Coconut Rice
Coconut Rice is a budget-friendly side dish made with just four simple ingredients! Serve it alongside your favorite Asian-, Caribbean-, and Latin American-inspired dishes. If you’re bored of eating plain white rice, make this coconut milk version next time!
Cooking rice in coconut milk is fairly common in parts of Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Coconut rice is naturally sweet and creamy from the coconut milk, without being gloopy or sticky.
It’s the ideal side dish for busy weeknights because it comes together quickly and pairs well with almost any grilled protein or vegetable.
Best of all, the ingredients are all super cheap! Coconut rice calls for just white rice, canned coconut milk, salt, and water. It feeds a crowd and the recipe can be doubled if needed.
If you’re tired of eating plain white rice, try cooking it in coconut milk next time. This is one rice side dish you’ll never get bored with!
Kitchen Tools Needed
You’ll need a few basic pieces of kitchen equipments to make the coconut jasmine rice:
- Measuring Cups and Spoons — For measuring the rice and salt.
- Liquid Measuring Cup — For measuring the coconut milk and water.
- Saucepan — Use a medium-sized saucepan with a lid.
- Fork — For fluffing the rice after it’s done steaming.
Ingredients for This Recipe
It doesn’t get much simpler than this coconut milk rice recipe! You’ll need the following ingredients:
- White Rice (preferably jasmine or basmati)
- Coconut Milk
- Water
- Salt
- Toasted coconut (optional, for garnishing)
- Fresh cilantro (optional, for garnishing)
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Coconut Milk Rice
The method for cooking rice in coconut milk is nearly identical to cooking plain white rice. Follow these basic steps:
- Combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a pot. Place over medium-high heat.
- Bring the rice mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, pop on the lid, and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the rice from the heat and let rest (with the lid on) for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and “fluff” the rice with a fork.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Buy coconut milk with a high percentage of coconut. You’ll want to actually read the ingredients list to make sure you’re purchasing a quality can of coconut milk. The more coconut it contains, the better your rice will taste!
- Use light coconut milk for a milder coconut flavor. Full-fat coconut milk contains more coconut and therefore has a stronger flavor. Ideally you’d use full-fat coconut milk for maximum coconutty goodness, but you can use “light” coconut milk for a less intense flavor.
- Don’t discard the layer of coconut cream at the top of the can. Full-fat coconut milk often has a layer of thick coconut cream at the top of the can – add that to the pot! If you omit the coconut cream, the recipe won’t turn out right.
- Don’t use all coconut milk. I know it’s tempting if you love coconut-flavored dishes as much as I do! But using all coconut milk would result in gloopy rice; you need to use both coconut milk AND water to achieve perfectly fluffy coconut-flavored rice.
Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What’s the best coconut milk to use?
You’ll need to use full-fat canned coconut milk. Do NOT use coconut milk from a carton, which typically contains added sugars and is watered down.
What’s the best rice to use?
Jasmine rice is my top choice, but basmati rice may be used as well.
Can this recipe be made using a different grain?
I also have a recipe for coconut quinoa, should you not want to use white rice for whatever reason.
Can this recipe be made using all coconut milk and no water?
Nope, the rice will never absorb all of the coconut milk and you’ll be left with a gluey, gloopy mess!
Storage Instructions
Let leftover rice cool completely before storing in an airtight container. It will last up to four days in the fridge.
Coconut milk rice can also be frozen for up to three months. I have a full tutorial on how to freeze and reheat rice; the steps are the same for coconut rice!
What to Serve with Coconut Rice
Pair the coconut jasmine rice with your favorite Asian, Latin American, and Caribbean dishes. It also works well with a number of grilled or roasted proteins!
- Entrees: Pineapple Salsa Grilled Chicken, Smoked Chicken Drumsticks, Crispy Black Bean Tacos, Flank Steak Fajitas.
- Sides: Grilled Zucchini and Squash, Grilled Pineapple, Grilled Sweet Potatoes, Cilantro Lime Broccoli Slaw, Crispy Roasted Broccoli.
- Salsas: Grilled Corn and Mango Salsa, Roasted Salsa Verde, Strawberry Mango Salsa, Avocado Peach Salsa.
Try Making Coconut Rice at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a unique rice side dish that can be made in advance, give this coconut milk version a try!
Did you love the sweet, coconutty flavor of the rice? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your coconut jasmine rice!
More Simple Grain Side Dishes:
Using an Instant Pot results in perfectly fluffy rice, every time! In this post, I’m sharing How to Cook Rice In an Instant Pot, plus answering several FAQs about Instant Pot rice.
Rice might seem like an uncreative and plain side dish, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little extra effort you can go from boring rice to delicious Sun-Dried Tomato Spinach Rice Pilaf.
This Pearl Couscous Salad is ready in less than 30 minutes and packed with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh herbs. It’s an easy side dish for spring and summer entrees like grilled chicken, steak, fish, and more!
Cooking quinoa in an Instant Pot works perfectly every time! Say goodbye to soggy quinoa with this Instant Pot Quinoa tutorial.
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Coconut Rice
Coconut Rice is a budget-friendly side dish made with just four simple ingredients! Serve it alongside your favorite Asian-, Caribbean-, and Latin American-inspired dishes. If you’re bored of eating plain white rice, make this coconut milk version next time!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Jasmine Rice (or Basmati Rice)
- 2 cups Canned Coconut Milk
- 1 3/4 cups Water
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Place rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in the pot.
- Place pot on the stove over medium to high heat. Stir well.
- Continue to stir occasionally until the coconut milk and water come to a boil.
- Once the coconut-water mixture has begun to gently bubble, stop stirring and turn down the heat to low. Place lid on the pot.
- Cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all (or nearly all) of the coconut-water.
- Remove the rice from the heat. Keep the lid on the rice and and allow it to rest 10 minutes, or until you are ready to eat.
- When ready to serve, remove the lid and “fluff” rice with a fork.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 217Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 189mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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