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A white bowl of coconut rice with two lime wedges on top.

Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Making Instant Pot Coconut Rice has never been easier! We’ve nailed the ideal texture—light, fluffy, and infused with just the right amount of coconut flavor. 

Yield: 8 servings (3/4 cup) 1x
Prep: 5 minutesCook: 14 minutes (plus another 10 minutes to come to pressure)Total: 29 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups jasmine rice (sub: basmati rice)
  • 1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (1 3/4 cups; get the full-fat version)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • Optional garnishes: fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, toasted unsweetened coconut

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Instructions

  1. Rinse Rice: Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and run cold water over it until the water runs clear (about 1-2 minutes). This prevents the rice from being too sticky.
  2. Add to Instant Pot: Add the coconut milk, water, salt, and optional sugar and whisk until combined. Stir in the rice. (Make sure the rice is very stirred in and not clumping or sticking to the bottom of the pot.)
  3. Pressure Cook: Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. Then, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (don’t touch it), then manually release any remaining pressure.
  4. Fluff & Serve: Fluff the rice with a fork. Taste and season with more salt, if desired. Optional garnish: Squeeze fresh lime juice over the rice and top with chopped cilantro and/or toasted unsweetened coconut.

Notes/Tips

  • It takes 9-10 minutes to come to pressure.
  • The addition of the sugar brings out the coconut flavor.
  • Use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and creaminess. Also, make sure it doesn’t have sugar or sugar substitute in it.
  • Burn Notice: Sometimes food can get stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot and cause a “burn notice”. To avoid this, be sure that all the liquid and rice are stirred together well and that the rice isn’t clumped up or sticking to the bottom before cooking. If you get a burn notice, remove the lid, give everything a good stir and make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom, and try again. (If it’s already been cooking for a bit, use your judgment but I’d probably decrease the cook time since it will take time to come to pressure again.)
© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: Asian Method: Instant Pot