Coconut Rice (Arroz con Coco)

Cooked Caribbean Coconut Rice in a pot with the lid propped on its side.

Course: dinner, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Afro-Caribbean, Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic, Latin American, Puerto Rican

Keyword: coconut, coconut milk, rice, white rice

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45

Servings: servings

Calories: 359kcal

Author: Marta Rivera

The result is fluffy rice infused with a mild coconut flavor. Coconut rice is the perfect side dish to pair with spicy, saucy Caribbean proteins, but it also supports lighter, grilled or bake dishes like fish or chicken.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

4-qt caldero or heavy-bottomed pot with lid

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small white onion peeled and minced (about 1/3 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves peeled and minced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1/2-inch knob ginger peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon), optional
1 tablespoon sofrito or green seasoning or epis, optional
2 1/2 cups long-grain white rice rinsed and drained 4 times
1/2 tablespoon adobo con pimienta or 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
13.5 ounce can coconut milk
1 1/4 cups vegetable stock or preferred stock or water

Instructions

Sauté the Aromatics

In a 4-quart caldero or similar pot with a heavy bottom and lid, turn the heat to medium-high.
Add the olive oil over and heat it for about 30 seconds, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, and sofrito to the oil. Sauté the aromatics for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to bring out their flavors and lightly brown them.

Toast the Rice

Add the rinsed and drained rice to the caldero, then use your spoon to thoroughly toss the grains in the oil.
After toasting the rice for a minute, pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, then sprinkle in the thyme leaves and adobo.
Stir in the liquids and seasonings, then bring to a boil.

Boil, Then Cover and Steam the Rice

Allowing the liquid to continue to boil until you can clearly see the grains of rice through the bubbles.
Stir the rice once more, then reduce the heat to low.
Lay a square piece of aluminum foil over the top of the caldero, then press the lid down onto the foil to cover the caldero and create a tight seal to help the coconut rice steam properly and decrease the chance of hard or gummy rice. Steam the coconut rice on low heat for 25 minutes, or until tender.

Fluff, Then Rest Before Serving

Once the rice is done, turn off the stove and fluff the grains with your spoon or a fork. Taste the rice and adjust the salt as needed.
Cover the caldero again and allow the coconut rice to continue steaming on the stovetop as it cools to ensure tender rice with a fluffy texture.
When you're ready to serve, you can garnish it with chopped fresh cilantro or leave it as is.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

Replace the long-grain rice with basmati or jasmine.
Use seafood or chicken stock, water, or coconut water in place of the vegetable stock.
You can replace the coconut milk with light or homemade coconut milk, but the rice will be less flavorful and slightly thinner in body.
If you only have coconut cream, use 3/4 cup of coconut cream diluted with 1/4 cup of water to replace 1 cup (8 ounces) of coconut milk.
Replace the dried thyme leaves with dried oregano or hoja santa.

Coconut Rice Variations:

Stir in a 15-15.5 ounce can of drained, rinsed pigeon peas or black, red kidney, or pinto beans.
For spicy coconut rice, cut slits into a small scotch bonnet or habanero pepper and add it to the pot with the spices. Remove the pepper before serving.
Rice Cooker Coconut Rice: Use the same ratios and add everything to the rice cooker. For better flavor, sauté the aromatics and toast the rice first, then transfer to the cooker. Cook as you normally do.

Tips and Techniques

Washing the rice at least 4 times removes excess starch, which causes gloopy, mushy rice instead of separated, fluffy grains.
Don't use just coconut milk thinking you'll get more coconut flavor. You'll end up with pudding. Instead, replace the vegetable stock with coconut water.
For more variety:
- Add 1/4 cup of toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes at the end of steaming to add texture and extra flavor to the coconut rice.
- Stirring in one tablespoon of chopped cilantro or the juice of 1/2 a lime and its zest is another good option for adding brightness to the rice.
If the rice is hard after steaming, let the rice cook undisturbed, then let it rest after cooking so it can finish absorbing moisture. If it's still a little hard, add 1/2 cup of stock and steam for another 10 minutes.
Mushy rice is usually the result of too much liquid or lifting the lid too often during cooking.

Storage Instructions

Let the coconut rice cool completely, then store it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat with a little water or vegetable stock to achieve the desired texture.
You can also freeze coconut rice for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
When you're ready to reheat the arroz con coco, add a splash of water or stock to the container and heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warm.

Nutrition