This Mushroom Congee (aka mushroom rice porridge) is an easy and simple dish that’s comfort in a bowl. It’s flavorful in its own right but great when paired with toppings or side dishes. The perfect meal for colder weather!
*This post may contain affiliate links which helps bring you delicious recipes for free.

When it comes to hearty comforting meals, there’s nothing that fits the bill more than a simple bowl of congee. It’s porridge made from rice that’s super popular in Asian cuisine, with a variation on how it’s prepared according to different cultures.
Simple Mushroom Congee Recipe
In Malay, we call it “bubur”. More often than not, whenever I was under the weather or felt like I couldn’t digest my food properly, this easy mushroom congee dish is one I fall back on time again. Also, with the chill that’s starting to set here in Chicago, it’s the perfect meal to warm me up any time.
These days I love to spice it up with chili oil fried eggs and fried garlic chips with a drizzle of garlic oil. It’s super delicious! Feel free to pair it up with whatever topping you’d like. The sky’s the limit!

Ingredients You’ll Need
(For full ingredient measurements, please proceed to the recipe card below.)
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Uncooked rice
- Water
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Fish sauce
- Pepper
Instructions
- Slice the mushrooms, ginger and garlic and add to a pot.
- Rinse the uncooked rice and add to the pot and pour in the water.
- Over medium heat and with the lid on, bring the water to a boil and stir.
- Turn the heat down to medium low and let it continue cooking. Cook with the lid on for faster cooking. Stir occasionally to ensure the the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom and clump.
- Once it’s halfway cooked, add the fish sauce and pepper. Stir and let it continue cooking until it reaches congee/rice porridge consistency.
- Once it’s cooked, serve in a bowl and add your desired toppings/eat with side dishes. Enjoy!
Notes for Easy Mushroom Congee (Rice Porridge)
- Consistency of congee: The amount of water should be based on your desired consistency for the congee. Less water will make it thicker. If you’re unsure, I suggest adding less water and see how thick it gets as it cooks and add water as you go until it reaches the consistency of your liking.
- Fish sauce amount: Adjust the amount of fish sauce accordingly based on your desired saltiness.
- Fish sauce alternative: I use fish sauce to season the congee as it gives an umami/fullness taste to the congee. You can use salt instead if you want.
- Topping options: My favorite way to eat congee or rice porridge lately is with chili oil fried eggs and fried garlic chips with a drizzle of garlic oil. The sky is the limit!
Looking for more Rice recipes? I’ve got you:
- Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Chili Oil Spam Fried Rice (15 minutes)
- Tom Yum Fried Rice
- Sausage Cajun Fried Rice
Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest for more updates!
How to make easy mushroom congee (rice porridge)

Easy Mushroom Congee (Rice Porridge)
Ingredients
- 4 shiitake mushrooms
- 1/2 cup uncooked rice
- 5 cups water see notes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 thick slices ginger
- 6 tbsp fish sauce see notes
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Slice the mushrooms, ginger and garlic and add to a pot.
- Rinse the uncooked rice and add to the pot and pour in the water.
- Over medium heat and with the lid on, bring the water to a boil and stir.
- Turn the heat down to medium low and let it continue cooking. Cook with the lid on for faster cooking. Stir occasionally to ensure the the rice doesn't stick to the bottom and clump.
- Once it's halfway cooked, add the fish sauce and pepper. Stir and let it continue cooking until it reaches congee/rice porridge consistency.
- Once it's cooked, serve in a bowl and add your desired toppings/eat with side dishes. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply