Coconut Rice

At a glance

What stands out: Delicately sweet and with so much coconut flavor, coconut rice smells heavenly and tastes every bit as good as it smells. Once you try coconut rice, you’ll be craving it 24/7. It’s a rich alternative to plain rice and it’s just as straightforward to mix.

How long it takes: 30 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: fine mesh strainer, saucepan, small skillet
Servings: 6

Yum! Just yum! That’s all we can say. It’s so hard to describe how good coconut rice is. It’s not surprising at all that this sweet but savory rice is popular in so many cultures, from India to Asia, to South and Central America, and the Caribbean, pretty much anywhere you find both rice and coconuts growing (Wikipedia). They go together so evenly. Naturally, there are many variations depending on where you live.

Have you ever tried coconut rice? If you haven’t, don’t delay. You’re going to immediately wonder why you’ve waited so long. We could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Snacks, too.

Must-Try Coconut Rice

Straightforward! If you can make rice, you can make coconut rice. Basically, coconut rice is rice that’s cooked with canned unsweetened coconut milk in place of most of the water. It turns out fine whether you use full fat coconut milk or the “lite” coconut milk with reduced fat.

Rich flavor. Because there’s a fair amount of fat in coconut milk, coconut rice has a rich and creamy taste, almost like butter, even though coconut milk is completely non-dairy. If you add juicy sliced mangos or fresh pineapple, coconut rice could definitely be a not-too-sweet dessert.

Keeps well. Unlike plain rice which tends to get dry and hard when refrigerated, coconut rice stays creamy and moist for up to 5 days. You can freeze it too!

Dress it up. Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes enhance the coconut flavor but be sure to try other toppings like lime zest, fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, toasted almonds, pineapple, or mango, or whatever you’re in the the mood for. Coconut rice is good without any toppings, too.

What to serve with Coconut Rice

Coconut rice provides a nice counterbalance for spicy dishes such as Indian curries (try our vegetarian curry) or stir fries, like shrimp and broccoli stir fry or honey garlic tofu stir fry. Serve it with orange glazed salmon, baked salmon, or grilled marinated chicken. We love it with pan-fried teriyaki tofu. It goes well with sheet pan orange ginger salmon and vegetables or General Tso’s tofu sheet pan dinner.

You know what? Coconut rice is good all by itself, too. Total comfort food!

What goes in

• Jasmine Rice: We love jasmine rice because it’s so fragrant and works evenly in this recipe. Basmati rice is a good second choice. Brown rice will change the cooking time significantly and isn’t recommended for this recipe.
• Coconut Milk: The rice is cooked with a mixture of water and coconut milk. Look for canned unsweetened coconut milk. A popular brand is Thai Kitchen. We tested both full fat and “lite” canned coconut milk with good results.
• Sugar, Salt: Not all recipes for coconut rice include sugar but just a little bit enhances the flavor of the rice. If you prefer, it can be omitted or you can substitute coconut sugar which adds even more flavor. Salt is necessary to keep the rice from tasting flat.
• Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (or other optional garnishes): The shredded coconut is toasted and added as a garnish. The crisp bits of coconut are so good! You can also add lime zest, chopped green onions (scallions), fresh chopped cilantro, fresh fruit such as pineapple or mango. Try toasted pine nuts or pepitas.

Coconut milk: can or carton?

This can be a bit confusing. Coconut milk comes in cans and it also comes in cartons. Same name, but they are completely different products. Canned coconut milk is not a beverage. Coconut milk in a carton is a non-dairy beverage and usually has water, sugar, and preservatives added.

How it comes together

Make the toasted coconut, if desired. This is an optional topping. It can be made in advance or you can simply make it while the rice is cooking.

Spread unsweetened shredded coconut in a dry skillet. Over medium low heat, toast the coconut until it turns golden brown, about two or three minutes. Stir it frequently so it browns evenly. Once it’s just golden brown and smells heavenly, transfer it to a plate to cool. Don’t let it cool in the pan because it will continue to toast in the hot pan and scorch.

