14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (2024)

While rice is delicious in every form, from rice bowls to rice noodles to sushi burgers, it’s deeply satisfying when it’s served up in congee. The Asian import — a DIY rice porridge — is the perfect opportunity to use up that *leftover* rice, since it has a higher starch content which adds extra creaminess to the dish. Here are 14 congee recipes that show you how it’s done.

Slow-Cooker Ginger Chicken Congee

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (1) This recipe calls for just three key ingredients and is made in the slow cooker while you get other stuff done. (via Kitchn)

Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge)

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (2) A lot of congee recipes call for bone-in meat, but dried shiitake mushrooms make a gorgeously chewy and flavorful substitute. Toppings like green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, soy sauce, Sriracha, and a few drops of toasted sesame oil will give it a multi-dimensional flavor. (via It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken)

Congee With Miso Sauce

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (3) This recipe calls for miso, which layers in an umami dimension. (via Playful Cooking)

Congee (Rice Porridge)

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (5) If you HEART savory foods in the morning, try a breakfast congee that’s 100 percent vegan. Plus, it tastes just as delicious for lunch or dinner. (via Vegan Heaven)

Seafood Congee

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (6) When it comes to congee, simplest is often best. This recipe is flavored with just a handful of dried scallops and a few pieces of shrimp. It has such a rich flavor, it’s hard to believe it’s made with just water, not homemade stock. (via Omnivore’s Cookbook)

Ginger Chicken Brown Rice Congee

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (7) Congee is a *healing* meal, and this brown rice version calls for lots of the natural superfood ginger. Next time you feel a cold coming on, start some congee on your back-burner and you’ll be feeling good as new in no time. (via Gather & Dine)

Congee With Homemade Broth

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (8) This congee is a great budget meal, because just a cup of rice makes a whole pot of soup. Top yours up with whatever fixins you have in the fridge and it’s all good. (via The Nomadic Wife)

Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Congee

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (9) Don’t toss that leftover rotisserie chicken carcass — unless you’re *tossing* it into the slow cooker. Start it in the morning and those leftovers will become a comforting meal by lunchtime. (via Roti ‘n’ Rice)

Vegetarian Brown Rice Congee With Tempeh

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (10) If you haven’t tried tempeh yet, this version fried in sesame oil is a great place to start. (via Avocado aDay Nutrition)

Mom’s Pork Bone Congee

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (11) You’ll want to make this recipe in the biggest pot in your cooking arsenal, so there will be plenty of leftovers to reheat the next day. Pro tip: Salt the pork bones overnight before cooking and you’ll have yourself a flavor bomb for sure. (via The Woks of Life)

Chicken and Ginger Congee (Rice Porridge)

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (12) Anyone who grew up eating congee will tell you they *crave* it anytime they’re feeling under the weather. This three-ingredient recipe is easy to cook, even if you’re feeling low-energy, and it’s as comforting as a warm blanket and fleecy pajamas — which might also be what you wear while you’re eating it. (via The Worktop)

Cozy, Comforting Congee

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (13) While you’re scrounging the fridge for delicious toppings, don’t overlook the egg. A protein-rich poached egg is the real star of this show. (via One Lovely Life)

Instant Pot Congee (Jook)

14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (14) If you don’t have time for slow-cooking methods that break down the rice to the right porridge-y creaminess, you can fast-track this recipe in your Instant Pot. Don’t leave out the little dash of Sriracha for an extra shot of zing to your taste buds. (via Budget Bytes)

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14 Congee Recipes for When Your Rice Porridge Craving Strikes (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to eat congee every day? ›

Rich in flavour and filled with the goodness of nutrients, rice congee is the perfect dish to have daily for anyone, especially children who are picky eaters. Introduce your fussy baby to a warm bowl of rice congee topped with the things they love. The delicious dish is also beneficial for your overall well-being.

What's the difference between rice porridge and congee? ›

So, congee is a type of rice porridge, but not all rice porridge is congee-like the way all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. Jook gets a step more specific: It's the English translation of the Cantonese name for rice porridge.

What does rice porridge do to the body? ›

Promotes good health and digestion

Congee has long been recognized for its ability to promote good health and aid digestion. This warm and comforting rice porridge is easy to digest, making it an ideal food for anyone looking to give their digestive system a break or support overall gut health.

