Instant pot coconut rice is an easy recipe for coconut infused rice. With only a few ingredients and quick prep this will become your favorite side dish!
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Coconut milk gives the rice just enough flavor without being overpowering. This makes this instant pot coconut rice a versatile side dish that you can serve with almost everything.
Now, if you like rice dishes but are still a bit apprehensive about making them in your pressure cooker, don’t be!
I love making rice-based meals in my Instant Pot. My absolute favorite is Instant Pot Chicken Risotto and it looks like it’s also our readers favorite recipe. Try giving it a go and let me know what you think!
How to make coconut rice in instant pot
Turn on your electric pressure cooker. Press SAUTE and add oil. You don’t need much – only about a tablespoon. Throw in finely chopped onion and sauté for about 2 minutes. Don’t forget to stir from time to time.
When ready, you can turn off (cancel) the sautéing function. Stir in rice and add the rest of the ingredients (coconut milk, water and salt).
Now to make a good batch of instant pot coconut rice, make sure you stir the rice well. Also, it’s better if it is evenly distributed so that each rice grain has enough liquid to cook in.
Close with lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing position. Then cook under pressure for 4 minutes. When the cooking is finished, wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually.
At this stage you just need to mix the rice and fluff it with a fork, and you are ready to serve.
Can I use coconut water instead of coconut milk?
No. To make this instant pot coconut rice, you need to use coconut milk. Here is why:
Coconut water is a drink that comes from green, unmatured coconuts. It has a completely different texture than the milk. It looks similar to ordinary water.
Coconut milk consists of coconut cream and coconut water. These two easily separate so it’s important to shake the can well before opening.
If you want to learn more about this, you might like this article: The difference between coconut cream, milk and water.
What to serve with coconut rice
- Curry dishes (Instant Pot Chicken Curry)
- Stir-fries
- Beef, pork, chicken dishes (we absolutely love serving instant pot coconut rice with Instant Pot Chicken Chasseur)
- Fish (Orange Glazed Salmon)
- If you don’t eat meat, then try roasted vegetables
Tips for making instant pot coconut rice
- Make sure to rinse the rice several times before cooking. This will remove the starch and your rice will not be sticky.
- The onion adds an extra flavor to the rice but there is no need to add a lot of it. About a 1/3 cup of finely chopped onion is enough.
- Shake the coconut milk well before you measure it. If you forgot to shake it first, you can still mix the content with a spoon until smooth.
- You can also squeeze some fresh lemon juice over this pressure cooker coconut rice, if you like!
If you like using your pressure cooker and looking for inspiration, I have a bunch of Easy Instant Pot Recipes on the blog:
- Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan
- Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash
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5 from 7 votes
Instant Pot Coconut Rice
Instant pot coconut rice is an easy recipe for coconut infused rice. With only a few ingredients and quick prep this will become your favorite side dish!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time7 minutes mins
Total Time17 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 398
Author: Julia
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil , see note 1
- 1 Small Onion , finely chopped (see note 2)
- 1.5 cup basmati rice , rinsed
- 1 cup Coconut Milk (250 ml), see note 3
- 1.5 cup Water
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Turn on the instant pot and press SAUTE. Pour in oil and add finely chopped onion. sauté for about 2 minutes before adding the rice. Stir everything well and turn off the heat.
Pour in coconut milk, water and season with salt. Give everything a good stir. Make sure that none of the rice is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Close the lid and lock it into its position. Turn the steam release valve to SEALING. Cook under pressure (on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOKING) for 4 minutes. After, wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually (by turning the steam release valve to VENTING).
When the pin drops, remove the lid and stir the rice. Then fluff it with a fork.
Serve with anything you like!
Notes
- Oil – either vegetable, sunflower or olive oil can be used.
- About a 1/3 cup of finely chopped onion should be plenty.
- Make sure to shake the can of coconut milk well before you measure out 1 cup.
- I used measuring cups for dry measurements to measure all the ingredients including liquids.
- This recipe was developed for a 6-quart/6-liter Instant Pot. If you use a different size/brand pressure cooker, the end result may look different.
- The overall cooking time does not include time that the pot needs for coming to pressure nor the extra waiting time before releasing its pressure. Count with extra 17 minutes (this can also vary).
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: How to make Coconut Rice, Instant Pot Coconut Rice Recipe, Pressure Cooker Coconut Rice
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Coconut Rice
Amount per Serving
Calories
398
% Daily Value*
Fat
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
11
g
69
%
Potassium
229
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
58
g
19
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Protein
6
g
12
%
Vitamin C
1.9
mg
2
%
Calcium
36
mg
4
%
Iron
2.4
mg
13
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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