This Coconut Cilantro Rice recipe is a delicious and versatile side that's packed with rich coconut flavor and bright fresh cilantro. Plus, there's a simple addition to really increase the coconut flavor that is well worth the minimal extra step.
Coconut rice is a side dish served in many cuisines, with both savory and sweet versions prevent throughout Asia. This version is decidedly savory, with exceptional coconut flavor, bright lemon juice and a good amount of herbaceous cilantro.
To increase the coconut flavor of this rice, the recipe starts with toasting shredded (unsweetened) coconut flakes in a bit of coconut oil. Cook it until it's golden brown then remove it from the pan and reserve it for garnish. The leftover coconut oil in the saucepan now has even more coconut flavor and it's ready for the rice.
This coconut cilantro rice makes a delicious side for shrimp. Try serving it with our Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos or our Perfect Seared Shrimp with Garlic and Herbs. Or serve it with our Sweet and Sour Tofu or Red Lentil Patties for a vegetarian option.
Jump to:
Ingredients that Matter
This recipe calls for pantry staples along with some fresh ingredients. Here are the ingredients you'll need for this recipe:
- Rice. Choose a long-grain white rice like jasmine. You could also use a long-grain brown rice, though you'll have to increase the water and cook time (more on that latter). So why long-grain rice? A long-grain rice is less likely to get mushy and clump together as it cooks compared to short-grain and medium-grain rice.
- Coconut Milk. Use one can of unsweetened (full-fat) coconut milk. Add ¼ cup of water along with the coconut milk to provide enough liquid to cook the rice. You can also use lite coconut milk if you want cut back on the fat and calories of this dish. Also, if you don't prefer a rich rice, try only using 1 cup of the canned coconut milk (just be sure to stir the can to evenly incorporate the solids and liquids) and use 1 cup of water instead of ¼ cup.
- Cilantro. Use fresh chopped cilantro tossed into the rice after it cools slightly, then top with more for garnish.
- Coconut Oil. To add more coconut flavor to this dish, use coconut oil to toast shredded coconut (unsweetened). You can instead use butter or olive oil, if preferred.
- Shredded Coconut. Use unsweetened shredded coconut flakes as a garnish for this rice dish. Toast it in the coconut oil. This will make for a more complex, nutty topping, plus the shredded coconut will impart a bit more coconut flavor into the coconut oil itself.
- Lime. Serve the coconut rice with some lime wedges on the side.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This is a simple, mostly hands-off recipe, that takes about 25 minutes to make. Here is how this recipe comes together:
Heat coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium until melted then add the shredded coconut and cook, stirring frequently, until the coconut turns golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the shredded coconut with a slotted spoon, leaving behind leftover oil in the saucepan (it's okay if some shredded coconut stays in the saucepan).
Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and well coated in the coconut oil, about 1 minute.
Add a pinch of salt and the coconut milk and water. Stir well then bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until the rice is just tender, about 15 minutes. It's okay if there if the rice feels slightly undercooked at this point. Leave the lid on to allow the rice to continue steaming for 10 minutes.
Add chopped cilantro to the rice and fluff with a fork. Only add the cilantro just before serving as the herb will turn dark green the longer it sits in the hot rice.
Hint: Should you rinse your rice before cooking it? I go back and forth with whether to rinse rice, but my general rule is if I'm boiling or steaming long-grain white rice, I will rinse it. If I'm first toasting the rice in a bit of oil or butter, I don't rinse it. However, I ALWAYS rinse short-grain, medium-grain and brown rice.
Substitutions
This recipe is vegan and gluten-free as written, but there are plenty of ways to tweak this recipe based on your preferences (or what ingredients you have on hand). Try these substitutions:
- Rice - This recipe works well with long-grain jasmine or even basmati rice. You can also use rice simply labeled "long grain rice". You could also make this recipe using a medium-grain or even short-grain rice. Cook short-grain rice for 20 minutes and medium-grain rice for 15. For brown rice, increase the cook time to 30 minutes and add another ¼ cup of water.
