Creamy, fragrant, and ready in minutes – this coconut rice brings a taste of the tropics to your table. It’s made in the Instant Pot, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need a base for your favorite stir fry or curry.
Coconut rice is a simple dish that adds something special to any meal with its subtle sweetness. The coconut flavor isn’t overwhelming, so you can serve it with just about anything, from spicy curries to grilled seafood. It’s a nice change from plain rice when I want to make an everyday dinner feel a bit more special.
What’s the best rice to use?
Jasmine rice is the top choice for coconut rice. It has a natural floral aroma that goes beautifully with the coconut flavor.
Long-grain basmati is a good alternative, offering a similar texture, though it needs a little more water (see recipe notes for details).
Avoid short-grain or sushi rice, as these can become too sticky.
Coconut milk or coconut cream?
For best results, use full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk. Look for brands without additives – coconut and water should be the main ingredients.
Avoid “light” versions, as they don’t have as much flavour as the regular version.
You can substitute coconut cream in a pinch, however it’s much thicker than coconut milk, so should be diluted it with water (about 1:1 ratio) for a similar consistency to coconut milk.
Let’s make this coconut rice in the Instant Pot
1
Rinse the rice.
Start by rinsing your rice in a sieve until the water runs clear. This helps to remove excess starch to keep the rice fluffy rather than gummy.
2
Pressure cook.
Simply put the rice, water, coconut milk and salt into the Instant Pot bowl. Seal the lid, and set to pressure cook for 3 minutes.
3
Natural release.
When the pressure cooking time has finished, allow the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally for ten minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking, then use quick release to open it. Fluff the rice grains with a fork before serving.
Serving ideas
Coconut rice pairs wonderfully with many Asian and tropical-inspired dishes. Its subtle sweetness and creamy texture make it an ideal companion for:
- Thai curries or coconut-based curries like green curry, Massaman curry, or Panang curry
- Caribbean-style dishes such as jerk chicken, coconut shrimp, or Caribbean-spiced grilled fish
- Tropical-inspired meals like garlic shrimp, Hawaiian pork, or mango-lime grilled chicken
Instant Pot Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 275 g jasmine rice (Note 1)
- ¾ cup / 175 ml water (Note 1)
- ½ cup / 120 ml coconut milk
- pinch of salt
Directions
- Rinse rice under running water using a mesh sieve. This removes the fine layer of starch on the outside of the grains, preventing them from sticking together.
- Place the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in the inner pot.
- Close and lock the lid of the Instant Pot, ensuring the valve is set to 'Sealing'. Set the Instant Pot to 'Pressure cook' for 3 minutes.
- When the time is up, allow the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally for 10 minutes (using the keep warm function). After this time you can press cancel and use quick release to finish depressurizing before opening the Instant Pot.
- Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
Notes
- If substituting basmati rice, use 1 cup of water per cup of rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.