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This Instant Pot butternut squash congee is topped with ground pork flavored with ginger, lemongrass, garlic, soy sauce, and hot chili oil. This dish is 100% comfort food and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
OMG YOU GUYS!
I finally busted out my Instant Pot, and I’m in love.
I know everyone and their sister has an Instant Pot, and now I do, too! I actually bought mine a few months ago, used it a few times, and then sort of forgot I owned it.
I KNOW! Who am I?
Who buys an appliance and then just forgets they own it?
Well, me.
Then, in December, I went to Chile and let my friend borrow my Instant Pot. After she told me all the food she made, I knew I needed to bust it out again.
One of the dishes she told me she made was congee and I was 100% intrigued.
My only time seeing Congee in person has been on cruise ships, and I need to change that ASAP.
Congee is rice porridge.
It’s hearty, comforting and filling.
The rice is cooked in a lot of stock, and although it’s not traditional, I threw in a little fresh butternut squash.
I think the squash adds color, flavor, and nutrition.
Plus, it’s a nice way to get in your vegetables. Always a plus in my book!
{Doesn’t the squash make this look like it’s covered in cheese? It’s not. Don’t worry!}
Even though I liked the pressure cooker butternut squash congee straight out of the cooker I LOVED it when topped with my super spiced ground pork mixture.
I packed a lot of flavor in this ground pork and it’s exactly what gives this congee a big hit of flavor.
To top it all off, a little extra drizzle of low-sodium soy sauce and hot chili oil is all it needs!
Of course, you can opt out of the hot chili oil if you’re not a heat fan but it’s SOOOOOO GOOD!
The same goes for the addition of the chili garlic paste.
Feel free to adjust the ingredients based on your love of HEAT! Or your non-love of heat.
You get it.
Also, don’t worry if you don’t have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. I’m also giving you instructions on how to make this dish in the slow cooker! OHHHHHHHHH, and this recipe can be doubled PERFECTLY!
More Asian inspired recipes
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Congee
Ingredients
For congee:
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 2 cups 1 inch cubed fresh butternut squash
- 1/2 cup long grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
For pork topping:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound ground pork
- 6 green onions, white parts only, chopped
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper
For serving:
- low sodium soy sauce
- hot chili oil
- sliced green onions
Instructions
For congee:
- In your electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot add stock, squash, rice, and ginger. Stir to combine. If you're using an electric pressure cooker put it on high pressure for 20 minutes OR if you're using an Instant Pot put it on the porridge setting.
- You can natural release or quick release. If I'm still cooking my pork mixture when the congee is done I let it naturally release and then quickly release if I want it right away.
- After the lid unseals stir your congee and slightly mash the squash so it combines. I find a hand-held potato masher works well to help mash the squash.
- Serve hot and top with pork and other optional toppings.
For pork:
- Add olive oil to a large skillet and set over medium-high heat. Add all other ingredients and cook until the meat is browned and fragrant.
For serving:
- Spoon congee into a bowl, top with a hearty spoonful of pork mixture, and top with a drizzle of soy sauce, hot chili oil, and sliced green onions.
- Slow cooker congee instructions: Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours or until the rice is broken down and the mixture is creamy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
First, this looks so pretty! Now…I have had Congee before made by Chinese cooks (a friend is married to a Chinese woman and they have a cook from China). I think traditional Congee is tasteless…Blech! They say its good for you…yada, yada. BUT…YOURS??? That had flavor and depth and butternut squash…hello! I am all over this, brilliant!
I am obsessed with my Instant Pot and this sounds like a delicious way to use it!
Omg I have GOT to get on the Instant Pot train! I wish I had more storage space in my house! Glad to have instructions for this for the slow cooker – yay! – because it looks delicious. I’d love this for breakfast (and dinner)!
I’ve been cooking with my Instant Pot SO MUCH over the past few weeks, and now have another recipe to add to the list. Love the lemongrass flavors in this!
Oh wow, this looks amazing!! I have an Instant Pot that I bought around the holidays, but have yet to actually use it lol
Ok, so now I have to get an Instant Pot! This congee looks so darn good. I love every thing about it!
Oooh, that looks so satisfying and flavorful! I still haven’t tried out an Instant Pot but I really need to!
Wow!! What an incredible dish!!
You went to Chile?! Whaaat! Lucky. And I feel like the last person to not have an InstantPot. I need to get one already!
oh my gosh, I thought it was covered in cheese!!! I love that it’s vegetables instead!! I’ve never had Congee and I need an instant pot asap!