Microwave Coconut Rice is an easy recipe that anyone can make! With a few simple ingredients and your microwave rice cooker we create a creamy coconut rice that everyone will love! Pair the rice alongside your favorite chicken, lamb or pork recipes and never order take out again! For a quick sticky rice that takes less than 15 minutes to bring together you can't go past coconut rice in the microwave!
Recipes like the Brown Rice Fried Rice, Basmati Fried Rice, Chorizo Fried Rice and the Ham Fried Rice are perfect side dishes or the main meal of the day.
The Potato And Broccoli Bake, Potato And Onion Bake, Potato And Sweet Potato Bake and the Creamy Garlic Potatoes are potato based side dishes that pair well with a wide variety of proteins.
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the microwave coconut rice recipe in the points below:
- Everyday ingredients: you will be able to get each of the ingredients needed to make the creamy coconut rice recipe from your local grocery store. They are year round available ingredients that will be easy to get your hands on.
- Versatile: this coconut rice recipe is versatile and lends itself to a number of serving suggestions. This makes it the perfect rice dish as you can serve it with practically anything and everything!
- Quick and easy: from starting the recipe to fluffing the rice with a fork you are looking at an investment of 15 minutes of your time! It is that quick and that easy.
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Toasted coconut: this is optional. However, I find it a fun way to add a bit of additional texture and coconut taste to the recipe. It also offers a pretty presentation for the rice and informs the eaters what is in the bowl.
- Lime: another optional ingredient. The lime is zested with a micro plane zester and sprinkled over the top of the cooked rice as a garnish.
- Sugar: we use a small amount of caster sugar in the recipe. This helps to add a sweet flavor to the rice but the amount is not so great as to overpower the coconut flavor.
- Water: regular tap water is fine!
- Coconut milk: I like to use full fat coconut milk when making the recipe. I find that it gives the best and most creamy results.
- Rice: the rice that you see in the photo above is Jasmine rice. We need 2 cups of it. This is how we make jasmine coconut rice 😉. It is easy, economical and a nice change from other types of rice.
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- I have made this recipe with both coconut milk and coconut cream. Both do work in case you have the cream but not the milk. For no specific reason I think the results are better using coconut milk, but each can be used interchangeably as needed. So if you want to make coconut rice with coconut cream, be my guest and follow the rest of the instructions as is 😄👌.
- I haven't tried the recipe using brown sugar so can't recommend it, however coconut sugar seems like a good substitute.
- In place of the lime zest and toasted coconut for garnish you could try fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped with kitchen scissors.
- You can use basmati rice (equivalent amount) in place of the Jasmine rice if you wish to make coconut basmati rice.
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by rinsing the rice. This helps to remove some of the starch.
- Rinse the rice (Photo 1)
- Transfer the rice to a microwave rice cooker (Photo 2)
- Add the coconut milk (Photo 3)
- Then pour in the water (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Microwave Coconut Rice
To make the coconut rice, add the 2 cups of Jasmine rice to a sieve with fine mesh. Then rinse the rice under the tap for a couple of minutes. Once done, transfer the rinsed rice to the microwave rice cooker.
Next pour in the coconut milk. Then pour the water into the empty tin of coconut milk, give it a swish and then pour this in like you see in the photos above.
- Add the sugar (Photo 5)
- Stir to combine then cook for 12 minutes (Photo 6)
- Remove, then stir and fluff the rice (Photo 7)
- Transfer the cooked rice to a bowl (Photo 8)
Next add the sugar and then gently stir the ingredients together.
Once done, place the rice cooker into the microwave and set the heat to high with a cook time of 12 minutes.
When the cook time is up, remove the rice from the microwave and give it a stir and then gently fluff it up a little bit. If there is still any liquid in the rice cooker, return it to the microwave and continue to cook in 1 minute increments until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Add the lime zest (Photo 9)
Next zest the lime over the top of the cooked rice like you see in the photo above.
Once done, sprinkle the toasted coconut over the rice like you see in the photo below.
- Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the rice (Photo 10)
Now that all of the 'hard work' 😂😂 is done, you can grab a spoon and get ready to serve your right however you see fit!
🍽 Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving your cooked microwave coconut rice you are practically unlimited when it comes to ways, proteins and flavors.
