Try this Vegan Congee, also known as Chinese rice porridge or jook, a quick and satisfying meal made with leftover rice. It takes only 20 minutes to make and comes with a delicious peanut, mushroom, and edamame bean topping that will leave you craving more.
A CREAMY, VELVETY RICE PORRIDGE
Savoury breakfast lovers, have you tried congee yet? If not, you’re missing out! 😋
My ultimate comfort food is congee or jook in Cantonese. You can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and jazz it up with fun toppings to suit your taste.
Moreover, congee is easy to make in a big batch and eat throughout the week. It’s like the Asian version of oatmeal but even better!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comfort Made Easy. You can make this congee in just 20 minutes! What’s the secret? All you need is some leftover cooked rice and your trusty blender.
- Unique Topping. My delicious blend of peanuts, mushrooms, and edamame beans takes this recipe to the next level, adding a fun crunch.
- Perfect To Make Ahead. Just make a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week. It’s also freezer-friendly too.
Ingredient Notes
This vegan congee recipe is easy peasy as it calls for simple ingredients that are likely already stocked in your pantry and fridge. See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Leftover Rice – You must use cooked rice, either white Jasmine or Japanese short or medium grain rice (sushi rice).
- Vegetable Broth – I like to use Knorr vegetable instant stock mix (which contains MSG, adding the umami flavour you’d get with chicken broth). Feel free to use your favourite vegan chick’n or veggie broth, but the vegetable base Better Than Bouillon brand makes the congee darker. For an authentic look, use a lighter colour broth.
- Ginger – Use freshly minced or grated ginger here. It gives the congee a distinctive, fresh, bright flavour that you typically won’t get from ground or jarred ginger.
- Green Onions – Sliced fresh green onions are a must here as they create a base for flavouring this otherwise simple congee.
- Mushrooms – I used cremini mushrooms, but you can use any kind, like shiitake, shimeji, or oyster mushrooms.
- Garlic – For the best flavour, use fresh garlic. I like to chop it finely with a knife.
- Chili Garlic Sauce – Adds a spicy flavour. I’m using the Huy Fong brand.
- Edamame Beans & Peanuts – I used frozen-shelled edamame beans and roasted lightly seasoned/salted peanuts to add plant-based protein and make this congee more filling.
In addition to the above ingredients, staples such as olive oil for cooking, soy sauce and mirin for seasoning are important.
Step By Step Instructions
1. To make the congee, place the leftover rice and vegetable broth in a blender and blend for 10-20 seconds until the rice breaks down but still has visible small pieces.
2. Take a large pot (5-6qt) and add olive oil. Heat it over medium-high heat for a few minutes, add the ginger and green onions, and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the blended rice and bring it to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Add 1/4 tsp of salt or per your taste preference. Make sure to add enough salt so that it doesn’t taste bland.
4. To make the topping, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan and cook mushrooms until golden. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (1-2 mins). Stir in chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, mirin, edamame beans, and peanuts until heated and combined.
5. To serve, add the congee to a bowl and garnish it with the mushroom, edamame bean, peanut topping, and sliced green onions.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Leftover rice. I suggest using 1 day old rice. If you use 2 to 3 day old rice, you may need to simmer it for 10 minutes (instead of 5 min) because the rice will be dryer.
- For vegetable broth, I prefer Knorr vegetable instant stock mix because of its MSG, which mimics umami-like chicken broth. You can use your favourite broth; using vegetable base Better Than Bouillon will make the congee darker. For an authentic appearance, opt for lighter broth.
- Congee too thick. Add a little water or broth to thin it down to your desired consistency. Make sure to reheat it before serving.
Serving Suggestions
For the best experience, serve vegan congee with toppings like my mushroom, edamame, and peanut mixture. Alternatively, you can keep it simple by topping it with soy sauce, chili crisp oil, green onions, cilantro, or furikake.
Are you looking to add something more to this meal? Pair it with this Sunomono Cucumber Salad, or top it with these delicious Marinated Shiitake Mushrooms.
Storage Instructions
Fridge – You can keep the leftovers for up to 5 days, and I suggest storing the congee and toppings separately.
Freezer – Transfer the cooled congee into freezer-safe containers and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat – Heat leftover congee in the microwave or stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed. Thin with a splash of broth or water.
Frequently Asked Questions
For making congee, it is best to use white Jasmine rice or Japanese rice like sushi rice, as they have a higher starch content when cooked.
Congee has a mild taste resembling the creamy texture of oatmeal or porridge but with a savoury twist.
Congee is a popular food to eat when sick because it is easy to digest. Additionally, congee’s warm and comforting nature can help soothe a sore throat.
⭐️ MORE ASIAN RECIPES
- Teriyaki Udon Noodles
- Vegan Mapo Tofu
- Garlic Chili Udon
- Teriyaki Glazed Tofu
- Japanese Curry w/Chickpeas
- Vegan Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich
DID YOU MAKE THIS VEGAN CONGEE?
I would greatly appreciate your feedback. Kindly leave a comment or star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. Also, feel free to tag me on Instagram, as I enjoy seeing photos of your recipes.
Vegan Congee
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups leftover white rice (Jasmine or Japanese)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (see notes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp grated or minced ginger
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
Topping
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups finely chopped mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1/2 cup frozen-shelled edamame beans
- 1/3 cup roasted lightly seasoned/salted peanuts
Instructions
- To make the congee, place the leftover rice and vegetable broth in a blender and blend for 10-20 seconds until the rice breaks down but still has visible small pieces.
- Take a large pot (5-6qt) and add olive oil. Heat it over medium-high heat for a few minutes, add the ginger and green onions, and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the blended rice and bring it to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Add 1/4 tsp of salt or per your taste preference. Make sure to add enough salt so that it doesn't taste bland.
- To make the topping, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan and cook mushrooms until golden. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (1-2 mins). Stir in chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, mirin, edamame beans, and peanuts until heated and combined.
- To serve, add the congee to a serving bowl and garnish it with the mushroom, edamame bean, peanut topping, and sliced green onions. You can keep the leftovers for up to 5 days, and I suggest storing the congee and toppings separately.
Video
Notes
- Leftover rice. I suggest using 1 day old rice. If you use 2 to 3 day old rice, you may need to simmer it for 10 minutes because the rice will be dryer.
- For vegetable broth, I prefer Knorr vegetable instant stock mix because of its MSG, which mimics umami-like chicken broth. You can use your favourite broth; using vegetable base Better Than Bouillon will make the congee darker. For an authentic appearance, opt for lighter coloured broth.
- Congee too thick. Add a little water or broth to thin it down to your desired consistency. Make sure to reheat it before serving.
Never tried rice porridge before and now I’m obsessed! The texture is so cozy and the flavour so savoury. Definitely a comfort food. The topping is so good I could eat it by itself! Super easy to make as well.