Ever wonder how to get that perfect, restaurant quality fluffy coconut rice? This recipe makes perfect brown basmati rice, every single time! Pair this simple side dish with a Sweet Potato Bean Burger or some Lentil Veggie Nuggets to complete your meal.
Brown basmati rice in the Instant Pot comes out better than stove top, or even in your rice cooker.
The coconut milk adds just the right amount of coconut flavour, without overpowering your dish at all.
I like using light coconut milk to keep the fat and calorie content lower, but if you want an even more coconutty flavour and richness, opt for the full fat version.
My favourite part about this dish?
There’s absolutely no babysitting required. No checking, no stirring, no anything at all! I love making dishes in my Instant Pot, it really takes the guesswork out of cooking.
Bonus! It pairs well with virtually anything.
My current favourite dish to make in the Instant Pot right now is Mushroom Risotto. No more constant stirring, or adding your broth in small increments at a time. Trust me, try this recipe and you’ll never make risotto the long way again. 😉
How to make Instant Pot coconut rice
Add your ingredients to the pot.
Give it a good stir and then close the lid. Make sure the valve is in the sealing position, set your timer for 22 minutes at high pressure, and let your appliance do the rest!
Make sure to stir your rice very well after adding the liquids to your pot. You don’t want any grains of rice above the liquids or those pieces won’t cook well.
Once cooked let your pot naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes before releasing the steam valve.
When safe to do so, remove the lid and fluff your rice with a fork. Then serve and enjoy!
Am I the only one who’s been messing up rice for years? It’s easy to either under cook or over cook. Both of which are no bueno.
But if you follow these measurements exactly, this recipe works every time! The result is restaurant quality, coconut rice. I’ve tried and tested this one several times, and the result is perfect, EVERY, SINGLE time!
What to serve with coconut rice
- Baked Chickpea Nugget
- Vegan Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
- Chickpea Meatless Meatloaf with Smoked Maple Glaze
- Sesame Roasted Asparagus
Expert Tips / Variations
Rinse your rice well before cooking to remove the starch and prevent the rice from sticking and clumping together.
Shake your can of coconut milk before opening and pouring into your pot. The water and coconut content will separate when sitting, so give it a good shake.
I like LITE coconut milk to keep the fat and calorie content lower, but use full fat for more coconut flavour and richness.
Make sure to stir your rice very well after adding the liquids to your pot. You don’t want any grains of rice above the liquids or those pieces won’t cook well.
For added flavour, sauté ⅓ cup of finely chopped onion before adding the remaining ingredients and pressure cooking. Once cooked, you may also squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice over your rice and mix well before serving.
My special touch: add a few crushed coconut smiles on top to really amplify the “coconutty-ness” 🙂
More delicious Instant Pot Recipes
- Vegetable Soup with Quinoa
- Vegan Pasta e Fagioli
- BBQ Jackfruit Pizza
- Thai Peanut Chickpea Soup
- Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Much love
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown basmati rice
- 1 400 ml can lite coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the rice to a strainer and rinse well using cool water.
- Place all the ingredients to your instant pot and give it a good mix. Make sure the rice is covered by the liquids to ensure even cooking. Then close the lid and make sure the release valve is set to the sealing position. Set to high pressure for 22 minutes. (It will take about 10 minutes to build pressuring before counting down.)
- Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, and then release any remaining pressure with the release valve.
- Fluff with a fork and enjoy!
Morgan B
Could this recipe be halved? If so, would you need to adjust the cooking/natural release times in half as well?
Rosa
Hi Morgan, no need to adjust cook times, but note that a 6qt Instant Pot requires a minimum of 1 cup of liquid and the 8qt requires 2 cups so you cannot halve the recipe in an 8qt. Enjoy!
Dianna
YUM! I always mess up rice and am not usually fan of it in general, but this was the best rice I’ve ever had! I used the full fat coconut milk and did half brown rice & half white just because that was all I had on hand. I also added a sprig of fresh rosemary in the instant pot to essence it a little while it cooked – everything worked out perfectly! I can’t stop eating it and will definitely be making it again.
Rosa
That’s awesome Dianna! Thanks very much for the review. 🙂
Katie
What a great idea to make this with the Instant Pot! I love coconut rice too so this is amazing!
rosa
Thanks Katie!
Kelly Anthony
I somehow always mess the rice up. I should invest in an instant pot just to make perfect rice every time.
rosa
I fully recommend it Kelly! 🙂
Andrea Metlika
this sounds very flavorful and love how easy it is to make.
rosa
Thanks Andrea!
Matt Ivan
I’m always happy when restaurants serve coconut rice. Will give it a try at home!
rosa
Hope you enjoy Matt!
Sherri
This is such a perfect side dish for so many things! And I love how easy it is to make! Yay instant pot!
rosa
Thanks Sherri!