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You are here: Home / Recipes / Side Dishes / Creamy Coconut Rice + VIDEO

Creamy Coconut Rice + VIDEO

Published February 20, 2019. Last updated November 24, 2019 by Lauren Vavala

Thanks for sharing!

This Creamy Coconut Rice recipe is full of delicious, creamy coconut flavor. It’s a great side dish option to serve with all types of meats and flavors. You won’t believe how easy this recipe is to make!

2 Brown Bowls of Coconut Rice on a Wood Backdrop with a gray napkin

 This post contains affiliate links – see our Disclosure Statement for more information.

This recipe was inspired by my love of all things coconut. I decided to attempt to make coconut rice with nothing more than rice, water, and a can of coconut milk to see how it would turn out. I had no idea that a recipe so simple could really work. Most other coconut rice recipes seem to include quite a few more ingredients.

It turns out that it doesn’t take much to make the most perfect, most creamiest coconut rice after all. After a little trial and error, I have found that full fat coconut milk gives the most coconut flavor and creaminess to the recipe. While most varieties of rice will work, jasmine or basmati are the best choices.

You make Creamy Coconut Rice almost the exact same way you make regular rice.

Why This Recipe Works

  • This is a simple recipe with just 3 ingredients.
  • Coconut rice pairs well with a huge variety of foods, from simple to very flavorful options.
  • The rice is creamy and loaded with coconut flavor! If you love coconut, you will love this recipe!

Coconut Rice Recipe Video

How to Make Creamy Coconut Rice Recipe

Prep!

There really isn’t much to this recipe at all.  All you need is rice, a can of coconut milk, a little water, and a pot!

Create!

Close up of rice in a measuring cup being held up over a silver pot on a wood background

Add the rice, coconut milk, and water to a medium sauce pan over high heat.

Coconut Milk and Rice in a Silver Pot over a wood background

Bring the rice to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to simmer.

Stir the rice often to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Creamy Coconut Rice Fully Cooked in a Silver Pot over a Wood Background

Continue to cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed, but still a little creamy, and the rice is tender. This typically takes 25-30 minutes.

Note: The rice may take a little longer to cook than normal, especially if brown rice is used instead.

Present!

Overhead of 2 brown bowls filled with coconut rice on a wood background with a gray napkin and chopsticks

I don’t usually garnish this Creamy Coconut Rice, as I often serve it as the base for the main dish. If you wanted to, you could top it with some toasted coconut, spices, or nuts.

Tips & Techniques for the Best Creamy Coconut Rice

  • Use full fat coconut milk for the best, more flavorful results.  Of the few brands of coconut milk that I have tried, I have had the best results with the Thai Kitchens brand unsweetened, full fat coconut milk.
  • You can substitute brown rice, but it may take slightly longer to cook.
  • Be sure to stir the rice frequently, as it is more likely to stick to the bottom of the pan than plain rice.

FAQ’s

  • What type of rice should you use to make coconut rice? Jasmine rice is the most popular choice of rice to make coconut rice with. I also love the results that I get with basmati rice, as well.
  • Can you freeze coconut rice? Yes, you can freeze coconut rice and either thaw and reheat or reheat straight from frozen. You may need to add a little water if the reheated rice is too dry.
  • Is coconut rice gluten free? Yes, this recipe for coconut rice is gluten free.
  • What do you serve with coconut rice? Coconut rice pairs well with so many things! You can serve it with a simple seared chicken or a flavorful Thai, Indian, or Caribbean-inspired recipe. My personal favorite meal to serve with Creamy Coconut Rice is Cuban Pork and Sweet Fried Plantains.

Other Recipes to Try

  • Nutmeg Rice
  • Parmesan Lemon Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash
  • Spiced Pumpkin Risotto
  • Coconut Curry Chicken
  • Instant Pot Sweet Chili Coconut Chicken

Love this Creamy Coconut Rice recipe?  Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!

A brown bowl of coconut rice with chopsticks off to the side on a wood background
Print

Creamy Coconut Rice

This Creamy Coconut Rice recipe is full of delicious coconut flavor and you won't believe how easy the recipe is!
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 391kcal
Author Lauren Harris

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup jasmine rice
  • 13.66 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk * full fat
  • 2/3 Cups water

Instructions

  • Add the rice, coconut milk, and water to a medium sauce pan over high heat.
  • Bring the rice to a boil, stirring often, then cover and lower the heat to simmer.
  • Stir the rice often to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Continue to cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed, but still a little creamy, and the rice is tender. This can take 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of rice used.

