How to Make Coconut Rice (with Sweet or Savory Options!)

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Updated: March 23, 2022/ First Posted: March 23, 2022Amy Palanjian 9 Comments

I love making whole grains for my kids, but wow, they can be so messy! Learning how to make Coconut Rice can be a game changer since it’s much less prone to winding up all over the floor since the grains stick together. And also: It’s simply delicious!

Coconut Rice

This coconut rice can be a simple side dish or even a breakfast component, and it’s made with just a few ingredients including rice, coconut milk (the kind that comes in a can), ginger, and optional sweetener. It’s super sticky, which makes it easier for kids to eat since it clumps together nicely—so it’s a great finger food if your kids aren’t quite up to utensils yet!

And it’s really versatile.

I love the consistency and flavor that canned coconut milk lends to coconut rice, so it’s my go-to liquid in this recipe. It sort of reminds me of rice pudding, but it’s way less sweet—and just as satisfying!

And I have sweet and savory options for you too.

The inclusion of ginger, which honestly is optional since I’ve made it without and it’s just fine, lends another depth of flavor. And it provides a really mellow way to introduce kids to another flavor.

I am a big fan of coconut, as is my youngest, so this rice is one of our favorites.

Ingredients in Coconut Rice

To make this recipe you’ll need:

TIP: I like to store fresh ginger in a freezer bag in the freezer and grate it (still frozen) on a microplane. It’s so easy to grate this way and it never goes bad!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at making this coconut rice. Scroll down to see the full recipe at the bottom of the post.

Gather your ingredients.
Place the rice into a medium bowl and fill with water. Swirl and pour off the cloudy liquid. Repeat a few more times until the water is mostly clear.
Add the coconut oil to a medium pot placed over medium heat. Grate the ginger, if using, with a fine microplane into the warm oil. Stir and cook for about a minute. Stir in the rice to coat.
Add water and bring to a simmer. Cook until the water is almost all absorbed.
Stir in the coconut milk. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft.
Remove from heat and cover. Let sit and stir in the shredded coconut, if using. (I recommend you use it!) Serve warm.

TIP: Rinsing the rice ensures that the grains don’t stick together immediately when you start to heat the pot.

What’s the easiest way to grate ginger?

OK, this is so helpful: Put a whole knob of fresh ginger root into a freezer bag and keep it in the freezer. Then, whenever you need it, you can grate it on a microplane frozen. You leave the skin on and it grates SO easily.

And it never goes bad since it’s frozen.

What kind of rice works best in this recipe?

I use jasmine rice here, but you can also use basmati. They both have a nice flavor that works well with the coconut. I’ve made it with short grain brown rice, but since that sort of rice grain is denser, it requires additional time to cook it to soft. You can totally do it, it will just take a little longer!

What to Serve with Coconut Rice

You can think of this rice as Caribbean style rice and serve it with black beans and pineapple or mango. Or stir in frozen peas to thaw. Or add a few additional spices and raisins to turn it into a sweeter rice pudding.

It’s also great with any sort of basic chicken, fish, shrimp, or tofu! Or, of course, plain.

Best Tips for Success

Rinse the rice to remove extra starch and help prevent it from sticking to the pan.
Make sure the temperature of the stove doesn’t get too high, causing the rice to stick to the bottom of the pan.
Stir occasionally since the coconut milk has a tendency to sort of float to the top of the pot.
Season to taste to make sure you like the levels of sweetness.
Cook the rice all the way through to ensure it’s soft. You can always add a little water if needed to cook it to softness.
Let the kids eat with a spoon or their hands.
You may also like Cheesy Cauliflower Rice, One-Pot Lentils and Rice, Chia Pudding, and Baby Rice Cereal.

Let me know if you make the recipe—I’d love to hear what your family thought of it!

This post was first published October 2018.