Coconut Rice when made right is super fluffy and tasty, it makes a perfect side dish in minutes. We’ve tested baking the rice, stove top, coconut milk combined with stock or on its own, and much more! So today we can say, this is the ultimate delicious fluffy and fool proof coconut rice recipe!
I had coconut rice the first time when my sister in law’s twin made it for us. It was her speciality, and wow was it SO GOOD! The rice was so tasty and rich cooked entirely in coconut milk with some cashews. I asked her for the recipe and then began testing other ways to make coconut rice at home.
The coconut makes coconut rice tastes subtle, has an ultra creamy texture and a slightly sweet taste. Even coconut haters LOVE this recipe–we have seen this! So TRY it and you’ll be hooked like us!
While baking the coconut rice also creates a good recipe, we have found that sticking to the stove top is best. There are just a few tricks and tips to get the perfect fluffy, not mushy or gluey rice. And we’re sharing them all below with you! Special thanks to Lama for her delicious recipe!
What Is Coconut Rice?
Coconut rice is rice cooked with coconut milk (fully or partially replacing water), creating a subtly sweet, aromatic, creamy grain that pairs beautifully with spicy, savory, or grilled dishes. It’s a foundational recipe in Thailand, Malaysia, Jamaica and India. Each region treats coconut rice differently however, varying from fluffy, sticky, savory, or sweet.
Best Rice for Coconut Rice
- Jasmine Rice (Best Overall). It’s light floral in aroma, fluffy but tender and has the best balance of absorption and texture
- Basmati is drier, with more separate grains, so it’s best for Indian style coconut rice as it has a less creamy finish.
- Short Grain Rice is softer, slightly sticky with a richer mouthfeel.
Why You’ll Love Coconut Rice
- It’s a super rich tasting rice recipe. I mean for someone who thinks rice is bland, this recipe COMPLETELY changes our mind!
- The rice is super fluffy, tender, and tasty! Not bland, not mushy or gluey..This is what rice should be!
- It takes only 20 minutes to cook, just like any other rice recipe.
- There’s nothing fancy about it, it’s ALL about using exact proportions and sautéing.
- The flavor of coconut will pleasantly surprise you-even coconut haters love this recipe! It’s mild, sweet and just creamy rich rather than bold.
- While coconut flavor is a classic across Thai dishes, we find this coconut rice recipe pairs SO WELL with many non Thai dishes too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Rice. Jasmine rice is the ideal choice for this recipe, however we have tested it with basmati long grain white rice and it worked great as well.
- Butter. We love the flavor of butter and the richness it has to compliment the rice. You can use coconut oil for maximum flavor too.
- Onion. The original recipe has one onion, thinly sliced and it adds SO much flavor and depth to the rice. Don’t skip it, but make sure you cook it well in the butter before proceeding.
- Seasoning. Chicken bouillon powder, garlic powder, a pinch of paprika and cinnamon, and salt is how the recipe was made. And we wouldn’t change a THING! It’s perfect this way.
- Coconut Milk. You can use low fat milk, however we have loved the full fat can of coconut milk for this recipe. Use organic when possible.
- Cashews. They add lots of crunch, more richness and flavor the rice!
How to Cook Coconut Rice
Rinse the Rice
- You’ll start by rinsing the rice first, this is essential to remove excess starch. By doing so, you’ll avoid mushy and sticky rice. Simply run some cold water over the rice in a strainer. Watch until the water doesn’t look cloudy anymore, and it’s ready.
- Below is a stovetop method.
Sautéing Step
- Another KEY to fluffy and airy rice is sautéing FIRST all ingredients , including the rice! So start by melting the butter over medium high heat and sauté the onion slices.
- Make sure the onions are very soft and slightly golden before proceeding with the recipe. This ensures you’ll have a sweet taste rather a strong astringent onion flavor.
- Add in the cashews to the onions and butter. Sauté them for just a minute if they’re previously toasted or roasted. Add 2 more minutes if using raw cashews.
- Now add in the rice. YES. The rice needs to be sautéed well in butter and each piece coated in butter. Cook the rice for a 2 minutes over medium heat, tossing continuously.
- Season the rice. Mix in the bouillon, salt, garlic powder, paprika and toss it over the rice, and mix well for 30 seconds.
Cooking the Coconut Rice
- This is the KEY to fluffy rice as well: measuring the correct amount of coconut milk. For every cup of rice, use 1 cups of coconut milk and 1/2 cup of water or stock. No more no less. This is how rice pilaffs are made fluffy.
- This measurement however doesn’t apply to the boiling method of cooking rice, which we absolutely despise. Sautéed rice and aromatics (or plain) and then cooked in liquid over low heat is the way to flavorful and fluffy rice.
- Once the coconut milk is added, you have two options here. Either boil the coconut milk before adding, or wait until the milk boils in the pot.
- Once it boils, you’re going to cover the pot and drop the heat to the LOWEST setting.
- It’s best not to touch the pot for 20 minutes. Then you can uncover and fluff the rice around, cover again and wait 5 minutes. This time is optimal for any condensation of liquid to be absorbed into the rice.
- Now fluff the rice and toss around. It will be tender, fluffy and perfectly cooked coconut rice.
How to Serve Coconut Rice
- We love garnishing the coconut rice recipe with fresh cilantro leaves and extra toasted cashews on top. The cilantro adds a bright freshness, which you can substitute with parsley too. And the cashews are the perfect crunch and texture contrast.
- How to Make Coconut Rice in a Rice Cooker
- If you have an instant pot or rice cooker, you can make this recipe just as easily. If you have an instant pot, follow the process of sautéing the onions, rice and cashews. Then add the coconut milk and switch to rice cooking mode.
- If your rice cooker doesn’t have a sauté mode, it’s best to do so in a separate skillet. Prepare everything in a skillet, then add all ingredients in to the rice cooker along with coconut milk. Set the cooking as per the machine and it’s ready.
Rice Cooker Method
For the rice cook, you’ll follow the instructions. So add rice with liquid and salt. Cook on standard white rice setting. and let rest 10 minutes before fluffing. Note that some rice cookers run hotter so if rice turns oily, reduce coconut milk slightly and increase water by 2–3 tbsp.
For a pressure cooker, then follow the same procedure.
Coconut Rice Recipe Pro Tips
- Choose Jasmine or long grain Basmati rice for this fluffy coconut rice. Avoid short grain or heavily starchy rices.
- Make sure to rinse the rice before cooking it. Rinsing the rice removes any excess starch which is KEY to fluffy rice. Especially when cooking the rice in milk, not water or stock.
- You can use butter or avocado oil to sauté the onions for the recipe. Butter will infuse the rice with a buttery taste.
- The onions add a sweetness that compliments the rice so well, but you need to make sure you cook it well. Avoid undercooking the onions as they become overpowering.
- Sautéing the rice before adding in the liquid is KEY to fluffy rice. You just need 1 – 1.5 minutes of mixing in the rice with the butter/oil continuously.
- Measuring your coconut milk is KEY. For every cup of rice, add 1.5 cups of coconut milk. Don’t add more, or else the rice will be mushy and gooey.
- For perfectly fluffy rice, bring the coconut milk to a boil and then drop the heat to the absolute LOWEST setting. Cover the post and let the rice cook on super low for 18 minutes untouched. At that point you can take off the lid, fluff the rice, cover and let it cook for another 3-5 minutes covered.
- The seasoning blend we used here were based on the original owner of the recipe and we haven’t changed a thing! We have tried removing the seasoning, and found it more bland.
- You can use peanuts if you don’t have cashews for this recipe. Likewise you can use parsley instead of cilantro.
How to store Leftovers, Freeze and Reheat Coconut Rice?
- Store leftovers of coconut rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze the leftovers, place them in a ziploc bag removing excess air. Freeze it for up to 3 months.
- If you have frozen rice, thaw it first before reheating.
- To reheat the rice, you can microwave it for the quickest solution. Otherwise you can add the rice in a pot with 1-2 tablespoons of water, low heat, cover the pot and reheat for 10-12 minutes.
Do I need to Rinse the Rice?
YES! It’s crucial to rinse the rice here to avoid mushy coconut rice. When rinsing the rice, use a fine mesh strainer and wait until the water runs clear. This way you’ll know that there’s no more starch. We do this because we’re using ONLY coconut milk to cook the rice, which is heavy and rich compared to water.
Can I season it differently?
You can use JUST salt for this recipe and it will taste SO GOOD! We loved the splash of cinnamon, garlic powder and bouillon as this is how we tried it first time. We tested the recipe without and found that adding seasoning is much better!
What to Serve with Coconut Rice
SO MANY Asian and non asian dishes! Our Miso Cod would be phenomenal with this! This Sweet Chili Salmon and Seared Ahi Tuna would be so good with coconut rice!
Our Salmon Bowl, Crab Claws, Orange Chicken and Chili Lime Shrimp would make perfect dinners in less than 30 mins too 🙂
Some Mediterranean recipes pair beautifully here too, especially heavily spiced ones. Rack of Lamb, Lamb With Moroccan Spice, Juicy Spicy Turkish Meatballs, or Lemon Chicken are great.
Coconut Milk Matters
The Perfect Coconut Rice Ratio (Fluffy Version)
For 1 cup jasmine rice:
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ to ¾ cup water
Why Not 100% Coconut Milk?
Too much fat prevents proper steam absorption so the rice can turn dense or oily.
Flavor Variations
- Savory Coconut Rice. Add garlic, ginger and pandan leaves (Thai authentic touch)
- Coconut Lime Rice. Add lime zest after cooking and stir in lime juice lightly
- Sweet Coconut Rice. Add sugar and pair with mango
Why Coconut Rice Turns Mushy
- Too much liquid
- Low quality rice
- No resting time
- Stirring while cooking
- Not rinsing rice. Always rinse rice until water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch.
Why is my coconut rice oily?
Too much coconut milk or too high heat.
Can I freeze coconut rice?
Yes. Cool completely. Freeze airtight up to 2 months.
Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 onion thinly sliced, small or medium size sweet white onion
- 1/4 cup cashews toasted or raw
- 1 cup long grain rice jasmine or basmati rice
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon bouillon chicken or veggies
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup coconut milk low fat or regular
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup cashews toasted for garnish
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
Instructions
-
You'll start by rinsing the rice first. Run some cold water over the rice in a strainer. Watch until the water doesn't look cloudy anymore, and it's ready.
-
Start by melting the butter over medium high heat and sauté the onion slices.
-
Make sure the onions are very soft and slightly golden before proceeding with the recipe. This ensures you'll have a sweet taste rather a strong astringent onion flavor.
-
Add in the cashews to the onions and butter. Sauté them for just a minute if they're previously toasted or roasted. Add 2 more minutes if using raw cashews.
-
Now add in the rice. The rice needs to be sautéed well in butter and each piece coated in butter. Cook the rice for 1-1.5 minutes over medium heat, tossing continuously.
-
Season the rice. Mix in the bouillon, salt, garlic powder, paprika and toss it over the rice, and mix well for 30 seconds.
-
For every cup of rice, use 1.5 cups of coconut milk. No more no less. Now add in the coconut milk.
-
Once the coconut milk is added, you have two options here. Either boil the coconut milk before adding, or wait until the milk boils in the pot.
-
Once it boils, you're going to cover the pot and drop the heat to the LOWEST setting.
-
It's best not to touch the pot for 18 minutes. Then you can uncover and fluff the rice around, cover again and wait 5 minutes. This time is optimal for any condensation of liquid to be absorbed into the rice.
-
Now fluff the rice and toss around. It will be tender, fluffy and perfectly cooked coconut rice.
-
Garnish the coconut rice recipe with fresh cilantro leaves and extra toasted cashews on top.
-
If you have an instant pot or rice cooker, you can make this recipe just as easily. If you have an instant pot, follow the process of sautéing the onions, rice and cashews. Then add the coconut milk and switch to rice cooking mode.
-
If your rice cooker doesn't have a sauté mode, it's best to do so in a separate skillet. Prepare everything in a skillet, then add all ingredients in to the rice cooker along with coconut milk. Set the cooking as per the machine and it's ready.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Coconut Rice Recipe Pro Tips
- Choose Jasmine or long grain Basmati rice for this fluffy coconut rice. Avoid short grain or heavily starchy rices.
- Make sure to rinse the rice before cooking it. Rinsing the rice removes any excess starch which is KEY to fluffy rice. Especially when cooking the rice in milk, not water or stock.