- Coconut Milk - One full-fat can of coconut milk may be a bit too rich for some, so you can instead substitute in a can of lite coconut milk. Or, try instead using 1 cup of the full-fat coconut milk along with 1 cup of water. Be sure to stir the can of coconut milk to incorporate the liquid and solids.
- Sweetness - Want to make this recipe slightly sweet? Try stirring in one tablespoon of raw, light brown or regular sugar. I can't say sweet coconut rice is my preferred version, but once in a while I like the savory-sweet combo.
- Lime - Instead of just serving the coconut rice with lime wedges on the side, try add some lime zest to the cook rice and a big squeeze of lime juice.
Serving Suggestions
This coconut cilantro rice is delicious hot alongside a protein like shrimp, chicken or taco. It's also great with vegetarian options like our easy and vegan Chickpea Patties.
It also goes well with our Cast Iron BBQ Chicken Breast, our Spicy Chicken with Ginger, Citrus and Soy or our Air Fryer Chicken Katsu with Home Tonkatsu Sauce.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan with a bit of water to avoid scorching. You can even freeze leftover coconut rice in a freezer-safe zip top bag for up to 1 month.
Top tip
If you are short on time or don't have shredded coconut flakes or coconut oil, simply skip the step of toasting the coconut flakes and instead gently toast the rice in a bit of butter or olive oil. The dish won't be quite as special, but it will still taste great.
FAQ
There are two main reason coconut rice gets mushy. First, if any rice is mushy, it's likely overcooked. It's important to steam the rice until just tender, then allow it to finish cooking with the lid on (off the heat) for about 10 minutes. Rice can also get mushy if there is too much liquid added. For coconut rice, I recommended a 1 part rice to 2 part liquid ratio. For regular long-grain white rice the ratio I use is 1 part rice to 1.5 parts liquid (the ratio is higher for coconut milk since it contains more solids than just water).
Microwaving leftover coconut rice (covered) is the fastest method but you can also reheat it in a saucepan with a bit of water (to avoid scorching) over medium heat. Just be sure to stir frequently.
Proteins, particularly shrimp, chicken and tofu, go very well with coconut cilantro rice. You can also use serve it with fritters, tacos and even a fruit salsa.
More Sides
Looking for more side dish recipes like this? Try these:
Dinner Ideas
Need some inspiration for dinner? Give these recipes a try:
Print
Recipe
Coconut Cilantro Rice
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
This Coconut Cilantro Rice recipe is a delicious and versatile side that's packed with rich coconut flavor and bright fresh cilantro. Plus, there's a simple addition to really increase the coconut flavor that is well worth the minimal extra step.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 pinch table salt
- 1 (13.5 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk (see note)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium until melted, then add the shredded coconut and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the toasted coconut to a plate. Set aside. Leave as much coconut oil in the saucepan as possible (it's okay if some shredded coconut is left in the saucepan).
- Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until it's well coated in the oil and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt then pour in coconut milk and water. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until just tender, 15 minutes. Remove from heat but leave the lid on and allow the rice to continue steaming for another 10 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork and stir in chopped cilantro. Serve rice topped with more cilantro, reserved toasted coconut and lime wedges.
Notes
- You can also use lite coconut milk instead of full-fat. Just be sure it's unsweetened.
- In addition, if you don't want a rich coconut rice, use 1 cup of the coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Be sure to stir the the can of coconut milk to incorporate the solids into the liquid.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a microwave or a saucepan with a bit of water to avoid scorching.
- You can make this recipe with brown rice, just add another ¼ cup of water and cook for 30 minutes. Be sure to leave the lid on for 10 minutes after cooking.
- Serve the rice with our Spicy Chicken with Ginger, Citrus and Soy, Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos, Perfect Seared Shrimp with Garlic and Herbs or our Sweet and Sour Tofu.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sides
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: American/Asian
Leave a Reply