Easy Coconut Rice with Coconut Milk

If you're looking for a way to jazz up your next meal without a lot of work, look no further. Coconut rice is fragrant, buttery, and has a nice balance of savory and slightly sweet flavors.

Full-fat coconut milk and few pinches of turbinado give it a hint of sweetness, which pairs nicely with the side dish's main flavors: garlic and onion. Taking a few minutes to saute the onion first in coconut oil adds extra coconut flavor that comes out in the final dish.

Coconut Rice: So Delicious It Requires a Bit of Self-Control

This rice is SO GOOD that I practically inhale it. It's a slight problem. As soon as it's ready, I dig in with a big spoon. To be safe (unless you want your whole meal to be this rice dish), I always serve it with plenty of protein and veggies.

My favorite dish to fix with coconut rice is my roasted curry chicken thighs with grass-fed butter. Both the chicken and the rice are buttery and savory with a hint of sweetness, so it's hard not to gobble everything down immediately.

Easy Coconut Rice Recipe with Coconut Milk

Filling your plate with a heaping portion of roasted veggies also helps to offset all the buttery goodness. Plus, rice by itself is not very filling (at least in my experience).

Geez...did I say butter enough? It's one of the pillars of my food lifestyle, if you can't tell. Alongside coconut oil.

What to Serve With Coconut Rice

Back to coconut rice. So, you're ready to make a steaming pot of fresh rice. What will you serve with it? Like I said before, I enjoy well seasoned roasted meats and veggies. However, here are a few other ideas for foods to dish up with coconut rice (from my recipe archives):

grilled, seared, baked, or pan-fried fish
mango avocado salsa
oven roasted tomatoes with fresh herbs & garlic
oven roasted green beans with coconut oil
slow cooker lemon pepper whole chicken
cast-iron baked peach chicken
coconut cream pesto sauce (pour over roasted meats or veggies)
whole roasted chicken
grass-fed beef and pork meatballs
Peruvian roasted chicken with sweet peppers, onions & lemons
beef lettuce wraps

I love the flavor of the coconut rice by itself, so I usually just serve it on the side, but it would also make a great base for stir frys, curries, stews, or even stuffed baked veggies.

Easy Coconut Rice Recipe with Coconut Milk
A savory and slightly sweet coconut rice recipe using canned or homemade full-fat coconut milk. It's fragrant, buttery, and totally addicting! Serve with your favorite roasted meats and veggies or as a base for saucy dishes like curries and stews.
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
1 cup of jasmine rice (you can also substitute basmati)
1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil (I used THIS)
1/2 of yellow onion (about 1/2 cup), finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of full-fat coconut milk (canned or homemade)*
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (I used THIS)
1/4 teaspoon of sugar (optional -- I used organic turbinado)
2 pinches of crushed red pepper

*If your canned coconut milk is less than 16 oz (2 cups), then use whatever amount you have (my can was only 13.5 ounces) and fill the rest of the measuring cup with water until it reaches 2 cups.

Recommended Equipment
medium sauce pan with a tight fitting lid OR rice cooker

Directions
Measure out the rice and rinse it under running water 2-3 times to remove excess starch. Make sure it's drained completely and set aside. Heat a medium sauce pan (make sure it has a matching tight-fitting lid) to medium. Add the coconut oil, peel and dice the onion, then throw that in the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, peel and mince the garlic. After the onion has cooked, toss in the garlic, saute for 1-2 minutes (don't let it burn), then pour in the coconut milk + additional water, if necessary. Cook until it barely comes to a boil, then stir in the sea salt, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Add the rice, stir, bring to a low boil again, then immediately cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook it for the amount of time listed on the rice package. This will vary based on the variety of rice used. For my short grain, white jasmine rice it only takes 15-17 minutes. When the rice is fully cooked, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit undisturbed with the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, and serve immediately. If desired, top it with your favorite garnish (like sliced green onion).

I'd like to hear from YOU!

What are your favorite seasonings or mix-ins for rice? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below!

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