How to Make Congee in a Rice Cooker: Ratio, Setting and Chicken Congee
Yes, you can make congee in a rice cooker. Rinse ½ cup of jasmine rice, add 4 to 5 cups of water or stock (about 1 part rice to 8 to 10 parts liquid), and use the Porridge or Congee setting. It takes about 1 to 1½ hours.
No porridge setting? Use a smaller batch with about 1 part rice to 8 parts water on the normal Cook setting, then leave it on Warm for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring now and then, until creamy.
- Congee needs far more water than steamed rice. Use a standard measuring cup and ignore the white rice lines.
- Use the Porridge setting if you have it. It heats gently so the pot does not boil over.
- Never fill above the porridge max line. Congee foams and can spit from the steam vent.
- Jasmine rice makes the classic smooth Cantonese congee. Short-grain rice makes a thicker Japanese-style porridge.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days, as the USDA advises for leftovers.
Can you make congee in a rice cooker?
Yes. Congee, also called jook or rice porridge, is rice simmered in plenty of water until the grains break down into a smooth, creamy porridge. A rice cooker does this without the stirring and watching a stovetop pot needs.
Is it different from cooking normal rice? Yes, in three ways. You use several times more water, a gentler setting, and a smaller amount of rice so the pot does not overflow.
Congee rice to water ratio
Measure with a standard US measuring cup for both rice and water. Rice cooker cups are smaller, and the porridge lines in some pots are designed for a specific porridge texture.
| Texture | Rice to liquid | For ½ cup rice | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thick | 1 : 6 to 7 | 3 to 3½ cups | Spoonable, Japanese okayu style |
| Classic | 1 : 8 to 10 | 4 to 5 cups | Smooth Cantonese congee |
| Thin | 1 : 12 | 6 cups | Silky, almost soupy |
Half a cup of rice makes about 4 servings, so start there in a 5- to 6-cup rice cooker. In a small 3-cup cooker, use ¼ to ⅓ cup of rice.
How to make congee in a rice cooker
With a Porridge or Congee setting
- Rinse the rice. Rinse ½ cup of jasmine rice once or twice. Do not rinse until the water is perfectly clear; some starch helps make congee creamy.
- Add liquid. Add 4 to 5 cups of water or low-sodium stock and a few slices of fresh ginger.
- Check the max line. Make sure the level is below the porridge max line in your pot.
- Cook. Choose Porridge, Congee or Rice Porridge and press Start. Most cookers take about 1 to 1½ hours.
- Stir and season. Stir well, then season with salt or soy sauce. Add hot water to thin it, or leave it on Warm with the lid open for 10 minutes to thicken.
In a basic rice cooker without a porridge setting
A basic cooker switches to Warm when the temperature rises, which can happen before the rice has broken down. It can also bubble over with a lot of water. A smaller batch and a rest on Warm solve both problems.
- Use a small batch. Use ⅓ to ½ cup of rice with about 8 times as much water, and keep it well under half full.
- Cook and watch. Press Cook. Stay nearby for the first 20 minutes in case it starts to bubble out of the vent.
- Rest on Warm. When it clicks to Warm, stir, close the lid and leave it for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Repeat if needed. If it is still watery with whole grains, press Cook once more for a short second cycle.
Using brown rice or leftover rice
- Brown rice: takes longer to break down. Use about 1 part rice to 10 parts water, the Porridge or Brown Rice setting, and a longer rest on Warm.
- Leftover cooked rice: use about 1 part cooked rice to 3 to 4 parts water. It turns into congee in a single cycle.
Chicken congee in a rice cooker
- Start the congee. Add ½ cup rinsed jasmine rice, 4 cups chicken stock, 1 cup water and a thumb of sliced ginger.
- Add the chicken. Add 2 boneless chicken thighs on top, whole, and start the Porridge setting.
- Shred. When it finishes, lift out the chicken, check it has reached 165°F, shred it and stir it back in.
- Finish. Season with salt, white pepper and a little sesame oil. Top with scallions and fried shallots.
Many people set congee to be ready for breakfast. Only put rice and water in the pot for a delayed start. Do not leave raw chicken or meat sitting in the cooker for hours before cooking begins. Add cooked chicken in the morning instead.
Toppings and add-ins
- Classic: scallions, ginger, white pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, fried shallots.
- Savory: century egg, salted egg, shredded chicken, pork floss, pickled mustard greens.
- Quick protein: a soft-boiled or poached egg, leftover roast chicken, tofu.
- Crunch: roasted peanuts, cashews or fried dough sticks (youtiao).
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Boils over or spits from the vent | Too much in the pot, or White Rice setting | Smaller batch; use Porridge; keep below the max line |
| Watery with whole grains | Basic cooker switched to Warm too early | Rest on Warm for 30 to 60 minutes, or run a second short cycle |
| Too thick or gluey | Too little water, or left on Warm too long | Stir in hot water or stock a little at a time |
| Burnt layer on the bottom | Long Warm time without stirring | Stir every 15 minutes while resting |
| Bland | Plain water, no aromatics | Use stock, ginger and season at the end |
Storing and reheating congee
The USDA says leftovers must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking, or within 2 hours of being taken off a keep-warm appliance. Divide large amounts into shallow containers so they cool quickly.
Leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Congee thickens as it cools, so add a splash of water or stock when reheating and stir until it is steaming hot throughout.
Frequently asked questions
What setting do you use to make congee in a rice cooker?
Porridge, Congee or Rice Porridge. On a basic cooker, use Cook with a small batch, then let it rest on Warm for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
What is the rice to water ratio for rice cooker congee?
About 1 part rice to 8 to 10 parts water for classic congee, using standard cups. Use 1 to 6 for thick porridge or 1 to 12 for thin.
Can you make congee in a regular rice cooker?
Yes. Use a smaller batch so it does not boil over, then let it finish on Warm. It takes a little more attention than a cooker with a Porridge setting.
How long does congee take in a rice cooker?
About 1 to 1½ hours on a Porridge setting. On a basic cooker, allow about 30 to 40 minutes of cooking plus 30 to 60 minutes on Warm.
How do I make congee in a Cuckoo, Cuchen or Aroma rice cooker?
Use the Porridge or Multi-cook porridge mode if your model has one, and fill only to the porridge max line. Otherwise, follow the basic rice cooker method above.
Can I make congee in a multi-cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. Use the Porridge program, keep the pot no more than half full, and let the pressure release naturally so the starchy liquid does not spray from the valve.
The bottom line
Rice cooker congee is easy: rinse ½ cup jasmine rice, add 4 to 5 cups of liquid, and use the Porridge setting. On a basic cooker, use a smaller batch and finish it on Warm.
Your rice cooker can handle many other grains too. See how to cook barley in a rice cooker or sticky rice in a rice cooker.
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety.
- Whole Grains Council, Cooking Grains With Your Rice Cooker.
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