This vegan brown rice congee is topped with sauteed shiitake mushrooms, edamame, and spinach. Healthy and satisfying, but won’t weigh you down.
Congee – the creamy rice porridge consumed all across Asia – is a dish I was vaguely aware of for years but never ventured to explore on my own. That is until I had to research the recipe for a freelance client. When I took the first bite, I truly couldn’t believe my mouth. It was good. As in, I couldn’t stop saying “Oh my god, it’s so good” the whole time I was eating.
The brown rice porridge itself was creamy and light, while the toppings I layered on rounded it out with salty, savory, nutty flavors, as well as contrasting textures. Bite after bite, it felt like a party in my mouth. (But like, a very nourishing, calming party… like a slumber party, perhaps.) This whole-food plant-based version is packed with hearty veg and a plethora of flavors, and will warm you from the inside out.
What Is Congee
Congee refers to rice simmered in a large volume of water until it completely breaks down into a thick, creamy, gelatinous porridge. It’s traditional in many Asian countries, including China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam (where it’s also called jūk/jook, juk, kayu, and cháo, respectively).
Congee is often eaten for breakfast, or by those who are sick or hungover, since it’s easy to digest. It also has a history of being made in times of famine – to stretch a small amount of rice to feed many people. Sometimes, the rice is cooked in salted water only – with meat, fish, vegetables, and/or other flavorings added on top (like this vegan version). Other times, the rice is cooked with additional ingredients in the broth itself.
What’s In This Recipe
This recipe consists of brown rice cooked in salted water. To complete the dish, shiitake mushrooms, edamame, and spinach are sauteed separately and seasoned with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Additional garnishes – scallions, cilantro, sesame oil, and sesame seeds – are key to rounding out the flavors and adding texture, since this dish is all about contrast.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Brown Rice: Whole grain rice makes congee a little healthier thanks to its fiber, protein, and mineral content. To cut down on cooking time, use white rice instead.
- Edamame: Shelled edamame is found in many frozen vegetable aisles these days, as well as in Asian markets. Use organic edamame whenever possible. Frozen peas make a good substitute.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: The savory, meaty flavor of shiitakes is key for flavoring this vegetarian porridge. As a substitute, I recommend king oyster mushrooms or rehydrated dried shiitakes.
- Baby Spinach: I like baby spinach for its accessibility as well as quick cooking time. As a substitute, use mature spinach or baby kale.
- Other toppings… Congee is the perfect vessel for so many other toppings. I suggest playing around with other types of greens, crispy shallots/garlic, shiitake bacon, puffed tofu, kimchi, or even plant-based sausage.
Brown Rice Congee: Step-by-Step
The Porridge: To cook the rice itself, combine 1 cup of brown rice with 7 cups of water and salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the rice is completely broken down and the mixture is thick and creamy. Be sure to stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Brown rice congee takes about 1.5 hours; white rice takes about half as long.
The Vegetables: While the rice is simmering, saute diced onion, chopped shiitakes, and shelled edamame until they’re golden brown – about 8 minutes. Stir in fresh minced garlic and ginger, then incorporate the spinach by the handful, adding more as it wilts. Finally, season everything with a bit of soy sauce.
The Garnishes: I’ve said it already, but these additional toppings are key. An extra drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil, plus toasted sesame seeds, a handful of chopped scallions and/or cilantro, and a bit of hot sauce (if you want) will round out this dish. A squeeze of lime and crumbled nori are also great ideas.
Brown Rice Congee Is Perfect for Meal Prep
Yes, you can cook this in advance. Congee will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days – although it will thicken slightly. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove. The spinach mixture will keep well in the fridge, too. I love having this duo ready to go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes…
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
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Brown Rice Congee
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan brown rice congee is topped with a mix of sauteed shiitake mushrooms, edamame, and spinach. Don’t forget the extra garnishes – they are key!
Ingredients
For the Congee
- 1 cup short or long grain brown rice, rinsed* (see note below)
- 7 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
For the Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like avocado or refined coconut
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 1/2 medium red or yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame*
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
- One 5-ounce package baby spinach*
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- For serving: scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds (plus hot sauce, lime wedges, crumbled nori, and cilantro, if you want)
Instructions
- In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1 cup rice, 7 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low and gently simmer with the lid ajar until the congee is thick and creamy, about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and edamame with a pinch of salt, and cook until they’re browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
- To the skillet, add the garlic and ginger, and cook for 30 seconds. Then gradually stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook just until it’s wilted. Season with 2 teaspoons soy sauce and turn heat off.
- Divide congee among bowls and top with the vegetable mixture. Garnish with scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds before serving. (Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.)
Notes
- To halve the rice cooking time, use white rice instead.
- If you can’t find edamame, use frozen peas.
- You can substitute with baby kale or mature spinach.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe (without garnishes)
- Calories: 185
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 6.4 g
Elaine Wilhelm says
Hi, I’m looking forward to making this recipe this weekend. One question, it says to rinse the brown rice, see note. I can’t find the note. Do you by any chance remember what it said?
Thanks,
Elaine
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Elaine! The note below just refers to making a substitution for white rice, if needed – sorry for the confusion! You can just go ahead and rinse the rice under running water in a mesh strainer.
Let me know if you have any more q’s 🙂
Elaine says
Thanks so much! 🙂
Alexandra Shytsman says
You’re welcome! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Elaine Wilhelm says
I made it this weekend and it was a hit! Everyone asked that it be included in the regular dinner rotation. The toppings really made it. Also three of the four of us added chili oil and that gave it a bit of a kick. Thanks for the recipe!
Alexandra Shytsman says
Woo! So happy to hear this, Elaine. Love the chili oil addition – will try it myself next time 🙂
Leslie Goldenberg says
This looks amazing! Can you cook the rice in a rice cooker on the porridge setting?
Alexandra says
Hi Leslie! I don’t own a rice cooker but I just Googled it and the answer is yes. Let me know how it works out for you 😀