Notes

Tips & Techniques for the Best Creamy Coconut Rice

  • Use full fat coconut milk for the best, more flavorful results.  Of the few brands of coconut milk that I have tried, I have had the best results with the Thai Kitchens brand unsweetened, full fat coconut milk.
  • You can substitute brown rice, but it may take slightly longer to cook.
  • Be sure to stir the rice frequently, as it is more likely to stick to the bottom of the pan than plain rice.

FAQ’s

  • What type of rice should you use to make coconut rice? Jasmine rice is the most popular choice of rice to make coconut rice with. I also love the results that I get with basmati rice, as well.
  • Can you freeze coconut rice? Yes, you can freeze coconut rice and either thaw and reheat or reheat straight from frozen. You may need to add a little water if the reheated rice is too dry.
  • Is coconut rice gluten free? Yes, this recipe for coconut rice is gluten free.
  • What do you serve with coconut rice? Coconut rice pairs well with so many things! You can serve it with a simple seared chicken or a flavorful Thai, Indian, or Caribbean-inspired recipe. My personal favorite meal to serve with Creamy Coconut Rice is Cuban Pork and Sweet Fried Plantains.
** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

This recipe was originally published on March 30, 2016. The images and text were updated in February 2019 to include cooking tips, frequently asked questions, and a video of the recipe being made.

 

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Filed Under: Recipes, Side Dishes

Comments

  1. Lori says

    July 26, 2022 at 1:17 am

    Very easy recipe and tastes great! I used the Thai Kitchen Unsweetened Coconut milk and jasmine rice. Paired it with Aidells Pineapple and Bacon Sausage and some sauerkraut. It was awesome!

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      July 26, 2022 at 8:51 am

      Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe, I appreciate it!!

      – Lauren

      Reply
  2. Monica says

    May 30, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    This is one of my go to recipes. Instead of using regular water, I use coconut water in place of it and it adds even more coconut flavor. I love it! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      May 31, 2020 at 8:18 pm

      Ohh great idea! Thanks for sharing and for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe – I really appreciate it!

      – Lauren

      Reply
  3. Jennifer T Tammy says

    May 24, 2019 at 1:32 pm

    Pinning this one for later – thanks so much for taking the time to film a video to make it even more foolproof!

    Reply
  4. Diane says

    April 28, 2018 at 5:14 pm

    Could you add some honey or sweetness to make it a dessert rice ?

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      April 29, 2018 at 8:21 am

      Hi Diane! I haven’t tried to add any additional sweetness to the recipe so I can’t say from experience how anything would turn out. I would start with a small amount and test it with each addition. If you have coconut sugar, that might be the way to go!

      Reply
  5. Maureen says

    April 12, 2018 at 8:29 pm

    Hi! I love your recipe and we use it ALL the time! I always have to look it up again because I’m terrible remembering recipes (even simple ones like this). I wanted to let you know that when I went to look it up again, I found that someone else is using your picture and it goes to a twitter account. I thought maybe it was yours. It’s called Bing Recipes? Here’s the Pinterest link that I found:

    https://www.pinterest.com/pin/365776800976600938/

    Thanks again for measurements to make rice taste awesome with our grilled kabobs! -Maureen

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      April 13, 2018 at 7:56 am

      Hi Maureen! Thank you SO much for letting me know about the pin issue. Unfortunately, stolen pins like this are all too common. I reported it to Pinterest and it *should* be removed soon.
      I’m so happy you love the rice! It’s definitely a regular here too 🙂
      Lauren

      Reply
      • Kristine says

        July 15, 2019 at 8:07 pm

        Hi
        Can you tell me exactly what is your serving size? For your nutrition information 1cup? 1/2 cup???
        Plz advise
        Thank you.

        Reply
        • Lauren says

          July 16, 2019 at 11:32 am

          Hi Kristine! Unfortunately, it’s really difficult to figure this out in my home kitchen. Basically, all nutritional information is calculated by a program that divides the recipe into 4 equal servings (for this specific recipe). So if you take the full recipe, divide into 4 portions, each of those portions is a serving. I wish there was an easier way to do it, but with this recipe, it’s not going to be a nice even measurement like a 1/2 cup. Sorry!

          Reply
  6. Candi Piburn says

    February 18, 2017 at 4:01 pm

    I wonder if a rice cooker would work?

