Easy Thai Coconut Rice
This Thai coconut rice recipe is the most delicious side dish! It’s the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes. No special equipment needed.
You can find coconut rice in many types of cuisine. The easy coconut rice recipe below borrows from Thai flavors, so it’s the perfect side dish for your favorite Thai curry dish, or even a soup like this Coconut Curry Noodle Soup!
Making coconut milk rice is actually very easy, and you don’t need a rice cooker.
We combine coconut milk with water to cook the rice and add just a bit of salt and sugar to enrich the coconut flavor.
Ingredients:
Here’s what you will need to make this tasty Thai Coconut Rice recipe:
- Long grain rice (or Thai jasmine rice)
- A can of coconut milk
- Water
- Sugar
- Salt
- Several items for optional garnish, see recipe card below
If you happen to have leftover coconut milk, use it to make this delicious Ube Milk Tea!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is coconut rice good for you?
This dish is fiber rich and adding coconut milk adds several nutritional benefits.
Coconut milk is wonderful for your skin, nails and bones and provides good fats.
Why is my coconut rice mushy?
Coconut milk is very thick, which makes it extra important that you wash the starch off your rice before cooking it.
Adding water to the coconut milk helps to thin the cooking liquid and allow the coconut milk to better absorb into the rice grains.
If you haven’t washed the rice enough, the rice will end up soggy.
Is this coconut rice recipe sweet?
No, not really! The coconut milk itself is not sweet, which is why sugar is added. There is a slight bit of sweetness, but it is not overpowering.
The mild hint of coconut is the perfect complement to savory curry dishes.
Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?
If you use coconut cream, only use 1 cup of coconut cream, and increase the water amount to 1 cup.
You can use light coconut milk in this recipe.
Can I use a rice cooker for this recipe?
Yes, you can. Prepare the same way as regular rice.
Can I use another type of rice?
Yes, Jasmine rice is a wonderful substitute. I actually love using Jasmine rice in this recipe, it’s so fragrant!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious coconut rice recipe as a side dish with this Indian Chicken Curry, Authentic Tandoori Chicken Tikka, or my Green Curry Fish. It’s also fantastic as the base for my Pork Banh Mi Bowl.
Or, pair this rice dish with Coconut Lime Chicken or Chicken Korma!
Storing Leftovers
Once the rice has completely cooled store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Or you can store this coconut rice in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.
Thai Coconut Rice
This coconut rice recipe is the most delicious side dish! It's the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes. No special equipment needed!
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice, washed
- 1 14 ounce can coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
For garnish:
- ½ tablespoon shredded coconut, toasted
- parsley or green onions, chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Place the rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, using your hands to gently massage the rice. This will remove excess starch from the rice.
- In a medium saucepan, add coconut milk and water and stir with a whisk.
- Add the rinsed rice, sugar and salt. Heat over medium-high heat until it comes bring to a boil.
- Once it starts to boil, adjust the heat to low and stir the rice.
- Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid.
- Remove pan from heat and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minutes, remove the lid, add lime juice, and fluff the cooked rice.
- Serve warm, topped with coconut flakes and parsley. Serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 256Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 226mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 3g
The nutrition for this recipe is calculated by an app, and may be incorrect.
