This claypot rice with mushroom is my idea of a perfect weeknight dinner. Everything cooks in one pot, the flavour is incredible, and it takes about 25 minutes from start to finish.
So this claypot mushroom rice is the vegetarian version of my Asian Style Claypot Chicken Rice, and honestly, I think it’s just as good! We use different types of mushrooms for this claypot rice to give it depth of flavor, umami, and richness that truly makes this dish feel restaurant-style and addictive. WeThe kitchen fills up with the most amazing aroma when I make it, and it tastes even better than it smells.
The best part about this recipe, and the reason it’s become such a regular in our house, is how little time it actually takes. And if you’ve never had claypot rice before, you’re in for a treat.
jump to section: Claypot Rice with mushroom
Ingredients for Mushroom Claypot Rice
- Sushi Rice: A short-grain variety that cooks up slightly sticky and absorbs flavour beautifully. Soak for 20 minutes before cooking.
- Mushrooms: Dried shiitake for deep umami (their soaking water goes into the rice), cremini for earthiness, shimeji for a subtle nuttiness, and enoki for a light, delicate crunch.
- Flavour Base: Garlic, ginger, and finely sliced shallots for the savoury, fragrant base.
- Sauce Mix: Oyster sauce, light soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper, salt, and cornflour.
- MSG: Just a pinch. It rounds out the umami and brings everything together.
- Chilli Oil Mix: A teaspoon of oyster sauce mixed with our homemade chilli oil, drizzled on top right before serving for a gentle kick of heat and gloss.
- Sesame Oil: Used for sautéing instead of regular oil. It adds a nutty aroma that sets the tone for the whole dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Claypot rice gets its distinct flavour from the clay pot itself. The porous surface of the pot absorbs and retains heat differently from metal, giving the rice a subtle smoky, earthy taste that you can’t replicate in a regular pan.
A heavy-bottomed pot or a cast-iron pan will work well. You won’t get that exact smoky clay flavour, but the rice will still taste great and cook perfectly.
Bok choy, baby corn, and broccoli all work really well. Add them along with the mushrooms so they steam on top of the rice and cook through without getting overdone.
You can add firm tofu or edamame alongside the mushrooms. If you eat eggs, cracking one over the rice in the last few minutes of cooking and letting it steam with the lid on is a classic claypot rice addition and makes it a lot more filling.
Absolutely. Button, oyster, or king oyster mushrooms all work. But I’d still recommend keeping the shiitake in the mix because their soaking water is what gives the rice so much of its depth.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Don’t skip soaking the shiitake mushrooms. And more importantly, don’t throw away the soaking water. That liquid is packed with umami and goes straight into the rice, which is a big part of why this dish tastes so flavourful.
- Soak your rice for 20 minutes before cooking. This helps the grains cook evenly and absorb the flavours from the sauce and mushroom water much better.
- Marinate the mushrooms before cooking. Even 10 minutes in the sauce makes a huge difference. The mushrooms soak up the oyster sauce, soy, and vinegar, so when they hit the pot, they’re already full of flavour.
Storage Tips
- In the fridge: Store leftover claypot mushroom rice in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The rice will firm up as it cools but the flavour holds up really well.
- Freezing: I would not recommend freezing as cooked rice can lose its texture once thawed.
- Reheating tip: Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to loosen the rice. Cover while reheating so the flavours can come back to life.
Serving Ideas
This claypot mushroom rice is a complete meal on its own, but if you want to build a bigger spread or add a side, these from the blog go really well with it:
- With Asian Slaw: The crunch and tang from the slaw cuts through the richness of the rice beautifully. It’s light, fresh, and takes about 10 minutes to throw together.
- With Wonton Soup: A warm bowl of brothy soup alongside the claypot rice makes for the most comforting dinner, especially on a cold evening.
- With Crispy Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry: If you want to add more protein and greens to the meal, this stir fry pairs perfectly and keeps the whole dinner in the same flavour family.
- With Chilli Paneer: For a more indulgent spread, a plate of saucy chilli paneer on the side turns this into the kind of meal you’d order at a restaurant.
Did You Know?
MSG has had a bad reputation for decades, but it’s just the salt form of glutamic acid. It’s basically an amino acid that naturally exists in foods you probably eat every day, like tomatoes, Parmesan, and soy sauce. The fear around it started from a single letter in a medical journal back in 1968 that has since been thoroughly debunked. In a dish like this, where you’re already building umami from shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, and oyster sauce, a tiny pinch of MSG just turns the volume up on all of that. You won’t taste it on its own, but you’ll definitely notice when it’s missing.
If you’ve been wanting to try claypot rice at home then this is the recipe to begin with. Twenty-five minutes and a handful of good mushrooms is all it takes. If you make it, share your pictures with me on Instagram @my_foodstory & share your thoughts!
Watch Claypot Rice with Mushroom Recipe Video
- 5 shiitake mushrooms
- ¾ cup hot water
- 3 cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced, approx. 50 gms
- 60 gms shimeji mushrooms, roots trimmed, approx. 1 cup
- 30 gms enoki mushrooms, roots trimmed, approx. ½ cup
- 1 ½ tablespoons + 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper powder
- ½ tablespoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil or any neutral flavoured oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- 5 shallots, finely sliced
- ½ cup sushi rice, 105 gms/washed and soaked for 20 minutes
- 1 pinch msg, mono sodium glutamate
- 2 teaspoons chilli oil
Prevent your screen from going dark
Hydrating shiitake mushrooms
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Soak shiitake mushrooms in ¾ cup of boiling hot water for 10-12 minutes. Drain, reserve the water and slice the mushrooms length-wise.
5 shiitake mushrooms, ¾ cup hot water
Marinating
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In a bowl, mix together sliced shiitake, sliced cremini, shimeji & enoki mushrooms, 1 ½ tablespoons of oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, white pepper powder & cornflour. Marinate for 10 minutes.
3 cremini mushrooms, 60 gms shimeji mushrooms, 30 gms enoki mushrooms, 1 ½ tablespoons + 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon white pepper powder, ½ tablespoon cornflour
Making rice
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Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a claypot or thick bottomed cooking pot, add garlic, ginger, shallots and saute for a minute until fragrant.
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil or any neutral flavoured oil, 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped ginger, 5 shallots
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Add the marinated mushrooms and saute for 1-2 minutes on low till they are well roasted.
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Add the drained rice, saute for 1-2 minutes, add 1 cup of water used for soaking shiitake and bring to a boil. cover and cook on low for 12 minutes till the rice is cooked well. Add msg and mix well.
½ cup sushi rice, 1 pinch msg
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Rest for 3-4 minutes, drizzle chilli oil mix on top, rest for 2 minutes and serve.
Calories: 435kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Sodium: 1299mg, Potassium: 605mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 3mg
