Name: Easy Thai Coconut Rice Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup jasmine rice; ¾ cup coconut milk; ¾ cup water; ¼ tsp salt

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This easy Thai coconut rice recipe is made with jasmine rice, coconut milk, and a pinch of salt, simmered on the stove top in just 30 minutes. It’s creamy, fragrant, lightly sweet, and turns out perfect every time (even without a rice cooker!).

Thai coconut rice served in a natural coconut bowl, with a wooden spoon of rice in the background.

What is coconut rice?

Coconut rice is made by cooking jasmine rice with full-fat coconut milk and water. It’s cooked just like regular rice, but the coconut milk adds a lightly sweet, fragrant flavor with a subtle hint of coconut.

About this recipe

Making coconut rice with coconut milk is surprisingly easy! There are numerous versions and preparation methods out there, as it’s popular throughout Southeast Asia and even appears as a side dish on menus at Asian restaurants in the West.

Some recipes call for sugar, pandan, or even toasted coconut flakes, but I honestly believe the best version is the simplest. So we’ll use just jasmine rice, full-fat coconut milk, water, and a pinch of salt to bring out the natural richness.

Thai coconut jasmine rice in a coconut shell bowl placed on a woven mat with a wooden table background.

If plain rice ever feels a little boring to you, you’ve got to try this recipe. It transforms basic jasmine rice into something creamy, fragrant, and anything but plain. Once you try it, you might never go back!

Ingredient notes & substitutes

You can grab everything you need for this recipe at your nearest Asian grocery store or market. For exact measurements, head to the recipe card below!

Full-fat coconut milk – The key to creamy, flavorful rice is using full-fat coconut milk (not lite!). I always use Aroy-D, which has a smooth texture and rich coconut flavor.
Water
Jasmine rice – This recipe is best with Thai jasmine rice for its soft, slightly sticky texture and natural aroma. Don’t use short grain or basmati, they won’t work the same way. Rinse it until the water runs mostly clear.
Salt – Just a small pinch is enough to bring out the flavor of the coconut milk and balance the subtle sweetness.

Ratio tip: For stovetop coconut rice, use a total of 1½ parts liquid for every 1 part of jasmine rice. I like to use ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk and ¾ cup water per 1 cup of rice. This gives you soft, fluffy grains with a creamy coconut flavor that’s not too heavy.

How to make coconut jasmine rice

Step 1: Rinse the rice. Rinse it thoroughly under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. This helps remove extra starch and keeps the rice from turning gummy.

Rinsing jasmine rice under water in a pot to remove excess starch.

Step 2: Combine. In a medium pot, add the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Give everything a quick stir to combine.

Coconut milk starting to simmer gently in the pot.

Step 3: Cook the rice. Cover with a lid and bring it to a gentle simmer over low heat. Let it cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. I usually set a timer for 20 minutes, that’s just about perfect on the lowest heat setting of my stovetop (but yours might be different).

Fluffy coconut rice fully cooked and resting in the pot.

Step 4: Finish cooking. Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for about 10 minutes to let the rice finish steaming. This makes it extra fluffy.

Step 5: Serve when ready. Fluff with a rice paddle and serve warm as a fragrant side dish. Enjoy!

Serving tip

The tropical flavor makes it perfect for summer, serve it as a side dish with grilled meats or Thai stir-fries.

It also leans a little sweet, so don’t be surprised if you end up eating it like a dessert! Just slice up some fresh mango and enjoy it alongside the rice, kind of like a shortcut version of mango sticky rice.

More rice recipes to try

Whether you serve it with spicy curry, grilled chicken, or simply fresh mango slices, this sweet coconut milk rice recipe adds that extra something to any meal. All you need are a few pantry staples! Leave a comment if you tried it, and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more.