Mushroom Juk

By Kay Chun

Updated November 13, 2025

Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Ready In
50 min
Rating
5(26)
Comments
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This vegan variation of Korean rice porridge is soothing and superearthy, thanks to a mix of fresh and dried mushrooms. Fragrant garlic, ginger and scallions infuse the porridge, while a spoonful of caramelized miso layers deeper flavor into the dish. The customizable toppings dress up the humble porridge into a festive meal; choose from any combination of mixed herbs, cubed tofu, bean sprouts, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, chile crisp and chile oil. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

  • 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped (2 cups) 

  • 2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

  • Salt

  • 1 tablespoon white miso

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

  • 1 cup short-grain white rice

  • 1 (3-inch) piece kombu (dried kelp)

  • 4 small dried shiitake mushrooms

  • ½ cup thinly sliced scallions

  • Assorted Toppings: Chopped herbs (such as cilantro, chives and basil), cubed firm tofu, mung bean sprouts and thinly sliced serrano chiles

  • Toasted sesame oil, soy sauce and chile crisp or chile oil, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

47 grams carbs; 310 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 332 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add the fresh cremini and shiitake mushrooms and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Add miso and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. 

  2. Step 2

    Add rice, kombu, dried shiitake mushrooms and 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Partially cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced, rice is plump and a porridge forms, about 25 minutes. Transfer dried shiitakes to a cutting board; thinly slice and return to the pot. Stir in half of the scallions.

  3. Step 3

    Divide porridge among bowls and garnish with the remaining scallions. Finish with assorted toppings and serve warm with sesame oil, soy sauce and chile crisp on the side for drizzling.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
26 user ratings
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Comments

Barbara

Very nice! Made it for 2, so halved recipe except kept full amounts of garlic and ginger. Used broth for some of the water and didn't find the dried shitake, salt or soy necessary. Added vegs in the last minutes of cooking: diced chard stems and sliced bok choy. Easy and satisfying!

Ginny P

Well, an easy recipe for midweek cooking. I don’t like tofu, so added shrimp. Flavors very mild, and added a bunch of Korean chili flakes and paste to give it some flavor. Did not notice miso at all. Might be a good idea to cook with mushroom broth to bring in the mushroom flavor more. This is the Korean equivalent of Congee, which I find more flavorful because the rice is cooked in chicken stock. This is a good recipe for someone who’s trying to get over a cold.

CSJ

This recipe would make a lot more sense if you rehydrated the dried shiitake mushrooms during Step 1. Once hydrated, separate them from the liquid and thinly slice. Set them aside to be added to the pot with everything else in Step 2. The reserved shiitake liquid could then be filtered and added during Step 2 as part of the 8 cups of liquid used to cook everything else. That gets us to Step 3 unencumbered. Otherwise, this recipe is delicious, satisfying, and a great option for plant based meals.

Alex

Delicious and warming for the first snowy day of the year! We used 4 C of mushroom broth, 2 of veggie broth, and 2 of water. Didn’t use the dried shiitake but went heavy on the fresh mushrooms and it was very flavorful. Topped with some cubed silken tofu, lots of cilantro and scallion, and a tiny bit of plain sesame oil.

Berk

This was great. I char miso in the oven to use in various dishes, so loved the inclusion for caramelization with the mushrooms. Didn't mind fishing out the shiitakes and slicing them in step 2 like some others - totally fine... We had the works for toppings: fresh tofu, herbs from the garden, kimchi, spring onions, chili crisp, dark soy sauce... Would be easy to incorporate fresh veggies at the end. Easy dinner with leftovers for breakfast. Will go on the rotation...

Susanna

Could this be made with brown rice? Thank you in advance for advice.

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