Give your next rice side dish a quick flavor boost with this easy and versatile coconut lime rice recipe. It's made with five simple ingredients, no coconut milk, and is naturally vegan and gluten-free. Use this simple flavor hack with your favorite white or brown rice. You can even use leftover rice!
Rice is my go-to side dish. But let's be honest, even our favorite, brown basmati rice, gets a bit boring. And, of course, when making flavorful, saucy dishes like coconut Thai vegetable curry or creamy mango curry, plain rice is the perfect accompaniment. But when I want a compliment for a simple meal like BBQ tofu, or air-fried miso tofu, I demand a little more from my rice. And this recipe makes it easy to get BIG flavor, even when facing that container of leftover rice in the fridge.
Want to save this recipe? 🥣
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes and satisfy your cravings.
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview
This coconut lime rice recipe is hands-off. You cook rice your usual way - on the stove, in a rice cooker, Instant Pot, or in the microwave. At the end of cooking, add a flavor bomb of lime juice and zest, desiccated coconut, red chili flakes, and chopped cilantro. Yes, it's that simple.
What's Different About This Recipe?
- Unlike many coconut rice recipes, this one doesn't require coconut milk. I've tried cooking rice in coconut milk. It weighs down some types of rice, leaving it slightly sticky or clumpy.
- There's even more coconut flavor using desiccated coconut.
- Plus, if you're serving it with a dish like mung bean curry that already contains coconut milk, you don't want a double dose.
- Finally, ¼ cup of coconut flakes costs pennies, and in my house, every one of those counts.
Ingredients and Tips
- Rice. I made this recipe using brown basmati rice because I love the nutty flavor and clean texture. You can also use jasmine or long-grain white rice.
- Desiccated coconut. You can also use shredded coconut or coconut flakes, but I like the finer texture of desiccated coconut. Check the package, it should contain only ground coconut.
- Chili flakes. Crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes, sometimes called chile flakes. Just a few add a dash of spice, keeping it interesting. Substitute with a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika.
- Lime. Use a fresh lime to capitalize on both the zest and juice. No fresh limes? Use bottled lime juice. You'll still get a jolt of zesty flavor.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Make this recipe with glutinous rice for a stickier texture, for sushi or poke bowls.
- Not into lime? Make this recipe with fresh lemon juice and zest, or use ¼ cup of orange juice plus 1 teaspoon of orange zest.
- For added protein, substitute rice for quinoa.
- Optional add-ins: toasted sesame seeds, finely diced red chili,
How to Make Coconut Lime Rice
- Rinse the rice thoroughly to remove excess starch and any dust from the packaging.
- In general, rice is cooked at a 2:1 water-to-rice ratio. Follow the package instructions for the exact amounts.
- Cook the rice using the absorption method, which is a fancy way of saying all the water should be absorbed.
- When the rice is done, remove it from the heat. Then, add the remaining ingredients. Cover the rice and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Fluff and serve.
Tips for Cooking Perfect Coconut Rice Every Time
- Add the rice directly to cold water. If you boil or simmer the water first, your rice will be sticky and clumpy.
- On the stovetop, bring the pot of rice and water to a boil, then adjust the heat to a simmer. If the rice is boiling too vigorously, causing steam to blow off the lid, you'll end up with a mess and beat-up rice that won't fluff.
- Don't let the rice stop simmering. If you lower the heat too much, the rice will absorb all the moisture and become overly soft and mushy.
- When the rice is done, remove it from the heat, turn off the rice cooker, or release the steam from the Instant Pot. Rice will stick to the bottom of the pot if it continues to cook after the liquid has been absorbed.
Denise's Toasty Tip
Bring out the nutty flavor of rice by toasting it in the pot before adding water. Try this tip for cooking quinoa, whole grain freekeh, or bulgur wheat.
Dry to Cooked Rice Yields
For this recipe, I used 1 ½ cups of dried rice, which yields 5-6 cups of cooked rice. A typical serving of rice is supposed to be ½ a cup, but in my practical experience as an enthusiastic eater, I've always eaten more rice than that. That's why I've added an extra ½ cup to this recipe.
Make Coconut Rice with Leftover Rice
The best way to make this recipe with leftover rice is to first place the rice in a steamer basket. Add plenty of water to the pan, but don't cover the steamer. Steam for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is piping hot. Transfer the rice to a bowl and mix in the remaining coconut lime ingredients. Cover the bowl and let the flavors absorb for 5 minutes. Fluff and serve.
Serving Ideas
Serve coconut lime rice as a side dish for Asian-inspired meals, such as salt-and-pepper tofu, spicy Mongolian tofu, or a simple green bean and mushroom stir-fry. Alternatively, pair it with Indian-style dishes like creamy pineapple kidney bean curry or vegetable tomato curry.
Turn this side dish into a delicious plant-based main dish by adding crispy tofu cubes, cooked adzuki or black beans, or vegan chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
A pinch of salt added to the rice and water can help bring out the flavor of the rice and may keep it from clumping. It doesn't make the water boil or cook the rice any quicker.
After cooling (no longer than 2 hours), store lime rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To freeze coconut lime rice, first thoroughly cool the rice to room temperature. Add it to a freezer container or sealed freezer bag. Freeze for 3 months.
Cooked rice should only be reheated once for food safety reasons.
The best way to reheat coconut lime rice is in a steamer basket. After reheating, add a bit of lime juice to spruce it up. You can also reheat it in the microwave. If you reheat directly in a pan on a stovetop, add a tablespoon of water per cup of rice, loosely cover it with a lid, and stir frequently to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
More Delicious Side Dish Recipes
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Coconut Lime Rice Recipe
Rate this Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rice - (see note 1)
- 1 medium lime - zest and juice (or ¼ cup lime juice)
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut - (or shredded coconut or coconut flakes)
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a mesh strainer to remove excess starch and packaging dust.
- Cook the rice according to the package directions either on the stovetop or in a rice cooker (see notes for Instant Pot instructions).
- When the rice is done, remove the pan from the heat and add the coconut, lime juice and zest, the red chili flakes, and chopped cilantro. Mix well and cover the pot. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice and serve.
Notes
- I made this recipe using brown basmati rice, but you can use any rice you prefer, including jasmine or long-grain white rice.
- The total time to make this recipe depends on how long it takes your rice to cook. Consult the package directions for the exact cooking time.
- To use this recipe with leftover rice, first reheat the rice in a steamer basket until it is piping hot. Transfer the rice to a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 5-10 minutes. Stir and serve.
- To store, cool the rice (up to 2 hours), then store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.
- Reheat cooked rice only once for food safety reasons. I prefer steaming rice to reheat it, or reheat it in the microwave, adding a little water.
- For added protein, try this recipe using quinoa, or for a nuttier flavor, add toasted sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Want to save this recipe? 🥣
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes and satisfy your cravings.
Leave a Reply