Easy Coconut Rice
Have you ever wondered how easy coconut rice is to make? Look no further! This coconut rice recipe is a staple in our house, and truly transports me back to our honeymoon on the Cook Islands every time we eat it. It’s delicious and can be served with all sorts of cuisines, from Carribean food, to Thai dishes, and even alongside mangos as a treat!
I spent quite a bit of time tweaking this recipe. First, I tried with sugar vs honey, or no sweetener at all. Then, I tested fat free coconut milk, full fat coconut milk and even sweetened coconut milk. Finally, after some trial and error and lots of delicious versions of coconut rice, I was able to put together a to die for easy coconut rice recipe that can rival my favorite restaurant coconut rice. Rice is such a huge part of dinner in many households, and making good rice can be like a right of passage. If you follow this recipe you are sure to hit the mark.
In this post: Everything you need to know to make easy coconut rice
- How to make Easy Coconut Rice
- Ingredients you’ll need
- What to serve with coconut rice
- Frequently asked questions about this recipe
What’s in this easy coconut rice?
- Coconut Milk – I opt for full fat unsweetened coconut milk when making this rice. The full fat gives the rice the perfect amount of “creaminess” in each bite.
- Jasmine Rice – jasmine rice is the most common rice used when making coconut rice, and it is my preference as well. If you do not have jasmine rice on hand, substituting the jasmine for another white rice like basmati would work just fine.
- Salt – my measurements are for kosher salt.
How to make my Easy Coconut Rice?
- Place rice in a bowl and rinse 3-4 times with cold water. Don’t be afraid to use your hands to jostle the rice around during each rinse. By the third or fourth rinse, the water will be much clearer than the first rinse (photo above is rice in water after the fouth rinse). Strain as much water from rice as possible using a mesh strainer.
- Add the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt to the pot and stir to combine.
- Bring your rice to a boil over high heat and occasionally stir, then turn the burner to low and cover. Cook with a low simmer for 20 minutes.
- Turn burner off, DO NOT REMOVE the lid and continue to let the rice cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Fluff your rice and serve!
Tips and Tricks
1. For fluffy coconut rice don’s skip the rinse step
Rinsing your rice helps to remove the starch from the rice to prevent your cooked rice from becoming gummy and overly sticky. Also, rinsing the rice helps to remove any unwanted debris.
2. Be sure to let your rice sit on the stove for 10 minutes
After your rice is done simmering DO NOT LIFT THE LID, be sure to allow the rice to sit on the stove for an additional 10 minutes. This allows the rice to continue to steam.
How to rinse my rice without a fine mesh sieve/strainer
Place your rice in the pot you plan to cook it in. Then fill the pot with enough water to submerge the rice, swirl around the rice with your hands, then pour as much water out as possible. Repeat this process 3-4 times. On your last rinse, keep your hand at the lip of your pot when pouring the water out and remove as much water as possible.
When you add in your water for cooking, pour in slightly less than ¼ cup of water. Vioala!
Coconut Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don’t rinse my rice?
It is absolutely okay to not rinse your rice. However, the end result will be a stickier rice, like that of sushi rice. It’s a total preference! If you don’t have a mesh strainer, I recommend looking into getting one.
Can I make my coconut rice ahead of time?
Absolutely! This coconut milk rice stores great in the fridge and lasts for 4-5 days.
Can I make this in a rice cooker?
You sure can! Here’s how:
- Rinse rice as recommended in the recipe.
- Then combine all ingredients into your rice cooker, however, only add 2 tbsp of water.
- Set your rice cooker to cook on the quick cook setting.
What can I serve this with?
I have found that coconut rice is really the BEST side ever! Here are a few ideas:
Peach and Habanero Roasted Chicken
Spicy Chicken Meatballs
Thai Curry, Carribean food, mangos, anything spicy.
Can I use all coconut milk and no water?
Nope! I’ve tried this and the resulting rice is gluey and can burn.
How to store your rice
Fridge: Let your rice cool and store in an airtight container or bag in your refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freeze: Let your coconut rice cool to room temp and store in an airtight bag or container. Your rice is good frozen for up to 3 months.
How to reheat coconut rice
If reheating from frozen, let your rice thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours before reheating.
Stove top:
Warm over medium heat, stirring regularly until your rice is warmed thoroughly through. You may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
Microwave:
Place rice in a microwave safe bowl and heat in increments of 45 seconds, stirring each time, until rice is warmed through.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! As always, feel free to share any tips or tricks in the comments below. I’d love to hear what worked well for you when making this dish!
Enjoy!
Easy Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Jasmine Rice uncooked
- 1 (14 ounce) can Coconut Milk full fat
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Place rice in a bowl and rinse 3-4 times with cold water. Strain as much water from rice as possible using a mesh strainer.
- Add the rice (1 cup), coconut milk (14 ounce can), water (¼ cup), and salt (¼ tsp) to the pot and stir to combine.
- Bring your rice to a boil over high heat and occasionally stir, then turn the burner to low and cover. Cook with a low simmer for 20 minutes.
- Turn burner off, DO NOT REMOVE the lid and continue to let the rice cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Fluff your coconut rice and serve!