This easy Coconut Rice is fluffy, fragrant, and full of subtle coconut flavor. Made with jasmine rice and unsweetened coconut milk, it’s a simple side dish that pairs beautifully with a wide variety of meals.
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If you’ve never tasted Coconut Rice, let me break it down for you. This is a quick stovetop recipe that doesn’t take much more effort than cooking a pot of plain white rice.
Jasmine rice is toasted with a touch of sugar, then simmered in unsweetened coconut milk, which infuses it with a fragrant, mild coconut flavor. It cooks up perfectly tender and surprisingly fluffy. I like to finish mine with fresh lime juice and cilantro to brighten the flavor and add a little color.
The aroma is wonderful and the taste is even better.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
- Jasmine rice: Jasmine rice is a long grain white rice and the best choice for this recipe. It absorbs the coconut milk while staying tender and fluffy.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk gives the rice the best flavor and texture, but light coconut milk will work if you’d like a lighter result. Be sure to shake the can well before opening.
- Granulated sugar: A small amount of sugar balances the richness of the coconut milk and rounds out the overall flavor without making the rice sweet.
- Lime juice: Fresh lime juice stirred into the cooked rice brightens it and keeps it from tasting heavy.
- Cilantro: Optional, but skip it if you’re not a fan. We love the flavor it adds to this rice.
How to Make Coconut Rice
- Toast the rice. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the sugar and cook until dissolved. Stir in the rice and cook until lightly toasted.
- Simmer. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.
- Rest and fluff. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for a few minutes. Then, fluff gently with a fork.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the fresh lime juice and optional cilantro, if you’d like.
Recipe Tip
There’s no need to rinse the rice for this recipe. Toasting the rice briefly in oil coats the grains, which helps limit excess starch so the rice cooks up fluffy, not sticky or gluey.
Serving Suggestions
Coconut Rice pairs well with a wide range of main dishes and is a flavorful upgrade from plain cooked rice. It works beautifully with Asian-inspired entrées, Indian curries, Thai recipes, or simply prepared grilled chicken, fish, or beef. Here are just a few of the recipes I love serving it with.
- Coconut Curry Chicken
- Pineapple Chicken Kabobs
- Bang Bang Salmon
- Soy Garlic Chicken
- Easy Teriyaki Salmon
- Cook any protein you love and serve it over a bed of Coconut Rice with Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables for an easy dinner or meal prep lunches.
Storage Tips
Store leftover Coconut Rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen it up, stirring once or twice as it warms.
Leftover coconut rice can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Coconut Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 cups Jasmine rice
- 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 lime, juiced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over MEDIUM heat. Add the sugar and stir for a minute or until dissolved. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt. Increase heat to HIGH and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir and fluff the rice then, stir in the lime juice and cilantro, if using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
This post was originally published on May 22, 2020. It has been udpated with new text and images.
Are the nutrients for the entire recipe or for one serving?
Love this recipe , but I also add the zest from the lime .
Loved this recipe! Very simple and delicious!! Went well with my blackened Red Snapper!!
Love this recipe and have made it several times. Now I toast the rice in coconut oil and skip the sugar and it’s delicious! I like it with the cilantro and lime but skip both when I’m serving it with a chicken and coconut Thai sauce. Thanks for posting such a great recipe!
love your recipes
Thanks, Deloris 🙂
Can this be made in a rice cooker? I know recipe calls for toasting the rice before adding the liquid but, can this step be skipped?
Hi Diane. Yes, it should work just fine in a rice cooker. You can skip the step of toasting the rice and just combine everything in the rice cooker and cook it according to the directions for your appliance. Add the cilantro and lime at the end of the cooking time. Let me know how it works out for you 🙂
This rice looks and sounds amazing, Valerie! A perfect side dish for summertime grilling. Going to make this soon!
Thank you, Amy! I hope you enjoy it 🙂