Coconut Cilantro Rice is the perfect side dish for any meal! White rice simmered in decadent coconut milk until light and fluffy. Fold in a little chopped cilantro, season to taste with salt and pepper and you have a rice side dish just as delicious as the main course!
All things coconut milk:
Using coconut milk in this recipe is really what sets it apart! The natural fat in the coconut milk perfectly coats the rice to make it extra scrumptious.
When purchasing coconut milk, make sure you buy the full-fat kind as you want all that goodness inside. Don’t be alarmed when you open up the can of coconut milk, as the coconut water and fat content naturally separate in the can. The liquid will end up being on the bottom, but we use the whole can in this recipe, so pour it all in! You’ll have to stir it a little bit to get it all combined, but it’s totally worth it.
Tips for cooking rice at home:
Don’t overthink it! If the task of cooking rice on the stovetop is daunting to you, this is the recipe to try! All you have to do is put all the ingredients into a sauce pan, bring it to a simmer, cover with a lid and then reduce the heat. Let it do it’s own work for about 15 minutes and you’ll have perfectly fluffy rice!
When the rice is done cooking, make sure to lightly fluff it with a fork and sneak a taste test – this is a vitally important step haha! But for real, fluffing the rice will help it to not stick together into one clump. No one needs clumpy rice in their life.
How to serve this Coconut Cilantro Rice:
This Coconut Cilantro Rice is not only so great because of how delicious it is, but it pairs perfectly with so many different dishes and cuisines! Mexican cuisine, Indian cuisine, Jamaican cuisine, grilled items, baked items… the possibilities are endless! Here are some ideas on what you can serve this rice with:
- Grilled Asian Flank Steaks with Pineapple Salsa
- Smoked Jamaican Jerk Beer Can Chicken
- Chipotle Salmon with Fresh Corn Salsa
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Easy Coconut Chicken Curry
- Pineapple Chipotle Jerk Chicken
Coconut Cilantro Rice
(7 votes, average: 4.14 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Coconut Cilantro Rice is the perfect side dish for any meal! White rice simmered in decadent coconut milk until light and fluffy. Fold in a little chopped cilantro, season to taste with salt and pepper and you have a rice side dish just as delicious as the main course!
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice
- 1 cup water
- 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Combine the rice, water and coconut milk together in a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover with a lid and then reduce the heat to low.
- Allow to simmer on low, covered, for about 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through. Gently fluff the cooked rice with a fork and fold the chopped cilantro in. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- This coconut cilantro rice is the perfect side dish for many different occasions and cuisines!
- Once cooled, store in an air-tight container for delicious leftovers or meal prep.
- If you don’t have cilantro, it is still delicious without!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
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If you make this recipe and love it as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below, rate the recipe, or share a picture tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany so that I can see your fun pictures 🙂
Thanks for following and cooking along with me!
Hi, I’m KJ!
Here you’ll find simple, delicious recipes for the home cook. I strive to make wholesome meals with easy-to-find ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen—but I won’t shy away from a few indulgences! (I see you: butter, bacon, cookies!)
Question: can I use the coconut milk from the refrigerator section. Like Silk brand coconut milk?
I made this to serve with the Chipotle Salmon with Fresh Corn salsa (another one of your recipes!) and it was delicious. Such an easy way to made rice a little more fun – my family was very impressed!