This simple coconut rice recipe is made with jasmine rice, full-fat coconut milk, lime, and toasted coconut. It's lightly sweet, fluffy, and perfect with chicken, fish, shrimp, tacos, and tropical dinners.
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Coconut rice is jasmine rice cooked with coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar, then finished with fresh lime juice, lime zest, and toasted coconut. It's lightly sweet, fluffy, and easy to serve with chicken, fish, shrimp, tacos, or any tropical-style dinner.
Key West Coconut Rice
I live in Key Largo, where citrus, rice, seafood, and grilled chicken show up on the table all the time. This coconut rice fits right in. It's sweet, fresh, and tropical, with just enough lime to brighten it up.
I started making coconut rice to serve with my Key West chicken, but it quickly became one of those easy sides I use with all kinds of fish and shrimp dishes.
The rice is simple to make, and the lime and toasted coconut give it amazing Key West flavor.
Ingredients
- Jasmine rice
- Unsweetened (full-fat) coconut milk, shaken well
- Water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Sugar
- Lime zest and juice
- Unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
Rice Substitutions
- Jasmine rice: Jasmine is soft, fragrant, and works well with coconut milk. Rinse it first so the rice cooks up lighter and less sticky. If you have basmati rice, it can be used, but it has a drier, more separate grain than jasmine rice. Rinse it well, soak it in cool water for 15 minutes, then drain before cooking. Keep the same liquid amounts and check it after 12 to 15 minutes.
- Long-grain white rice: Regular long-grain white rice can be used instead of jasmine rice. The texture will be a little slightly firmer, but it still works well with coconut milk. Use the same liquid amounts and cooking time.
- Brown rice: Brown rice can be used, but it needs more liquid and a longer cooking time than jasmine rice. It will also have a nuttier flavor and chewier texture, so the finished dish will not be as creamy. For best results, use jasmine rice or long-grain white rice for this coconut rice recipe.
For The Toasted Coconut Topping
I use unsweetened coconut for the topping. It toasts quickly in a hot skillet.
If you use sweetened shredded coconut, it takes a little longer to toast because it needs time to dry out first. Keep the pan over medium-low heat and stir often. It may take about 5 minutes to dry out, then another 2 minutes or so to turn golden. Don't walk away. Once the sugar starts to brown, it can burn quickly.
How to Make Coconut Rice
- Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and helps the rice cook up light and fluffy instead of sticky.
- Add the rice, coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar to a small saucepan. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir once, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the lime zest and lime juice.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shredded coconut and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate to cool. Season with salt to taste.
- Spoon the rice into a bowl and top with toasted coconut. Serve warm with extra lime wedges.
Tips for the Best Coconut Rice
- Rinse the rice well: Rinse the jasmine rice in a mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear. This removes extra starch and helps the rice cook up light and fluffy.
- Use full-fat canned coconut milk: Canned coconut milk gives the rice the best flavor and texture.
- Use the right size pot: A 1 ½- to 2-quart saucepan is a good size for 1 cup of dry rice. If the pot is too large, the liquid can evaporate too quickly. If it is too small, the coconut milk can bubble over.
- Use a tight-fitting lid: The rice finishes cooking by steam. A tight lid keeps the steam inside the pot so the rice cooks evenly.
- Lower the heat once it boils: Bring the rice to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low right away.
- Let the rice rest: After cooking, leave the lid on and let the rice sit for 10 minutes. This helps the rice finish steaming and keeps it from turning wet or gummy.
- Add lime at the end: Stir in the lime zest and lime juice after the rice is cooked. The flavor stays fresher that way.
- Toast the coconut carefully: Keep the heat medium-low and stir often. Coconut can go from golden to burned fast, especially if it is sweetened.
What to Serve with Coconut Rice
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover coconut rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat it in the microwave with a splash of water or coconut milk. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Coconut Rice with Toasted Coconut
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- ¾ cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from about ½ to 1 lime
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (see notes below for using sweetened coconut)
Instructions
- Rinse the jasmine rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and helps the rice cook up light and fluffy instead of sticky.
- Add the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar to a small saucepan. Stir well.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stir once, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the lime zest and lime juice.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shredded coconut and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Spoon the rice into a serving bowl and top with toasted coconut. Serve warm.
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