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    Home » Recipes » Sides & Appetizers

    Published: May 16, 2023 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 2 Comments

    Coconut Basmati Rice

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    5 from 1 vote
    Coconut Basmati Rice
    Coconut Basmati Rice
    spooning out a spoonful of coconut basmati rice from a pink bowl
    Coconut Basmati Rice

    Perfectly fluffy Coconut Basmati Rice that's easy to make, satisfying, rich, and so delicious! Serve as a side with all of your favourite curries, stir-fries, tofu dishes, or bowl meals.

    a bowl of coconut basmati rice with cilantro and coconut

    Coming on through with a simple and basic, naturally gluten-free and vegan side dish. Coconut Basmati Rice we're looking at you!

    It's as easy to make as plain rice and thanks to the creamy coconut milk is really rich, decadent, and capable of elevating so many meals. I particularly love it with my Ginger Tofu!

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make Coconut Basmati Rice
    • What To Eat With Coconut Basmati Rice
    • Storing Leftovers
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe
    • Reviews & Questions

    Ingredients

    Here is what you need to make this recipe:

    basmati rice, coconut milk, sugar, salt, water

    And a few ingredient notes:

    • Basmati rice - Specifically white basmati rice, although this recipe will also work with jasmine rice and most other long-grain white rice. It has not been tested with brown rice or short-grain rice.
    • Coconut milk - For optimum richness and flavour I recommend using canned full-fat coconut milk.
    • Sugar - This should be either cane sugar or white sugar. It's just a tiny bit used as a seasoning rather than a sweetener and it really elevates and enhances the coconut flavour.

    Love some zippy lime in the mix too? Check out my Coconut Lime Rice!

    Success Tip - For the rice to actually taste of coconut you need to use full fat canned coconut milk. I recommend using a good quality brand because the higher the percentage of coconut in the milk, the better the coconut flavour in the rice will be.

    How To Make Coconut Basmati Rice

    Here's a quick summary of how to make coconut rice on the stovetop (for more detailed instructions see the printable recipe card):

    how to make coconut basmati rice step by step as per the written instructions
    1. Add everything to a pan and stir, then bring to a boil.
    2. Put the lid on, turn it down low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
    3. Turn off and leave to sit with the lid on for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
    4. Serve with garnishes of choice.

    Success Tip - Don't remove the lid during the simmering or the 10-minute rest. It's really important to keep the steam trapped inside so the rice cooks properly.

    What To Eat With Coconut Basmati Rice

    Serve Coconut Basmati Rice with garnishes such as toasted coconut, peanuts or cashews, fresh or canned pineapple chunks, and fresh cilantro or lime wedges.

    It's great paired with Asian-style meals and spicy or citrusy dishes. Think curries, stir-fries, tofu dishes, etc. I love it with:

    • a bowl of red lentil dal with rice
      Red Lentil Dal
    • a bowl of tofu, rice and bok choy
      Five Spice Tofu
    • sticky garlic maple tfu with rice and broccoli
      Sticky Maple Garlic Tofu
    • a small bowl of butternut squash curry over rice with a wedge of naan bread on the side
      Easy Butternut Squash Curry

    Storing Leftovers

    Leftover rice should be cooled very quickly in a shallow container, then covered tightly and refrigerated. Do not leave it out at room temperature for more than 1 hour after cooking.

    It can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or covered tightly in the oven until piping hot. If frozen reheat straight from the freezer. Don't let it defrost first.

    It is very important to note that for food safety reasons cooked rice can only be reheated once. <source: The NHS's article "Can reheating rice cause food poisoning?">.

    spooning out a spoonful of coconut basmati rice from a pink bowl

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make this with any other type of rice?

    This recipe will work with basmati rice, jasmine rice, and most other long-grain white rice. It has not been tested with brown rice or short-grain varieties.

    Can I make coconut basmati rice in an Instant Pot?

    You can try if you like but I've had mixed results. In my old 6 quart it works fine. In newer or bigger models the burn notice sometimes appears before it gets to pressure. If you want to have a go regardless, add the rice ingredients to an Instant Pot but only use ½ cup (120ml) of water. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, then allow the pressure to naturally release. This will take 10 to 15 minutes. You'll know when it's done because the pin/valve will drop. Open the lid, fluff with a fork, then serve.

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe Video

    Recipe

    a bowl of coconut basmati rice garnished with toasted coconut and cilantro

    Coconut Basmati RIce

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    5 from 1 vote
    Perfectly fluffy Coconut Basmati Rice that's easy to make, satisfying, rich, and so delicious! Serve as a side with all of your favourite curries, stir-fries, tofu dishes, or bowl meals.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 2 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME: 20 minutes minutes
    Resting time 10 minutes minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 32 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1½ cups (300 grams) white basmati rice , or jasmine
    • 1 can (400 ml / 13.5 oz) full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup (240 ml) water
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon sugar , (white or cane sugar)
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    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Add the rice to a medium saucepan along with the canned coconut milk, water, sugar and salt. Stir and set the heat to medium-high.
    • Allow the liquid to come to a full boil. Once it reaches that stage, cover with a lid, turn the heat to low and gently simmer for 15 minutes. Make sure it maintains a gentle simmer for the entire time. Adjust the heat a little if necessary. Do not stir or lift the lid.
    • After simmering for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes without lifting the lid.
    • Once rested, lift the lid and fluff with a fork before serving.

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 522mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Al says

      May 16, 2023 at 7:02 pm

      Can you use cauliflower rice instead

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        May 16, 2023 at 8:58 pm

        Definitely not. Cauliflower rice can't withstand the same amount of cooking as basmati/long grain rice. It needs to be cooked very quickly and not in liquid.

        Reply

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    Melanie McDonald

    I'm Melanie McDonald (but you can call me Mel), best-selling cookbook author and creator of A Virtual Vegan. I share well-tested, flavour-packed vegan recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions. My goal is to give you the confidence to cook amazing vegan food from scratch.

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