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      February 18, 2017 at 8:37 pm

      I don’t see why not. I don’t have a rice cooker to test it though – sorry!

      Reply
  7. Sheila Jo says

    September 9, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    We make this at my house, too – it’s delicious! We use a rice cooker and it does just fine if you want to make it even easier to prepare!

    Reply
  8. Jenn @ Drink Coffee & Prosper says

    August 31, 2016 at 1:32 am

    Coconut rice is one of my faves. Looks delish!

    Reply
  9. Carmen Baguio says

    August 30, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    I love Indian food, so I’ll be saving this for my next curry chicken meal!

    Reply
  10. Ashleigh says

    August 30, 2016 at 5:57 pm

    I’ve always wanted to know how to make coconut rice, so thanks for the recipe! I I always love when other people make it.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      September 4, 2016 at 10:07 pm

      You’re welcome – its so easy 🙂

      Reply
  11. Marina says

    August 30, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    Looks so good, will try it soon!

    Reply
  12. Amanda | Maple Alps says

    August 30, 2016 at 3:37 pm

    Coconut rice is one of my favourites. I think I have a can of coconut milk left…I know what I’m having for lunch tomorrow…!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      September 4, 2016 at 10:07 pm

      Hope you got to try it and loved it!!

      Reply
  13. Jaye Shields says

    August 30, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    I’m the same. I used to hate coconuts and now I want everything coconut. Any time I’m traveling somewhere exotic, all I want is fresh coconut milk! Yummmmm.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      August 30, 2016 at 2:18 pm

      Haha! I need to start traveling more!!

      Reply
  14. Christine Goulbourne says

    August 30, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    We are islanders in our family and we love coconut rice with curried or jerk chicken dishes. I add a little white pepper, because we love the extra little kick of spice on our dishes!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      August 30, 2016 at 2:17 pm

      Sounds good! Now I’m craving curry and coconut rice!!

      Reply
  15. Chel says

    August 30, 2016 at 9:24 am

    Chrissy Teigen lives on this and its made me obsessed.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      August 30, 2016 at 2:11 pm

      I had no idea! It is addicting though for sure!

      Reply
  16. Glenda says

    August 30, 2016 at 7:59 am

    I love coconut rice. I’ve tried once when one of my Jamancian friends made it for me and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe. Plan to make it for my family (:

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      August 30, 2016 at 2:12 pm

      Yay! Hope it’s just as good!

      Reply
  17. Lynda says

    August 30, 2016 at 7:08 am

    I don’t suppose you know if I could use coconut oil rather than coconut milk? I have a huge 5 litre jar of coconut oil and no coconut milk!? I will be making in a rice cooker, so I might just start with a little coconut to test. Thank you

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      August 30, 2016 at 7:29 am

      I have no idea! It would also depend on if your coconut oil is refined or not as to how much coconut flavor you’ll actually get. We use coconut oil in coffee and to fry coconut shrimp in just to offer you a few other ideas for it 🙂

      Reply
    • J FERRO MAGISTRO says

      February 12, 2019 at 4:59 pm

      I would not recommend using coconut oil. Your rice will be too greasy and not coconutty enough. Coconut milk or coconut cream are the only things that will do for coconut rice recipes. These are two different consistencies. Creamy versus Oily. Take your pick. 🙂
      Hope this helps!

      Reply
  18. Angie Rose says

    August 8, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    This looks so good! We’d love to have you share this over at this week’s Dishing It and Digging It party! http://www.angiethefreckledrose.com/dishing-it-digging-it-108 Hope to see you there! 🙂

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      August 8, 2016 at 6:22 pm

      Thanks Angie!

      Reply
  19. Randall says

    July 13, 2016 at 11:11 am

    Sounds great!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      July 14, 2016 at 4:04 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  20. Ronda Bowen says

    July 13, 2016 at 2:14 am

    That sounds really good! I may have to make some to go under my kabobs.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      July 13, 2016 at 10:02 am

      Ohhh that would be a great way to use this! I’ll have to try that too!

      Reply
  21. Krysti says

    July 13, 2016 at 12:41 am

    Looks SO delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe!!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      July 13, 2016 at 10:02 am

      Thanks Krysti!

      Reply
  22. Emily says

    July 11, 2016 at 6:26 pm

    Oh man this sounds sooo good!! I don’t blame you for the addiction. I wonder how it would taste with a little bit of cinnamon to spice it up! 🙂

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      July 11, 2016 at 9:56 pm

      Sounds like it would be great!

