This Vegetarian Congee Recipe is a popular rice dish in the Philippines that is loved by everybody! It's heartwarming, delicious, and great to eat for breakfast or on those days you feel sick or cold!
In search for more delicious Filipino Recipes to add to your meal plan? Try my best ever Tofu Sisig, Cassava Cake, Halo Halo, and Turon!
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What is Congee
Congee is a rice porridge dish popular in Asian countries and is commonly served to children who feel sick because it's so heartwarming- it is a comfort food.
The consistency of Congee is sticky since many people use sticky rice grains. Some people use regular rice, jasmine rice, or even brown rice, but I found using brown rice didn't get the sticky consistency as sticky rice.
And what makes it tastier are the spices that are included in the ingredients such as garlic, onion, shallots, ginger, turmeric, soy sauce, sesame oil, and the list can go on.
Most people add in chicken meat to Congee, but for vegan/vegetarians like me, we have many choices as a substitute to meat or you can just simply use mushrooms. My favorite kind of mushrooms to use in Congee are shitake mushrooms, but feel free to use what you have available.
Read on below on what delicious meat substitute I added in!
Substitutions
- Soy Meat Protein: Replace with diced tofu, jackfruit, or tempeh for added fiber.
- Sticky Rice: Swap with short-grain rice or quinoa for a slightly different texture. Use brown rice for a higher fiber content (adjust cooking time accordingly).
- Turmeric Powder: Use a pinch of saffron or omit it entirely if unavailable.
Variations
- Instant Pot Congee: Reduce total time by using the high-pressure setting to cook your congee in about 12 minutes.
- Toppings: Experiment with crispy fried shallots, toasted sesame seeds, or fresh herbs like cilantro.
- Protein Boost: Add shredded chicken, shrimp, or mushrooms for non-vegetarian options.
- Spicy Congee: Serve with a drizzle of chili oil and a sprinkle of white pepper for an extra kick.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftover congee in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the texture.
- Freezer: Freeze congee in single-serving portions for easy reheating. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating Tips: Use medium-high heat on the stove or a microwave for 1-2 minutes, adding a few cups water to restore consistency.
Top Tips
- Giving time for the sticky rice to cook is always great when cooking congee. Having the sticky rice softened gives the congee a tastier sticky texture.
- To save time in cooking the sticky rice, soak the rice in advance. Recommendations is at least an hour before starting to cook your vegetarian congee.
- If you have fresh herbs like ginger or lemongrass, these are the best to use for the congee. But the powdered ones also works great!
- When sautéing the spices like garlic, onion, and ginger, be careful not to burn them or your congee will turn bitter.
- Feel free to use vegetable broth or vegetable stock with low sodium in place of water for more flavor.
- If you can't find fresh shitake mushrooms, dried shiitake mushroom works just as well. Be sure to soak it for at least 15 minutes before using it.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients for this Vegetarian Congee and once the ingredients are all ready, let's begin!
- garlic
- white onion
- soy meat protein
- ginger
- water
- fresh lemongrass
- sticky rice
- turmeric powder
- salt
- mushroom powder
- Pinch of pepper
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat a nonstick pan or pot over medium heat and add oil. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute:
Saute the garlic it becomes browned and remove half and set aside:
Add onions and cook until translucent:
Then add the soy protein and cook for about 2-3 minutes:
Add the ginger, water, and allow it to boil:
Add the lemongrass to the simmering congee base:
After adding the lemongrass, add the sticky rice, and cover with the lid, and allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes stirring continuously:
Let it cook until the rice has softened and stir until it looks like this, you can now season the vegetarian congee:
Add the seasonings and cook for about 2 more minutes. First, add the turmeric powder:
Then add the salt:
Add in the pepper:
Finally, add the mushroom powder and mix well:
Finally, garnish with the browned garlic, green onion, and boiled egg and serve hot. Also, feel free to season with soy sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of my favorite breakfast recipes to eat with Congee:
Vegetarian Congee Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 medium size white onion diced
- 6 pcs soy meat protein pending on your choice of soy meat, you may need to soak it in hot water for 5 minutes
- ½ tablespoon ginger minced
- 4 cups of water*
- 1 teaspoon of fresh lemongrass minced
- 1 cup of sticky rice washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mushroom powder
- pinch of pepper
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add oil. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute or until it becomes browned and remove half and set aside.
- Add onions and cook until translucent, then add the soy protein and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the ginger, water, and allow it to boil.
- Add the emongrass, sticky rice, and cover with the lid, and allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes stirring continuously or until the rice has softened.
- Add the seasonings and cook for about 2 more minutes
- Finally, garnish with the browned garlic, green onion, and boiled egg.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Julius says
This is our fancy version of lugaw! It's super comforting and perfect for when you're feeling under the weather or it's chilly outside.
Lainey says
Absolutely, Julius! Lugaw is the ultimate comfort food—this fancy twist makes it even more special! 🥣❤️