How to Make Coconut Jasmine Rice {Stovetop and Instant Pot}
Published Feb 14, 2022•Updated Jan 22, 2026
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Fluffy Coconut Jasmine Rice can level-up any dinner. After living in Thailand for 5 years, I ate a lot of this delicious rice. But now I’ve perfected the method for making this flavorful rice at home. Stovetop or Instant Pot – both work!
Despite loving coconut rice so much, it has taken me some time to give this delicious ingredient the attention it deserves. When made correctly, coconut rice is just as light and fluffy as traditional jasmine rice, but each grain is infused with the flavor of coconut. A few simple tips guarantee that each grain will be tender but firm and full of flavor, and I’ve got everything you need to know below.
What to Serve with Coconut Rice
It goes particularly well with your favorite dishes from Asia or the Caribbean. Anything with spice is great served over coconut rice. The coconut flavor helps to mellow the spiciness. Here are a few favorites:
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Key Tips for Great Coconut Rice:
Follow these tips, and you’ll get great, fluffy coconut rice ever time.
- Use 50/50 Water and Coconut Milk. Coconut milk is thicker than water and will not evaporate as quickly, so it’s important to use water in addition to the coconut milk.
- Use Light Coconut Milk. This 50/50 ratio works best with light (not regular) coconut milk. Again, it’s all about using enough liquid to properly cook the rice and regular coconut milk is too thick.
- Rinse rice well. This is true for all rice, but especially with coconut rice where the coconut milk thickens the cooking liquid. You don’t want any extra starch on the grains of rice. That starch will cause the grains to stick together instead of being separate.
- Use Less Liquid. When making coconut rice, use less total liquid to cook the rice than you usually use when cooking plain rice. Coconut milk is more dense and will evaporate / absorb into the rice less quickly than water, so you’ll need slightly less.
Special Note: Cooking Rice on an Electric Stove
This is a tip that I shared in my original post on how to cook jasmine rice but it’s helpful for coconut rice too. For the past three years I’ve been cooking on an electric stove which I find to be a bit finicky when it comes to moving food quickly from high to low heat. In the case of cooking rice, it is particularly important to reduce the heat under the pan as soon as it begins to boil so that the rice doesn’t absorb the water too quickly. Here’s the method I’ve found that makes all the difference in producing great rice.
- On the electric stove, turn on two burners – one on low-medium and one on high.
- Bring the water to a boil on the high burner.
- As soon as it begins to boil, stir in the rice and then cover the pan. Move the covered pan to the low-medium burner and finish cooking there (turn off the high burner once the pan is moved).
Bonus! Pandan or Makrut
In Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia, you’ll find rice flavored with pandan leaves or makrut lime leaves. These flavors go incredibly well with coconut, so feel free to add these to the rice as it simmers. A small piece of pandan leaf or a couple makrut lime leaves are all you need to flavor an entire pot of rice.
Coconut Rice for Dessert
Coconut rice is great with savory recipes, but it shows up in a lot of desserts as well. You probably know it best for being used in Thai Mango Sticky Rice. If you’re looking for an easy way to serve coconut rice as a dessert, you don’t have to change a thing, but you can add a bit of sweetness with 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar stirred into the cooking liquid.
Meals to Serve with Coconut Jasmine Rice
My Favorite Tools
After 15+ years as a full-time recipe developer, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. If you’re curious about my favorite tools, I keep them all updated in my storefront.
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How to Make Coconut Jasmine Rice {Stovetop or Instant Pot}
Equipment
- Saucepan or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Jasmine Rice (see note)
- 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil
- 1 1/4 cups Water
- 1 1/4 cups Light Coconut Milk
- Pinch of Salt (optional)
Optional Additions: (see note below)
- 2 Pandan Leaves, twisted into knots
- 2 Makrut lime leaves, crushed slightly
- 2 teaspoons Sugar (white or palm)
Instructions
Stovetop:
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. (This step is especially important with coconut rice – you want to remove excess starch from the rice so that it doesn’t stick together when the coconut milk is added.)
- Rub the inside of a heavy-bottomed saucepan with oil.
- Combine water, coconut milk, and salt (if using) in the pan. If using any of the optional additions, add them.
- Place liquids over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer.
- As soon as liquids are simmering, stir in rice. Immediately turn heat down to low and cover with a lid.
- Simmer, covered until rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (You can remove the lid and check a few grains to be sure.)
- Remove pan from heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork. Serve warm.
Instant Pot:
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. (This step is especially important with coconut rice – you want to remove excess starch from the rice so that it doesn’t stick together when the coconut milk is added.)
- Rub the inside of the Instant Pot with oil.
- Combine rice, water, coconut milk, and salt (if using) in the bowl of an Instant Pot.
- Close and lock the lid. Turn the knob to “sealing”. Pressure cook on “High” for 3 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure. Once pressure has been released, remove the lid.
- Fluff rice with a fork. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
