Sticky Korean beef mince and rice

Foody Blog

15 Aug, 2026

An easy weeknight dinner recipe that takes only 5 minutes to prep? It exists and it’s delicious. Meet my sticky Korean beef mince and rice recipe.

As a mum of an 18-, 14- and 6-year old, dinner time needs to hit a very specific brief: quick, easy and absolutely packed with flavour. Weeknights are always so busy, so I have very little patience for recipes that require a lot of prep. Enter this sticky Korean beef mince recipe with only 5 minutes of prep! It ticks all my essential dinnertime boxes, plus it’s budget-friendly to boot!

What I love about this sticky Korean beef mince and rice recipe

This flavour-packed weeknight winner brings bulgogi vibes with minimal fuss. There are no tricky ingredients, just supermarket-friendly items you probably already have in your pantry. Adding grated pear or apple to a bulgogi dish is not uncommon and I tried both, but I found Packham pears broke down a little quicker than Pink Lady apples and added a touch more sweetness. Grated Packham pear is a classic Korean touch that also tenderises the mince.

The combination of dark soy, brown sugar, garlic and ginger creates that irresistible sweet-savoury balance, while the grated pear melts into the sauce, adding natural sweetness and gloss. You’ll find that the beef crisps beautifully in the pan, giving you an incredible texture that kids and adults both love.

💡Tip: Choose the right pan for the task
For this recipe, it’s best to use a wide frying pan in order to get the ultimate crispy beef texture from your Coles 3 Star Regular Beef Mince.

Key ingredients in my sticky beef mince and rice recipe

Medium‑grain rice: the ideal sticky, plush base, you can use the absorption method or a rice cooker for reliably tender grains.
Dark soy sauce: for deep colour and umami I use dark soy. If using regular soy, your sauce won't be as dark but will still taste great.
Packham pear: grated for tenderising the beef and adding gentle sweetness, you could also use a Corella pear or an apple, if that’s what you have on hand.
Brown sugar: this encourages caramelisation and stickiness. If it’s leaning too sweet, balance with an extra dash of soy or a pinch of salt.
Garlic: freshly crushed, garlic provides a punch of umami.
Fresh ginger: this brings bright warmth and aroma. There’s no need to peel if finely grated – a microplane gives fine, even strands and catches any fibres.
Sesame oil: adds a lovely nutty fragrance. For a stronger aroma, swirl a little through at the end, off the heat.
Coles 3 Star Regular Beef Mince: this beef mince works well for crisping. Spread it in a single layer in the pan and let it sit to develop colour. Spoon off excess fat if it pools to help browning.
Frozen stir‑fry vegetables: convenient, consistent and no chopping. Add straight from the freezer. Cook just until bright so they stay tender‑crisp.
Toasted sesame seeds: crunchy finish, it’s optional but welcome. Lightly toast in a dry pan until fragrant. Sprinkle right before serving to keep their
crunch.

Sticky Korean mince

You could top the dish with sliced green shallots, kimchi, shredded nori or a fried egg for an added protein boost. Feel free to stir in a teaspoon of gochujang or chilli flakes with the pear mixture for a warm, gentle kick. You could also serve the mince mixture in lettuce cups.
Make weeknight dinners easier thanks to our Dinner Heroes
This back-to-school season, taste is partnering with Coles to help make your weeknights easy, stress free and tasty. Inspired by the flavours you love – and fuelled by a mission to ease the mealtime mental load – our expert team of Dinner Heroes has created, tested and approved four weeks of all-new dinner ideas. Choose from Budget-stretcher Mondays, 5-ingredient Tuesdays, One-pot Wednesdays, 20-minute Thursdays and Fakeaway Fridays, and build a menu that works for you.
Looking for more budget-stretcher recipes to help your grocery shop go further? Here's my pick of great-value family meal ideas that always go the distance.
We also have plenty of mince stir fry recipes for weeknight dinners to try next.
Recipe and recipe notes by Amira Georgy, photography by Nigel Lough, styling by Lucy Busuttil, and food prep by Lara Reynolds.

300g (1 1 /2 cups) medium-grain rice
60ml (1/4 cup) dark soy sauce
2 tbsp water
1 Packham pear, peeled, cored, grated
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2cm-piece fresh ginger, unpeeled, finely grated
3 tsp sesame oil
500g Coles 3 Star Regular Beef Mince
325g (2 1/2 cups) Coles Frozen Stir-fry Vegetables
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Step 1
Cook rice following packet directions.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, water, pear, sugar, garlic and ginger in a jug.
Step 3
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook beef, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon, for 7-8 minutes or until the beef begins to crisp. Add frozen vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften. Add pear mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Step 4
Serve the sticky beef over the rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds.