Creamy, fragrant coconut rice, cooked in a saucepan on the stovetop. This rice is a luxuriously comforting side dish that works so well with curries and stir-fries.
This is an alternative to the rice-cooker version for when you don’t have one to hand. The stovetop method is simple and delicious. Using tinned full-fat coconut milk makes the rice aromatic and luxuriously creamy, while the coconut oil helps keep the grains separate rather than clumping.
Table of Contents
- 📋 Ingredients
- How to make it
- Pro Tip
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 🍲 More fantastic side dishes
- Recipe Card
📋 Ingredients
Jasmine Rice – Jasmine rice is slightly fragrant and lightly sweet, making it an ideal partner for coconut.
Coconut Milk – Use full‑fat coconut milk so the coconut flavour remains rich after dilution with water.
How to make it:
Full recipe with ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions is in the recipe card below.
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs almost clear to remove excess starch.
- Add the drained rice to a medium saucepan with the coconut milk, water, sugar and salt. Stir once.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to very low, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Switch off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir gently to combine any coconut cream that has risen to the surface, then serve topped with toasted shredded coconut.
Pro Tip
Make your own toasted shredded coconut by gently frying unsweetened shredded coconut in a dry pan over medium‑low heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant.
The sweet, creamy rice pairs particularly well with spicy curries and dishes that have fresh, fruity notes such as pineapple chicken or steak poke bowls. It’s a simple way to elevate plain rice into something special.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Chicken Meatball Curry — an excellent match for this rice.
- Thai Red Chicken Curry
- Thai Style Peanut Pork with broccoli
- Easy Chicken Curry
This coconut rice makes a lovely alternative to plain rice and adds a special touch to many mains.
🍲 More fantastic side dishes
Breads
Homemade Flatbread Recipe
Asian
Chicken Fried Rice
Asian
Basic stir-fried noodles with beansprouts
Sides
Simple Asian Slaw
Asian
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Asian
Egg Fried Rice
Yes. The rice may be slightly less creamy after reheating but still tastes great. Cool the cooked rice quickly by spreading it in a shallow container, then refrigerate or freeze. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature. Refrigerate as soon as possible, store no more than 24 hours in the fridge, and reheat thoroughly. To freeze, freeze quickly and defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with a teaspoon of water per portion, covering the bowl, heating in 30‑second bursts and stirring until piping hot. Do not reheat more than once.
You can halve the ingredient quantities and keep the same cooking time, maintaining the same ratios for best results.
There is a separate rice-cooker recipe available for coconut rice. Use the rice-cooker method if you prefer an electric cooker.
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Coconut Rice Recipe
5 mins
25 mins
30 mins
8
side dish
Asian
Ingredients
- 500 g (2 1/2 cups) jasmine rice
- 400 ml (14 oz) tin full‑fat coconut milk
- 400 ml (14 fl oz) water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
To Serve:
- Toasted shredded coconut (see tip)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a sieve 3–4 times until the water runs almost clear.
- Add the drained rice to a medium saucepan and pour over the coconut milk, water, sugar and salt.
- Stir once, then bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to very low, place a lid on the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and give the rice a gentle stir. Stir any coconut cream from the surface back into the rice. Serve topped with toasted shredded coconut.
Notes
Why rinse the rice?
Rinsing removes excess starch that can make rice sticky. Because coconut milk adds creaminess, rinsing helps keep the grains separate.
Rice cooker option
If you prefer, a separate rice‑cooker coconut rice method can be used.
Nutritional information
Nutrition shown in the card is approximate and based on 8 servings.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 52 g |
Protein: 5 g |
Fat: 11 g |
Saturated Fat: 10 g |
Fiber: 1 g |
Sugar: 1 g
Nutrition information is approximate and should be used only as a guide.
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