- You can use butter or avocado oil to sauté the onions for the recipe. Butter will infuse the rice with a buttery taste.
- The onions add a sweetness that compliments the rice so well, but you need to make sure you cook it well. Avoid undercooking the onions as they become overpowering.
- Sautéing the rice before adding in the liquid is KEY to fluffy rice. You just need 1 - 1.5 minutes of mixing in the rice with the butter/oil continuously.
- Measuring your coconut milk is KEY. For every cup of rice, add 1.5 cups of coconut milk. Don't add more, or else the rice will be mushy and gooey.
- For perfectly fluffy rice, bring the coconut milk to a boil and then drop the heat to the absolute LOWEST setting. Cover the post and let the rice cook on super low for 18 minutes untouched. At that point you can take off the lid, fluff the rice, cover and let it cook for another 3-5 minutes covered.
- The seasoning blend we used here were based on the original owner of the recipe and we haven't changed a thing! We have tried removing the seasoning, and found it more bland.
- You can use peanuts if you don't have cashews for this recipe. Likewise you can use parsley instead of cilantro.
How to store Leftovers, Freeze and Reheat Coconut Rice?
- Store leftovers of coconut rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze the leftovers, place them in a ziploc bag removing excess air. Freeze it for up to 3 months.
- If you have frozen rice, thaw it first before reheating.
- To reheat the rice, you can microwave it for the quickest solution. Otherwise you can add the rice in a pot with 1-2 tablespoons of water, low heat, cover the pot and reheat for 10-12 minutes.
Do I need to Rinse the Rice?
YES! It's crucial to rinse the rice here to avoid mushy coconut rice. When rinsing the rice, use a fine mesh strainer and wait until the water runs clear. This way you'll know that there's no more starch. We do this because we're using ONLY coconut milk to cook the rice, which is heavy and rich compared to water.
Can I season it differently?
You can use JUST salt for this recipe and it will taste SO GOOD! We loved the splash of cinnamon, garlic powder and bouillon as this is how we tried it first time. We tested the recipe without and found that adding seasoning is much better!
What to Serve with Coconut Rice
SO MANY Asian and non asian dishes! Our Miso Cod would be phenomenal with this! This Sweet Chili Salmon and Seared Ahi Tuna would be so good with coconut rice!
Our Salmon Bowl, Crab Claws, Orange Chicken and Chili Lime Shrimp would make perfect dinners in less than 30 mins too 🙂
Some Mediterranean recipes pair beautifully here too, especially heavily spiced ones. Rack of Lamb, Lamb With Moroccan Spice, Juicy Spicy Turkish Meatballs, or Lemon Chicken are great.
Coconut Milk Matters
The Perfect Coconut Rice Ratio (Fluffy Version)
For 1 cup jasmine rice:
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ to ¾ cup water
Why Not 100% Coconut Milk?
Too much fat prevents proper steam absorption so the rice can turn dense or oily.
Flavor Variations
- Savory Coconut Rice. Add garlic, ginger and pandan leaves (Thai authentic touch)
- Coconut Lime Rice. Add lime zest after cooking and stir in lime juice lightly
- Sweet Coconut Rice. Add sugar and pair with mango
Why Coconut Rice Turns Mushy
- Too much liquid
- Low quality rice
- No resting time
- Stirring while cooking
- Not rinsing rice. Always rinse rice until water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch.
Why is my coconut rice oily?
Too much coconut milk or too high heat.
Can I freeze coconut rice?
Yes. Cool completely. Freeze airtight up to 2 months.
The coconut milk makes the rice more flavorful. I am going to make this at some for my husband. Thank you for the recipe!
I love how fluffy this coconut rice recipe is! So flavorful and yummy!
The flavor was magnificent! I used the rice cooker instructions and it was very easy
Perfect coconut rice. Used basmati and served with leftover chicken tikka masala. Delicious!
This fluffy coconut rice recipe turned out so delicious! It was easy to prepare the entire family loved it. I can’t wait to make it again, Yum!!!
This the only way I’ll eat rice. Im not a rice person and my rice always needs flavor. So delicious!
This was so good! I served it with my chili lime chicken, and it was a huge hit!