How to Make Coconut Rice ~ coconut rice is rich and creamy with a subtle tropical flavor that is so much more than a side dish for chicken or fish. It instantly upgrades stir frys, rice bowls, and curries. Kids love it plain, and it’s good for them!
This creamy, tropical rice is subtly flavored and has a dreamy texture ~ it’s wonderful with Asian and Southeast Asian foods, as well as Hawaiian and Polynesian recipes. It’s definitely something you want to have in your recipe file, in fact, why not memorize it, because after you’ve tasted it you’ll want to use it all the time. (I always have a couple of cans of coconut milk and a bag of jasmine rice in my cupboard.)
What is coconut rice?
- Coconut rice is rice, either brown or white, that is cooked in a combination of water and coconut milk.
What does coconut rice taste like?
- You might be surprised to learn that coconut rice has a very subtle flavor, and it doesn’t taste like dessert!
- A dash of salt and a touch of sugar serves to bring out the coconut flavor, but it’s still a background note.
- Coconut rice will not overpower or compete with whatever you serve it with.
- Coconut rice has a very appealing moist creamy texture which is just as important as the flavor.
I use Jasmine rice for this recipe
- You can use your favorite white or brown rice, but I use jasmine rice. Jasmine rice is a long grain rice with a natural floral fragrance that I love. Jasmine rice can be used like any white rice, but it’s especially lovely in Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese dishes. Basmati rice is also perfect for making coconut rice.
Canned coconut milk is a pantry staple
- I use unsweetened, full fat coconut milk for the best flavor, but if you’re cutting calories you can use the lite version. Coconut milk is a staple in my kitchen because it works in both sweet and savory dishes; I’ll can use it in everything from Coconut Rice Pudding to Thai Coconut Lime Soup. Shake the can first before using.
How to make coconut rice
Making coconut rice is easy, you’ll cook it just like regular rice, except that some of the cooking water will be replaced with coconut milk. As the rice cooks it absorbs the rich coconut milk.
- Measure out your rice and put into a pot.
- Take the amount of water your package or recipe requires, and replace at least half of it with coconut milk. You can use more or less depending on your taste. Be sure to shake your can of coconut milk to blend the water and coconut fat together.
- Add a pinch of salt and a touch of sugar to bring out the coconut flavor.
- Cook as usual.
Is coconut rice healthy?
- Yes! Many people are surprised to learn that coconut milk is quite healthy and can add to the nutrient value of already healthy rice.
- The saturated fat in coconut milk does not seem to raise bad cholesterol levels and it can help raise the good kind.
- Coconut milk has been shown to help in weight loss, and regulating insulin levels.
Garnishes for coconut rice
- sliced or chopped jalapeño peppers
- chopped cilantro
- toasted coconut
- lime wedges
- sliced green onions
How to Make Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
- 15- ounce can of unsweetened full fat coconut milk you can use the lite version
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt more to taste
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a heavy bottom saucepan and give it a good stir. Heat to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the rice comes to a boil, give it a final stir, turn the heat to very low, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes.
- Fluff, and serve.
Cook's notes
What to serve with coconut rice
- Rainbow Salmon Skewers
- Grilled Chicken with Peach Salsa
- Salmon with Pineapple Salsa,
- Mojito Mahi Mahi
- add an egg, a drizzle of sriracha, and call it breakfast!
13 Comments
Michele
November 3, 2020 at 11:31 amAre the ingredient ratios the same if using Basmati rice instead. TIA!
Yvette Skalka
August 27, 2020 at 12:38 pmThanks for the recipe! Everyone loved it with BBQ pork chops & grilled lime shrimp. (Surf -N-Pork…lol)
Will be making again. Very subtle flavoring. I doubled the recipe, delicious!
Crystal
June 28, 2020 at 2:40 amMade this rice last night. It was a hit! Everyone loved it. I used basmati rice instead. I topped it with cilantro. Yum. Definitely will make again.
Howard
May 28, 2020 at 1:10 pmIf I make this in a rice cooker do I need to change any of the amounts?
Sue
May 28, 2020 at 1:33 pmI can’t say exactly Howard, I would follow your machine’s instructions for that, but you should be able to do this in your rice cooker.
Michele
May 16, 2020 at 6:03 pmI am trying coconut rice for the first time. But there is a lot of fat in the regular can of coconut regular milk. I guess I should’ve gotten the light one? Will it be too thick, I’m wondering even with adding the water?
Sue
May 16, 2020 at 6:18 pmI find it works great Michele, but you can use the lite if you prefer.
Zack
October 24, 2019 at 1:02 pmI know you said you can’t use an instant pot, but can I make this in a rice cooker?
Sue
October 24, 2019 at 2:23 pmThe rice cooker should work fine, and since your original question I’ve learned that you can make this in the Instant Pot, I’m going to update the post asap.
MIchelle
June 13, 2019 at 2:58 pmCan I use coconut cream instead of milk?
Sue
June 13, 2019 at 3:52 pmI thought about that, and yes, you could, but you’d want to thin it down with water, and be sure to look for the pure, unsweetened cream, some of it is sold with lots of additives for cocktails.
Tricia
June 12, 2019 at 11:45 amI’ve always wanted to try coconut rice but never have. I even have a can of coconut milk so I’m ready. What a great detailed post. Is the rice overly moist when done cooking? Thanks!
Sue
June 12, 2019 at 2:09 pmHey Tricia ~ the rice is moist but not overly so, the grains are still separate, as you can see in the photo.