saturated Fat 8g	40%
Cholesterol 124mg	41%
Sodium 995mg	43%
Total Carbohydrate 24g	9%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 34g	69%
Vitamin C 4mg	4%
Calcium 70mg	5%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 624mg	13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.