Thai Inspired Coconut Jasmine Rice Recipe

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Coconut Jasmine Rice | Easy side dish of jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk and topped with toasted coconut. This easy rice recipe is a perfect side dish for Thai curry dishes. Only 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to cook.

This quick and easy Thai-inspired coconut rice recipe only takes a few more minutes than plain Jasmine rice and it’s so flavorful. This versatile side dish is perfect for weeknights and goes well with a variety of dishes.  

I love this fluffy coconut rice with chicken curry or lime and mint (mojito!) chicken, but especially with spicy curry – the combo is perfection.

For my coconut jasmine rice recipe, I use both a can of unsweetened coconut milk and toasted coconut flakes to give the rice coconut flavor.

Since I first posted this recipe 7 years ago, I’ve tested other methods for preparing it. 

When I first created the recipe, I toasted the coconut in the oven, separately. But then I forgot the coconut in the oven a few times. So I started toasting the coconut in the pot at the beginning of the recipe and then cooking it right in the rice. This was a gamechanger!

This saves the extra step of toasting the coconut in the oven or on the stovetop. I’ll leave those original instructions below though in case you want to try it anyway. 

But the best way is to toast the rice right in the pot you’ll cook the rice in – this helps develop flavor right from the start of the dish.

Ingredients

See the recipe card below for exact amounts.

• jasmine rice –  2 cups of jasmine rice. This is pretty easy to find at my local grocery store.
• unsweetened coconut milk – you’ll need a 15 oz. can of coconut milk. I use full-fat coconut milk for a rich flavor.
• coconut flakes –  I use unsweetened shredded coconut, which is cooked in a small amount of brown sugar, to give the overall dish a touch of sweetness.
• brown sugar + butter – cooking these both together at the start of the dish sets up a great flavor base for this jasmine rice recipe.

Substitutions

• rice: try basmati or another long-grain white rice instead.
• butter: try coconut oil instead to make this recipe vegan.

Equipment

I use my cast iron Dutch oven by Cuisinart for this and most other recipes that I make.

Instructions

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. I use my cast iron Dutch oven.  Melt the butter and then add the brown sugar, coconut, and rinsed rice.  Stir to coat the coconut and rice and cook for a minute or two to toast both the rice and the coconut.  
2. Add the water and the canned coconut milk, and then bring it to a boil. Add a tight-fitting lid, turn the heat down to low, and then simmer until cooked, about 18 minutes or according to your package instructions. Try not to peek, it will interrupt the rice steaming!
3. When the rice is done, remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
4. To serve, fluff the cooked rice with a fork.  I top mine with some cilantro and lime juice to freshen it up a bit.  

Note: The original instructions are below.

Start by toasting the coconut in a hot nonstick pan and heat or medium heat, tossing or stirring until it’s all golden brown.  Remove from the hot pan and scatter it on a plate as soon as it’s done to stop cooking. This helps the coconut cool faster.

You can also toast the coconut in the oven by spreading it on a sheet pan and baking at 325 for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully. Continue with the recipe.

Tips for making coconut rice

• Make sure to rinse the rice well which removes excess starch and dirt and helps prevent the rice from sticking together.
• Don’t have jasmine rice on hand? Try another long-grain rice like basmati for a similar result.
• Don’t peek while the rice is steaming, just follow the package instructions.
• For best results, let the rice sit with the lid on off of the heat after cooking, to finish steaming.

What to serve this rice with

I like serving this rice with spicy chickpea curry, or on the side of air fryer chicken katsu and my pineapple mango salsa.

Looking for more rice recipes? Try my Instant Pot brown rice next.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat by microwaving with a splash of water on top.

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