Rinse rice well. Measure out the rice and put it into a fine mesh strainer. Run cool water over the rice to rinse the excess starch off the grains. It will take about a minute of rinsing; the water should run mostly clear.

Cook rice. Put the rice into a medium sized saucepan. Add the contents of a can of coconut milk: the fat layer and the watery stuff. Add water, a couple tablespoons of sugar, and a bit of salt. Stir to combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Give the rice a stir, put the lid on the pan, and turn the heat down to a low simmer.

Simmer the rice, covered, for 17 minutes. Don’t peek! The rice needs all that hot steam to cook properly. Are you enjoying the heavenly aroma?

Turn heat off and let the rice steam. After 17 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice rest, with the cover still on, for ten minutes. Again, don’t peek! Let the rice continue to steam until it’s done.

Fluff. When the rice is done, remove the cover and fluff the rice with a fork. If it seems too sticky, put the cover back on the pan and let the rice steam a few more minutes. Sometimes it just seems to need a bit more time to absorb the liquid.

Serve. Top the coconut rice with the toasted coconut or with a topping of your choice.

Ways to change it

• Possible recipe changes you could make. Try lower fat canned coconut milk to reduce calories and fat content. Use basmati rice instead of jasmine rice. Substitute coconut sugar for the granulated sugar.
• Make risotto instead. If this coconut rice just isn’t what you’re in the mood for, be sure to try our Instant Pot risotto or roasted mushroom risotto. Risotto is a creamy Italian-style rice made with arborio rice.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate/Freeze: Coconut rice is surprisingly good leftover. Unlike plain white rice which tends to get dry and hard, coconut rice stays moist and flavorful even when reheated. Store leftover rice in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to five days, or put it in a resealable freezer bag and freeze it for six months.

Reheat: Microwave small portions 45 to 60 seconds or until heated through.

Leftover Love

Make a tropical fruit breakfast bowl with leftover rice. Add fresh fruit (mango, bananas, pineapple, etc.) to warmed rice, topped with a dollop of yogurt. Garnish with additional toasted coconut, nuts, or granola.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
• 1 ½ cups jasmine rice
• 1 can (13.6 to 14 ounces) coconut milk (see note)
• ¾ cup water
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Method

1. For optional toasted coconut: In a dry frying pan over medium-low heat, toast the shredded coconut until it's golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer to a plate to cool, set aside (see note).
2. Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse until water runs mostly clear, about 1 minute.
3. Pour the rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt into a medium saucepan and stir to combine.
4. Leaving the pot uncovered, bring rice to a boil over high heat. Stir once, cover, and reduce heat to low.
5. Simmer covered for 17 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve with toasted coconut, if desired.

Notes

Coconut milk: Be sure to buy canned unsweetened coconut milk; regular or light coconut milk will work fine although we prefer regular. Don’t use coconut milk beverages which come in a carton and have added ingredients like water, sweeteners, and thickeners. This type of coconut milk won’t work for this recipe.

Toasted coconut: You can toast the coconut ahead of time. Once it’s completely cool, store it in an airtight container or resealable bag in the pantry for 1 to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen.

Serving suggestions: For variation, omit toasted coconut. Coconut rice can be served plain, or with grated lime zest, sliced scallions, chopped fresh cilantro, toasted slivered almonds, or fresh fruit, such as mango or pineapple.

Instant Pot instructions: Decrease water to ½ cup. Mix all ingredients (except shredded coconut) in pressure cooker. Put lid on, select Pressure Cook (High), and set timer for 3 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 7 minutes. Release any remaining pressure, remove lid, and fluff rice. If desired, turn off heat and leave covered for 10 minutes after fluffing to let rice soak up moisture.

Storage: Coconut rice stores well; it doesn’t dry out like cooked white rice. Refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months (thaw before reheating). Warm it up in the microwave.