Do you eat congee hot or cold? ›

Serve and enjoy the congee while it's hot. It keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Breakfast topping ideas: fried egg, ramen egg, vegetable pickles, furikake, roasted peanuts or nuts, spicy chili oil, savoury stir-fried or sautéed greens.

Is congee bad for blood sugar? ›

Congees are a popular year-round breakfast option. However, they can cause a quick rise in your blood glucose levels (BGL) because they are high in Glycaemic Index (GI) as they are made with white rice. Swap or mix your white rice with grains such as pearl barley, red beans, mung beans and rolled oats.

What is the healthiest congee? ›

For a healthier version, I frequently recommend using brown rice, or even barley or millet. Simmer on very low heat for 1-2 hours or until rice is quite broken down.

Why do Asians eat congee? ›

In some cultures, congee is eaten primarily as a breakfast food or late supper; some may also eat it as a substitute for rice at other meals. It is often considered suitable for the sick as a mild, easily digestible food.

Is oatmeal better than rice porridge? ›

Oats are a better option than rice for weight loss and fitness aims. Oats is a better choice for people suffering from Iron Deficiency Anemia. Oats are rich in antioxidants including avenanthramides. Avenanthramides helps in lowering the blood pressure levels.

Is congee just overcooked rice? ›

Congee or Rice Porridge

Here's how to make congee, the savory Chinese rice porridge, out of overcooked rice: Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in a sauce pan and start adding the mushy rice, a couple of spoonful's at a time. Break them up with a whisk, as you add them to the water.

Does rice porridge make you gassy? ›

Whole grains such as wheat and oats contain fiber, raffinose, and starch. All of these are broken down by bacteria in the large intestine, which leads to gas. In fact, rice is the only grain that doesn't cause gas.

How long is congee good for? ›

If you have any congee leftovers, you can store it in any airtight container. It can be frozen for a month max, or refrigerated for around five days. When reheating, you'll need to thaw it first if it's frozen.

Is rice porridge good for hair? ›

Rice Starch For Hair

Rice starch is known to improve hair growth and keeps it shiny and smooth. It is rich in amino acids, which strengthens hair roots. Rice starch also contains inositol, a carbohydrate that repairs and protects damaged hair.

How do you make congee taste better? ›

Toward the end of cooking, when the stock has become integrated with the rice and is the consistency of oatmeal, season lightly with salt to taste. Serve the congee with a sprinkling of soy sauce, spring onion and ginger and a few drops of sesame oil to taste.

What time of day do you eat congee? ›

If you are accustomed to having toast and coffee for breakfast and cannot bare to face a piece of fish, pork or turkey for breakfast, serve the congee for lunch, dinner or late-night snack on those cold evenings when a steaming bowl of soup is comforting.

How many times can you reheat congee? ›

There are no limits to how many times you can safely reheat leftover home-cooked meals. However, best practice is to limit the number of times you do so. More often than not, you wouldn't need to reheat one type of dish more than once. If you are making meals in bulk, separate and store them in individual portions.

Is it okay to eat porridge everyday? ›

Yes, it is good to eat oatmeal every day considering its nutritional profile and health benefits, including weight control and heart-healthy effect. As a breakfast food and mid-meal snack, oatmeal is potentially a better option than the majority of foods available in the market.

Is congee more fattening than rice? ›

WHY IT'S HEALTHY: Congee has a greater water-to-rice ratio than steamed rice. Every 100g of congee has about 65 calories and 7.5g carbohydrate. The same amount of white rice has 140 calories and 31g carbohydrate. TRY IT AT HOME: For homemade congee, use brown rice or whole grain as they are healthier.

How many days is congee good for? ›

If the congee isn't as thick as you like, remove the pot from the heat, keep it covered, and let it rest for about 15 minutes. To store leftover congee, keep it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to five days. Reheat congee slowly in the microwave or on the stovetop just until warm.

Is congee good for the gut? ›

Congee is the chicken noodle soup of the East. It is the number one gut-healing food and has many health benefits. Congee is characterized by having a high water to grain ratio and simmered at low heat for hours. The prolonged cooking time breaks down the starch in the process and allows for easier digestion.

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