Made with pantry staples and simple ingredients, this Beef Congee is savoury, hearty, and a classic Chinese rice porridge that is perfect for any time of the day. Comfort in a bowl, you will love this simple congee.
Growing up, I ate a ton of congee (jook/粥), and my go-to one was always ground pork or ground beef congee. It’s a recipe that has a huge range. We go out and order it for brunch but we’ll also eat it when we’re sick! Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s the ultimate comfort dish.
If you’re not familiar with congee, it is a type of rice porridge. There are many variations of congee: plain, chicken, fish, shrimp, eggs, vegetables, and more. You don’t even need a recipe to make plain congee. Simple add a cup of rice to a pot with 8 to 10 cups of water and simmer and season to your taste. It’s really that easy! Toppings are endless as well!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- olive oil — or a neutral oil of your choice.
- ground beef — I went with a lean ground beef but it’s up to you if you want to use a fattier cut.
- salt
- onion powder
- garlic — I always have minced garlic ready to go as I freeze my garlic.
- soy sauce — I like light soy sauce.
- rice — I use jasmine rice.
- chicken stock — use a low-sodium chicken stock. You can also use vegetable stock, beef stock, mushroom stock, etc.
- optional: dried scallops — I love adding dried scallops to my congee for extra flavour but if you don’t have it, feel free to skip it. You can find them at Asian grocery stores. I usually grab them from the refrigerated aisle by the tofu at T&T. You can see the packaging down below.
How to Make Congee
- In a large pot, I use a Dutch oven, on medium heat, add the olive oil and the ground beef. Add the salt and onion powder. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up as you cook, until the beef is 80% cooked.
- Add in the rice, soy sauce, and scallops (if using).
- Stir until everything is well combined.
- Add in the chicken stock.
- Bring the pot up to a boil on high heat before lowering it back to medium heat.
- Simmer for an hour, stirring throughout so the rice doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pan.
- Add additional seasoning if needed and continue to stir until the congee reaches your desired thickness.
- Serve the easy congee and top with your favourite toppings.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Always rinse your rice before using. I usually rinse it 3 to 5 times for the water to run clear.
- If using dried scallops, soak them 20 minutes beforehand and add the scallops and the water to the pot when you add the rice in.
- Around the 30 minute mark, I do a taste test to see if I need to add more seasoning.
- I like my congee thicker, feel free to use up to 10 cups of liquid instead to thin the congee out.
- I like to serve my congee with youtiao (fried dough/油条), pork floss, green onions, and salted eggs. Other toppings you can add are sesame oil, chili oil, shittake mushrooms, egg, fried shallots, and more!
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked congee in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Microwave or reheat on the stove when ready to enjoy. You can add a splash of water to it to loosen the congee up.
- Freezer: allow the congee to cool before transferring them into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer. It can last for up to 3 months.
Beef Congee
Made with pantry staples and simple ingredients, this Beef Congee is savoury, hearty, and a classic Chinese rice porridge that is perfect for any time of the day. Comfort in a bowl, you will love this simple congee.
Servings: 5 servings
Instructions
-
In a large pot on medium heat, add the olive oil and the ground beef. Add the salt and onion powder. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up as you cook, until the beef is 80% cooked.
-
Add in the rice, soy sauce, and scallops (if using).
-
Stir until everything is well combined.
-
Add in the chicken stock.
-
Bring the pot up to a boil on high heat before lowering it back to medium heat.
-
Simmer for an hour, stirring throughout so the rice doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pan.
-
Add additional seasoning if needed and continue to stir until the congee reaches your desired thickness.
-
Serve and top with your favourite toppings.
Notes
- If using dried scallops, soak them 20 minutes beforehand and add the scallops and the water to the pot when you add the rice in.
- Around the 30 minute mark, I do a taste test to see if I need to add more seasoning.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 748mg | Potassium: 701mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
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