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Overhead view of a bowl of coconut rice with green onions and toasted coconut as garnish. A bowl of coconut and a spoon on the side.
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Coconut Rice

Fragrant, fluffy coconut rice is so easy to make in just 30 minutes! Top it with toasted coconut flakes for even more “coconutty” flavor.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Steam Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 481kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Medium pot

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups jasmine rice (285g)
  • 1 (13.5-ounce/400 ml) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • ½ cup water (120mL)
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
  • In a medium pot, bring the coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt to a boil over medium-high. Add the drained rice and return to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, undisturbed, until the liquid has been completely absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, and leave covered to steam for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. If desired, you can garnish the rice with toasted coconut, cilantro, or scallions.

Notes

  • Rinse the rice. This is the most important step of this recipe if you want fluffy, tender coconut jasmine rice that is slightly sticky without being gluey or mushy. Rinsing the rice until the water runs almost clear removes the excess starch on the outside of the rice grains that would cause them to stick together.
  • Use full-fat canned coconut milk. Light coconut milk isn’t quite as rich or thick, which will affect the flavor of the cooked rice. And be sure to use canned coconut milk, as the kind in a carton is quite watered down.
  • Cook the rice in a mixture of coconut milk and water. Coconut milk is too thick and fatty for the rice to absorb effectively. By adding water to the mix, the rice will absorb the water to become tender while still having a rich coconut flavor from the milk.
  • Let the rice cook undisturbed. While the rice cooks and then rests at room temperature, leave it alone! Don’t lift up the lid or stir it. The steam that builds up in the pot is an important part of the process for fluffy rice. Plus, stirring rice while it cooks will cause it to be sticky or creamy (think of risotto!). A technique that has its place but will not result in fluffy rice.
  • To make the toasted coconut topping: While this is optional, I love adding toasted coconut to amplify the “coconutty” flavor in this rice dish. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and toast unsweetened coconut flakes for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Or, check my full tutorial on how to toast coconut for more methods.

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 601mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg