This recipe for Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice is an old-school Our Best Bites classic that is pretty much my go-to side dish with any summery, tropical meal. It’s one of those recipes I just know by heart and always have the ingredients for in my pantry (if you love tropical rice, another delicious standby is our Lime-Cilantro Pineapple Rice!). It’s not much harder to make than white rice, making it a great alternative to plain rice.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Jasmine or Basmati rice – These long-grain rice varieties result in a light, fluffy texture with grains that are not overly sticky. Long-grain white rice should work as a replacement, but I would avoid short to medium grain rice, as it will not have the same texture and may become gummy. I do not recommend brown rice for this recipe, as it requires a different liquid to rice ratio and cooking time.
- Coconut milk – Full fat coconut milk works best here. Light coconut milk will work, although the flavor may not be as pronounced. Make sure you don’t grab coconut cream, as that’s just the rich, fatty part of the coconut milk. Coconut milk sold near the milk is not the same as what you’ll find in the can. You want 100% coconut milk, in the can. You can find it near Asian ingredients in your grocery store.
- Water
- Kosher salt
- White or rice wine vinegar – Vinegar brightens and balances the flavor of the coconut milk.
- Granulated sugar – This rice is not overly sweet. A little sprinkle of sugar simply enhances the coconut flavor and adds to that sweet and savory taste of the finished rice.
- Chopped green onions – These will be stirred in, but you can save a few for the top as garnish as well.
- Black pepper
How to Make Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice
- This recipe is just about as simple as regular rice! You’ll just combine your dry rice with water, coconut milk, salt, vinegar, and sugar and cook, covered, on the stove top until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add some chopped green onions as well as pepper and any additional salt to taste. Top with more green onions if desired, and enjoy!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled rice in an airtight container and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Freeze portions in airtight containers of freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to restore moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this coconut rice ahead of time?
Yes. This rice reheats well. Feel free to make it a day ahead of time, cool, and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Add a splash of water when reheating if necessary.
Can I make this in a rice cooker?
Sure! This recipe should work well in the rice cooker!
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. Just be sure you are using a large enough pot.
Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice
This Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice pairs perfectly with anything summery or tropical!
Servings (3/4 cup) servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups Jasmine or Basmati rice
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 splash white or rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 handful chopped green onions plus chopped green onion tops for garnish
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine rice, coconut milk, water, salt, vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil Turn heat to low and cover for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Allow to stand 5 minutes. Add green onions, black pepper (if desired), and additional salt if necessary.
- Serve with any Asian or tropical-inspired food.
Notes
- Store cooled rice in an airtight container and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Freeze portions in airtight containers of freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to restore moisture.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.75cup, Calories: 290kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 303mg, Potassium: 185mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 290kcal
Cost: $5
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Questions & Reviews
I have made this a few times and my Samoan husband loves it. He would eat it every day if he could as it reminds him of home. 🙂 Thank you!!!
Awesome recipe. I made it with the spicy honey chicken and our guests went nuts. This is a new favorite. Love it so much! Will make it often. I was wondering about the light coconut milk so thanks for the tip there. I will try it….especially when we don’t have guests and I will be eating most of it! 🙂
We actually love this with the “Indian-spiced pork (except we use chicken)”! So easy and soooooo tasty 🙂
Thanks so much! It was so easy to make, used few ingredients (I had everything in my cabinet), and was super delicious!
DELICIOUS! I actually put all of the ingredients in my rice cooker and it came out perfect! Thanks for the great recipes!
I made this tonight with the chile lime chicken and mango skewers. I did a little experiment as I was wondering how the coconut rice would work with LIGHT coconut milk. There is quite a difference in fat and calories. I made one batch of rice with a 13.6 oz can of regular coconut milk (700 calories, 70g fat) and another with the same size can of LIGHT coconut milk (250 calories, 22.5g fat). There was not a huge difference in the taste or texture of the rice. I did a taste test with my family, two of my kids figured out which was the real deal ( the littlest one couldn't tell) but my husband couldn't tell them apart.
This will go PERECT with the chicken and peanut sauce I am making this week! Looks awesome.
Think it will cook just the same if I use a rice cooker instead?
Fletch- I think that sounds like an awesome combo! Sometimes mistakes lead to the yummiest things! lol
I actually got this recipe confused with your lime-cilantro rice and added pineapple at the last minute. I thought it made the rice so much more flavorful and added some contrast to the onion and coconut. I'm going to keep this new recipe around for good. We loved it.
(You all need to add the pineapple to this one. Yummy!)
this will sound like a strange question, but we are heading to Seattle in a month and I was wondering what beach you took those pictures at? I'd LOVE to hit the beach while we are there!
Oh-and we are having this recipe with our dinner tonight! 🙂