Coconut Basmati Rice (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
Coconut basmati rice is the perfect side dish for all kinds of stir frys and curries. This fragrant rice is simple to make and adds major flavor to your meal.
Coconut basmati rice is a game changer. If you see a simple white rice recipe and are tempted to keep scrolling… don’t! Stop and make this rice dish. I promise, you won’t be sorry.
This recipe is deceivingly good. It has a creamy light coconut flavor and a delicious scent that will make your family ask “what is in this rice?!” It is the perfect rice dish to add a little extra flavor to your favorite stir frys and curries. It is delicious with all kinds of tropical dishes, and a great complement to Indian and Asian flavors. You will never go back to plain rice!
You Will Love This
- Coconut milk rice is perfect for serving with your favorite Asian dishes and Indian dishes. It adds tons of flavor without overwhelming the main dish.
- This basmati coconut rice is one of my absolute favorite instant pot recipes. The pressure cooker makes the best rice – perfect fluffy rice every time, completely hands-off! But if you don’t want to use an instant pot, no worries. There are stove top directions below as well.
- This recipe is made with simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry.
Ingredients
To make instant pot coconut basmati rice, you need the following simple ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below):
- White basmati rice: I love the texture of white basmati rice. Basmati rice is a long grain rice with a beautiful floral scent. It cooks up nice and fluffy ever time. You could substitute long grain Jasmine rice in this recipe. Jasmine rice also has a very nice scent, but it is starchier than basmati, which means it will be more sticky and less fluffy.
- Coconut milk: I used full-fat coconut milk, but you could substitute light coconut milk. Make sure the coconut milk you choose is unsweetened!
- Water
- White sugar: Just a pinch of white sugar helps flavor the rice.
- Kosher salt
Instant Pot Instructions
Step One: Measure out two cups of rice. Rinse the rice under cold water to rinse off the excess starch. Rinse until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the instant pot.
Step Two: Open the can of coconut milk. If the coconut milk has separated, leaving the cream on the top of the can and the coconut water at the bottom, stir it together so that it is well incorporated and creamy throughout. Add the coconut milk to a bowl with the water, sugar and salt. Stir everything together until well incorporated and add it to the instant pot.
Step Three: Give the rice and coconut milk mixture a quick stir. Put the top on the instant pot and set the valve to “Sealing.” Cook the rice on high pressure for 4 minutes. Once the rice is done cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, quick release any remaining pressure and fluff the rice with a wooden spoon. Enjoy!
Stove Top Instructions
Step One: Measure out two cups of rice. Rinse the rice under cold water to rinse off the excess starch. Rinse until the water runs clear. Add the rice to a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
Step Two: Open the can of coconut milk. If the coconut milk has separated, leaving the cream on the top of the can and the coconut water at the bottom, stir it together so that it is well incorporated and creamy throughout. Add the coconut milk to a bowl with the water, sugar and salt. Stir everything together until well incorporated and add it to the saucepan
Step Three: Give the rice and coconut milk mixture a quick stir. Put the saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the rice, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Allow the rice to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
Step Four: Once all the liquid is absorbed into the rice, turn off the stovetop and remove the saucepan from the heat. Leave the lid on the saucepan and allow the rice to sit and steam with the lid on for about 5 more minutes. Fluff the rice with a wooden spoon, and enjoy!
Storage
You can definitely make this rice ahead of time for meal prep, and I do frequently. Let the rice cool and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For best results when reheating, add a little bit of water to the rice and then microwave it in short bursts. Adding the water will help the rice to steam as it reheats, so that it doesn’t dry out.
Coconut Basmati Rice (Instant Pot and Stove Top)
Ingredients
Instant Pot Ingredients
- 2 cups white basmati rice
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Stove Top Ingredients
- 2 cups white basmati rice
- 1 13.6 ounce can coconut milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Measure out two cups of rice. Rinse the rice under cold water to rinse off the excess starch. Rinse until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the instant pot.
- Open the can of coconut milk. If the coconut milk has separated, leaving the cream on the top of the can and the coconut water at the bottom, stir it together so that it is well incorporated and creamy throughout. Measure one cup of coconut milk, and add it to a bowl with the water, sugar and salt. Stir everything together until well incorporated and add it to the instant pot.
- Give the rice and coconut milk mixture a quick stir. Put the top on the instant pot and set the valve to "Sealing." Cook the rice on high pressure for 4 minutes. Once the rice is done cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, quick release any remaining pressure and fluff the rice with a wooden spoon. Enjoy!
Stove Top Instructions
- Measure out two cups of rice. Rinse the rice under cold water to rinse off the excess starch. Rinse until the water runs clear. Add the rice to a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
- Open the can of coconut milk. If the coconut milk has separated, leaving the cream on the top of the can and the coconut water at the bottom, stir it together so that it is well incorporated and creamy throughout. Add the coconut milk to a bowl with the water, sugar and salt. Stir everything together until well incorporated and add it to the saucepan
- Give the rice and coconut milk mixture a quick stir. Put the saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the rice, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Allow the rice to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
- Once all the liquid is absorbed into the rice, turn off the stovetop and remove the saucepan from the heat. Leave the lid on the saucepan and allow the rice to sit and steam with the lid on for about 5 more minutes. Fluff the rice with a wooden spoon, and enjoy!
