Coconut Milk Rice

Once you learn how to make my family’s favorite creamy coconut milk rice recipe, it’ll be the only rice you ever make! It’s fluffy, never mushy, and always flavorful. 

If you need more rice and grain recipes, try my rice salad, curry fried rice, or Instant Pot sushi rice next!

Table of Contents

1. Why I love this recipe
2. Key ingredients
3. How to make coconut milk rice
4. Arman’s recipe tips
5. Frequently asked questions
6. Coconut Milk Rice (Recipe Card)
7. More easy side dishes

I am the kind of person who could have rice with every meal. Maybe it’s because I was raised eating rice every day, or maybe it’s because it’s a low-effort side. Either way, I’m happy I got family on board. 

While I love plain basmati rice, making rice with coconut milk has become our preferred method. The taste is simple, so it’s versatile, and the texture is far superior. 

Why I love this recipe

• Simple ingredients. You don’t even need spices, garlic, oil, nada. 
• Ready in under 20 minutes. And you’re guaranteed the same results every time. 
• Easy to adjust the amount. Once you learn the ratios, you can make a half batch or double batch, depending on how many people you’re feeding. 
• The best rice for meal prep. Since it’s slightly creamy, it doesn’t become dry and hard like traditional rice, and it reheats like a dream. 

Key ingredients

• Basmati rice. This is my preferred rice to use for this recipe, though I left some tips below in case you want to use brown rice or jasmine rice. Rinse the rice and soak it in cold water for 30 minutes to rinse the excess starch.
• Canned coconut milk. I use canned coconut cream, so it’s thicker and creamier. 
• Sugar. To give the rice a subtle sweet flavor. 
• Salt. A pinch of salt to balance all flavors. 
• Water. As coconut milk is too thick, mixing it with water helps cook the rice grains evenly. 

How to make coconut milk rice

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prepare the rice. Rinse the rice under cold water. 

Step 2- Cook. Stir together all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Step 3- Rest and serve. Remove the pan from the heat, let it sit (with the lid on) briefly, then fluff with a fork. 

Arman’s recipe tips

• Use other types of long-grain rice. I also tested this recipe with brown basmati rice and jasmine rice, and both worked well. Make sure to add an extra ½ cup of water or milk for brown rice, as it absorbs more liquid than white rice.
• Use full-fat coconut milk. For the best texture and flavor, avoid low-fat coconut milk. 
• Don’t rinse the rice too much. This can yield gluey, thick rice. A simple, quick rinse is fine. 
• No touching! I know it may be tempting to lift the lid as the rice is cooking, but it’s important you don’t! The rice needs plenty of steam to cook evenly. This goes for after it’s been removed from the heat, too. 
• Cut the recipe in half. Make a smaller batch with ½ cup of rice, ½ cup of milk, ¼ cup of water, and your desired flavorings. 

Frequently asked questions

More easy side dishes

• Couscous
• Great northern beans
• Air fryer red potatoes
• Sautéed Brussels sprouts
• Or any of these side dish recipes

Originally updated July 2023, updated and republished January 2025