I’m not really sure why savory rice porridge, Congee, hasn’t caught on in America. It really might be the perfect breakfast and this Slow Cooker Congee with Jammy Eggs makes it almost entirely hands-off.
The two tricks to making a really good batch of congee in the slow cooker are:
- Using some good aromatics to cook along with the. Rice is obviously pretty bland and adding some ginger and garlic to the mix makes a big difference.
- Toppings toppings toppings! Go crazy with the add-ins!
This slow cooker congee is great to make for a crowd. If you are in a rush you can cook it on high for about 3 hours or on low for closer to 6 hours. If you double the recipe just add 1-2 hours onto the cooking time!
- Want a delicious slow cooker dinner? Try this slow cooker pepper steak!
How to Cook Congee in a Slow Cooker
You could just use water to make this congee, but for a more flavorful finished porridge, make it with stock of some sort. I used vegetable stock, but if you had some homemade chicken stock, that’ll work!
Stir everything together to make sure the rice grains are separate and then cook it for the correct time. I cooked mine on high for about three hours and it came out perfect.
Once it is cooked, pull out the garlic and ginger pieces.
The finished porridge should be thick, but barely pourable. If it’s a block of rice, then you can add water to it (by the 1/4 cup) to thin it out. If it’s too liquid, cook it for another 30 minutes or so on low with the lid off and it’ll thicken up quickly.
Toppings for Congee
The topping options for congee are almost infinite. I like to add a little seared ham to mine. Canadian bacon works well!
Also, a jammy egg is a must for me.
Check out my tutorial on soft-boiled eggs if you want to make these perfect every time!
Other topping ideas might be:
- Leftover protein like grilled steak or chicken
- Sauteed greens like spinach or kale
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Crispy tofu
- Hoisin or Oyster sauce
- Sesame seeds
Storing Congee and Reheating
Congee stores beautifully in the fridge once it is cooked. It’ll keep for at least a week. When it cools down it will congeal and turn into a block. No worries. Reheating it is easy.
Toss it in a skillet or even in the microwave with a splash of water and it’ll reheat beautifully!
Slow Cooker Congee with Jammy Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
Congee:
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup long grain rice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch peeled ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Toppings:
- 4 ounces Canadian bacon, seared
- 4 jammy eggs
- Fresh scallions
- Chili garlic sauce
Instructions
- Add stock, rice, ginger, garlic, and salt to a slow cooker. Stir together and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. Stir congee and it’s done when it is thick, but still barely pourable. If it is too thick, add more water by the 1/4 cup. If it is too thin, keep cooking for another 30 minutes. When done cooking, remove ginger and garlic pieces and taste for flavor. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if you want.
- When you are almost ready to serve, prepare toppings. Sear Canadian bacon in a skillet, make soft-boiled eggs (<a href="https://www.crunchtimekitchen.com/soft-boiled-eggs/">my guide</a>), and chop scallions.
- Spoon congee into shallow bowls and top with jammy eggs, Canadian bacon, scallions, and a drizzle of chili garlic sauce.
- Leftover congee keeps well in the fridge for up to a week and reheats well in the microwave or stovetop with a splash of water.
AmyG
Wow. I didn’t even know what congee was before. I tried this for breakfast this morning and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Rhoda Culbreth
This is absolutely delicious!