      Reply
  23. Momjonz says

    July 11, 2016 at 9:33 am

    This sounds good!!! We love coconut milk and rice, so I’m sure I can’t go wrong. Adding to my side dish list.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      July 11, 2016 at 9:49 am

      It’s addicting!!

      Reply
  24. Rae says

    June 3, 2016 at 1:54 pm

    I use basmati rice, so I’m guessing I may need a bit more water or coconut milk to make it creamy. The rice to water ratio I use for perfect rice is 1 cup washed basmati to 1-2/3 cups water.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 3, 2016 at 9:29 pm

      I would use what you normally use and have 2 parts coconut milk to one part water. You can use all coconut milk, but it may take longer to cook.

      Reply
  25. Angie says

    June 3, 2016 at 11:14 am

    I love everything about this! Have you ever had mango sticky rice? You make the rice kind of similarly to this and it’s like my favorite thing ever. YUM!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 3, 2016 at 9:30 pm

      I have not, but def think I need to look into it because if it’s similar to this, I have to try it! I love coconut AND mango!

      Reply
  26. Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says

    June 2, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    Yum! I love making coconut rice. Such a great side dish.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 3, 2016 at 7:35 am

      It’s def one of my family’s favorites!

      Reply
  27. Gunjan says

    June 2, 2016 at 6:45 pm

    I love coconut rice and this recipe is so easy and delicious.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 3, 2016 at 7:36 am

      It really is simple with super tasty results!

      Reply
  28. Allison - Celebrating Sweets says

    June 2, 2016 at 5:00 pm

    My family would LOVE this! Must try soon!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 3, 2016 at 7:36 am

      Hope everyone loves it – mine sure does!

      Reply
  29. Leah says

    June 2, 2016 at 3:51 pm

    This looks so good, and I bet it’s so smooth and sweet! Yum!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 3, 2016 at 7:36 am

      Thanks Leah! It really is delicious!!

      Reply
  30. Denay DeGuzman says

    June 2, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    Wow! This Creamy Coconut Rice looks so moist and delicious. I want some right now. I can’t believe how quick and easy your recipe is to make. I love it!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 3, 2016 at 7:37 am

      Thanks Denay 🙂

      Reply
  31. Candy says

    June 2, 2016 at 12:08 pm

    How simple. Why haven’t I thought of this before. Will be making this.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      June 2, 2016 at 1:47 pm

      It was definitely one of those ah-ha moments! It’s so easy and so good!

      Reply
  32. Xavia Omega says

    May 11, 2016 at 12:28 pm

    I’ve been cooking coconut rice for a while, it’s so good. Pairs really well with spicy chili 🙂

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      May 12, 2016 at 7:34 am

      Ohhh, never thought to have it with chili – great idea!

      Reply
  33. Mandi says

    May 10, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    SO YUM! Do you know about how much longer it needs to cook adding in the milk component?

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      May 10, 2016 at 8:35 pm

      I found it varies depending on what kind of rice you use. When I use standard white rice, or jasmine, it’s not that much longer at all…but brown rice can take 10-15 minutes longer.

      Reply
  34. Melissa Chee says

    May 10, 2016 at 4:20 pm

    Looks yummy! 🙂

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      May 10, 2016 at 8:36 pm

      Thanks Melissa!

      Reply
  35. Leigh Anne Borders says

    May 9, 2016 at 7:34 pm

    I have never had this before. I have heard alot about it though. I have never really been a fan of coconut.

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      May 9, 2016 at 7:55 pm

      I never liked coconut either until a couple years ago, now I can’t get enough!

      Reply
  36. Chrissa - Physical Kitchness says

    May 9, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    YESSSS! I would eat this as a side for everything! I love coconut curry and anything made with cococonut milk!

    Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      May 9, 2016 at 7:12 pm

      Haha we are one in the same!!

      Reply
    • ourlittleeverything says

      May 9, 2016 at 7:24 pm

      We are one in the same then for sure! Haha!

      Reply
  37. Shannon says

    April 20, 2016 at 2:17 pm

    This looks soooo good. I love coconut so much. I’m going to pin it for later. Thanks for the share!!

    Reply

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Welcome, I'm Lauren!

Delicious Little Bites is where I share all types of recipes from appetizers to desserts. You will also find plenty of keto, gluten free, and vegetarian recipes here to help you put a delicious meal on the table every night that the whole family will love! Read More...

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