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Once you try this easy coconut rice recipe you’ll never make plain rice again. This basmati coconut rice is the perfect pair to curries and stir fry!
We made it! The first week of back to school, behind us. It’s only going to get crazier from here I’m sure, but we’ll find our groove. Wally had his first day of pre-k yesterday and it was adorable. I forgot how far Oscar has come from when he first started!
Anyway, as school picks up, along with all of the activities I (stupidly) enrolled my children in, we’ll be going, going these next couple of months. I’m going to need A LOT of easy dinner wins, and we can’t have skillet linguine EVERY night. Or can we….!?
This particular recipe is one of those recipes that I have been making for years now and only just thought of sharing it with you all. Duh. Sorry. Once you try it you will be spoiled like us, and never want regular rice with your curries again! Making it coconut-y is sooo simple and soooo good. Like so simple.
What is coconut rice made of?
Well, THIS recipe is made from coconut milk, white rice, a bit of sweetener and salt.
So, how do you make coconut rice?
Basically, instead of water, you use coconut milk…
No, but for real. Replace half of the water that you would normally use for basmati rice with coconut milk (I use full fat) and add a bit of maple syrup and salt for flavor. You can totally use brown sugar too, if maple syrup is not your thing. I highly recommend that little bit of sweetness though!
Boil the mixture, add the rice and let it all simmer for 10-11 minutes. Allow it to settle, fluff it up and serve!
I’m not gonna lie, after making the coconut rice I have a hard time not just shoveling it into my face all on its own. BUT I urge you, try to resist! It goes so well with so many curries. One of my favorite dishes to serve this with is this Instant Pot butternut squash Thai curry from Oh She Glows.
I’ve listed a few of my other fave curry dishes from LIMO at the bottom of this post, too!
I can’t gush to you enough about how much I love this one You’ve got to try it, you’ll love it too!
As promised, here are my favorite curry dishes from the blog that pair PERFECTLY with this rice!
- Instant Pot chicken tikka masala
- Thai green chicken curry
- golden lentil curry
- Thai chicken peanut curry
Easy Coconut Rice
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups rice 1x
Description
Once you try this easy coconut rice recipe you’ll never make plain rice again. This basmati coconut rice is the perfect pair to curries and stir fry!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk*
- 1 tsp maple syrup**
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan, combine the water, coconut milk, maple syrup and salt. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until boiling. Add the rice, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 11 minutes. Place the lid on the rice after 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow it to sit for a few minutes before removing the lid and fluffing the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Notes
*You can use light coconut milk, but the rice won’t be as creamy
**Feel free to substitute with 1 tsp brown sugar
***This recipe can easily be doubled, or tripled! Use the recipe card 🙂
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
OK, now I want curry with coconut rice for breakfast. WHY do I look at food blogs before I’ve eaten? This sounds delicious, Katherine! Have a great weekend!
Hahaha I know exactly what you mean Kelsie!! I could totally eat it for breakfast!!! Have a good weekend tooooooo 🙂
Gosh this sounds good! Can you believe I’ve never had coconut rice? I must surprise my hubby with this!
Whaaaat Annie you must change this!! He’ll be very happy with it, I promise!
I am all for coconut rice! Soo good. I used to make it by tossing the rice in coconut oil before I added water and then when cooked mixing in toasted coconut shaving. Gotta try your method – I can imagine the coconut flavor will be even better. Pinned!
Oh I like that idea too, Milena! The toasted coconut shaving mixed in with this method would be EXTRA tasty!!!
I love coconut rice!! Probably because I could drink coconut milk, lol. Now I want curry and a HUGE portion of this rice…..for breakfast. I can’t believe how fast the year is flying. Before we know it, it’ll be the holidays. Eeeeeek!! Have a wonderful weekend ahead, my friend! XOXO
Dawn, I could totally drink coconut milk too. I adore it!!! I use it in so many recipes! I am soooo not ready to talk about holidays! But apparently Costco is starting to put out the trees already!!! Haha happy Friday to you!
Rice is a dinner staple at our house! I will have to try this out for sure!
You guys would love it!!
I made lettuce wraps this week and should have made your yummy coconut rice to accompany them. Would be a delicious pairing!!
Oh yes! The coconut rice would have been perfect! Thanks Liz!
Katherine, this coconut rice would be perfect with so many curries I make! And I love having a touch of sweet with something spicy. Love it!
YES I love the sweet and spicy too, Kelly!! Thank you so much! We love curries!
I love taking that kind of simple tasty food to office. Keeper, definitely 🙂
Yay! Thanks! So happy to hear that!
I love coconut rice! I would eat this rice all the time it weren’t for my picky husband who can take coconut in very limited applications. Those school day are so hectic, especially when I there’s extracurricular activities involved. I don’t envy your schedule, Katherine!
The schedule is definitely feeling a little crazy these days, Thao. Aaah those husbands, they always cramp our style right!? 😉
Coconut rice is always a treat! My Bugs are getting better about actually eating rice and I know they would love it with a sweet coconut flavor! Thanks for another great recipe Katherine!
Coconut rice is one of the very few rice dishes that the boys really dig into! I hope you get a chance to try it out on your girls! 🙂