Some great combinations that work well are in place of regular white rice with the Thai Minced Pork, Mexican Lime Chicken, Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs, Sweet Chilli Chicken Thighs or the Sweet Chilli Prawns 😉👍.
For some other ideas, pair the rice with the Slow Cooker Dahl, Satay Lamb, Satay Prawns, Cajun Prawns, Prawn Skewers, Honey Sriracha Meatballs or the Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs 😄👌.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Transfer the cooked rice to a sealed, airtight container. The rice can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days and needs to be reheated before being consumed.
How to Freeze
Let the rice fully cool. Then do the step above to transfer the rice into a sealed, airtight container. Place the rice into the freezer where it can stay for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
For leftover coconut rice, add it to a bowl and cover it with cling wrap. Microwave the rice for 1-3 minutes until warmed through.
For frozen coconut rice, remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw. Then follow the step above to reheat the rice in the microwave.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- Some microwave rice cookers have a large lid and very small circular vent in the middle. Others have venting slots all around the top of the lid. For the small circular vent style microwave rice cooker you are best keeping the lid off as the liquids are absorbed. For the venting slots around the perimeter of the lid you can keep the lid (usually a plastic insert and lid) on.
- There is no need to spray the rice cooker with oil. The rice simply doesn't stick to it.
- If you love using the microwave to keep things easy then you might also like to try the Microwave Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding, Microwave Brie, Microwave Chocolate Fudge or the Microwave Marshmallow Fudge 😉👍.
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can use the microwave to make coconut rice in less than 15 minutes.
Coconut rice is made from a combination of a long grain white rice like Jasmine or Basmati as well as either coconut milk or coconut cream, water and sugar.
Coconut rice pairs well alongside chicken, salmon, beef or pork dishes.
Yes, you can substitute coconut cream for coconut milk in rice.
😍 More Easy Side Recipes
Sometimes the sides are more interesting and appealing than the main dish! Here are some ideas to keep your side dishes both inviting and full of flavor:
- Tortilla Garlic Bread
- Mashed Peas
- Crumbed Mushrooms
- Quick Caramelised Onions
- Skin on Roast Potatoes
- Ciabatta Garlic Bread
- Roasted Capsicums
- Crumbed Mushrooms
It is time to get our microwave coconut rice on my friend! You can also find all of my side dish recipes or quick and easy recipes in the one spot.
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Microwave Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups Jasmine rice Note 1
- 400 ml coconut milk Note 2
- 1 cup/250 ml water Note 3
- 3 teaspoons caster sugar Note 4
To serve (optional)
- toasted coconut
- lime zest
Instructions
- Rinse: add the rice to a sieve and rinse under running tap water for a couple of minutes.
- Microwave rice cooker: add the rinsed rice to the rice cooker, pour in the coconut milk then pour the water into the empty coconut milk tin, give it a squish and pour that into the rice cooker. Add the sugar and then gently give all of the ingredients a stir to combine.
- Microwave: with the lid off, place the microwave rice cooker into the centre of the microwave. Use high heat and set the timer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, use 2 oven mitts to remove the rice cooker from the microwave and set it onto a heatproof surface. Stir the rice and then fluff with a fork.
- To serve: transfer the cooked coconut rice into a bowl and zest the lime over the top. Next sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top and serve the rice along with your favorite mains.
Notes
- Note 1 - Jasmine rice: or you can use the equivalent amount of basmati rice. Rinsing the rice helps to remove the starch and separate the granules. So add it to a sieve and use the tap to rinse it before transferring it to the rice cooker.
- Note 2 - Coconut milk: this is 1 regular size tin of coconut milk. You can use coconut cream or light coconut milk (equivalent amount) if you wish too.
- Note 3 - Water: I like to pour the water into the empty tin of coconut milk and then pour it into the rice cooker. I find that this helps to drain out any remaining coconut milk in the tin so none goes to waste! Or you can simply pour the cup of water straight in if you wish too.
- Note 4 - Sugar: this is caster sugar. Or you can use regular white sugar or coconut sugar. I haven't made the recipe using brown sugar so I can't say how that would turn out.
Melanie D says
Awesome. I love how quick the recipe is.
Adrianne says
Great to hear Melanie, thanks!