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Home » Recipes » Rice & Grains

Pressure Cooker Coconut Rice (with pot-in-pot option)

Published February 15, 2019 Updated November 22, 2020 By Meeta Arora 18 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Instant Pot Coconut Rice
Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Fast & Easy Coconut Rice made in the Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot. Perfectly cooked rice with the sweet aroma and subtle flavor of coconut milk. This is a great vegan & gluten free side dish to many Asian dishes! 

Coconut Rice made in the pressure cooker served in a black bowl topped with sesame seeds and scallions

When we go to a Thai restaurant and they have Coconut Rice as a side dish on the menu, we always choose to order Coconut Rice over plain rice. The hint of coconut with the aroma and maybe some toasted coconut flakes is always enticing.

I always keep cans of coconut milk in the pantry. They have a long shelf life, and are a great addition to many dishes. I add coconut milk to make Thai curries, or even many indian curries when I want to skip the heavy cream and make them vegan. And basmati or jasmine rice are always in the pantry too. So it is super easy to whip up these coconut rice.

It is super simple and easy to make Instant Pot Coconut Rice in the pressure cooker, and you always have consistent results. Al dente rice which are fluffy, each grain separate. We found these rice to be even fluffier than plain rice cooked in the instant pot. You will love the subtle flavor of coconut. Let me clarify, it is not overwhelming at all.

What is Coconut Rice?

Coconut Rice is basically rice prepared by cooking them along with coconut milk or with coconut flakes. Coconut rice is popular in many countries such as in Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, some parts of Latin America and also in southern parts of India. The preparation slightly varies in each country, but they all mostly use coconut milk to make the rice.

Coconut Rice made in the pressure cooker served in a black bowl topped with sesame seeds and scallions

What ingredients are added to Coconut Rice?

The main two ingredients to make Coconut Rice are - Rice & Coconut milk. Along with that, add some water, salt and/or sugar.

You can use basmati rice or jasmine rice to make Coconut Rice. I have made with both basmati and jasmine rice, and they both work really well.

Use canned unsweetened coconut milk, not the beverage you find in the refrigerator section at the super market. You can use full-fat or light coconut milk.

I usually skip sugar when making coconut rice, but feel free to add based on your preference.

How to make Coconut Rice in Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)?

This is the easiest rice recipe you will find. If you are new to the instant pot, check out this quick setup guide.

  • Add rinsed rice, coconut milk, water and salt to the instant pot.
  • Give a quick stir and close the lid.
  • Use the Rice function, which for about 1 cup of rice defaults to 12 minutes of low pressure cooking. Note: You can also pressure cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
  • When the cooking time is done, do a 10 minute NPR. This means let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release the pressure.

Fluff the rice with a fork. I like to top with some coconut flakes.

Coconut Rice cooked in pressure cooker topped with coconut flakes

When serving, I like to garnish with spring onions and some black sesame seeds for a pop of color. You can also top with cilantro or just enjoy them as is.

Oh...and if you like to add veggies to make this a pilaf, you can certainly add veggies such as chopped carrots, green beans or green peas before pressure cooking. Her his my vegetable pulao recipe, which you can use as a reference.

How to make pot-in-pot Coconut Rice?

With the instant pot, I love the convenience of pot-in-pot cooking. When you are making a curry in the main pot, you can cook rice pot-in-pot at the same time. It is such a time saver to have complete dinner ready in one go!

To cook Coconut Rice pot-in-pot, follow the same method but add all the ingredients to a steel bowl that fits in the instant pot insert. Add a cup of water to the instant pot insert (not required if you are cooking a curry in the main pot). Place a trivet and the steel bowl with the ingredients mixed on it.

Pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure, followed by a 10 minute NPR. This cooking time works well with steel bowl. If using an oven-safe glass bowl, add 3-4 minutes to the cooking time. Perfectly cooked coconut rice!

What to serve with Coconut Rice?

As I mentioned, Coconut rice goes really well with Thai dishes, such as curry or stir fry. We enjoy coconut rice with Indian curries too. Below are my favorites to enjoy with coconut rice:

  • Thai green curry with Tofu
  • Vegan Thai Pumpkin Red Curry

Enjoy this delicious & easy Coconut Rice!

Coconut Rice cooked in pressure cooker topped with coconut flakes

Tried this recipe?Give a rating by clicking the ★ below
Coconut Rice cooked in pressure cooker topped with coconut flakes

Pressure Cooker Coconut Rice Recipe

Meeta Arora
Fast & Easy Coconut Rice made in the Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot. Perfectly cooked rice with the sweet aroma and subtle flavor of coconut milk. This is a great vegan & gluten free rice side dish to many Asian dishes! 
4.77 from 13 votes
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Servings: 4
Calories: 280
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese, Thai
Diet: Gluten-free, Vegan
Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
Prep Time: 2 mins
Cook Time: 28 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

Equipment

  • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
  • Pot-in-Pot Stackable Contianers

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup Jasmine rice or Basmati rice rinsed
  • 1 cup Coconut Milk unsweetened
  • ¼ cup Water or Unsalted stock
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt optional, adjust to taste

Garnish Options:

  • Black Sesame Seeds
  • Spring Onions
  • Toasted Coconut flakes

Instructions
 

  • Add the rice, coconut milk, water and salt to the instant pot steel insert. 
  • Set the instant pot to the "Rice" function. This will default to 12 minutes at low pressure. (4 minutes at high pressure will work too)
  • When the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure manually. 
  • Add garnish of your choice and serve warm. 

For Pot-in-Pot Coconut Rice:

  • Add the rice, coconut milk, water and salt to a steel bowl that will fit in the instant pot insert. 
  • Add 1 cup water to the instant pot steel insert. Place a trivet and the bowl with the rice on top of the trivet. 
  • Set the instant pot on high pressure for 5 minutes. (Note: this cooking time works for steel bowl. Add 3-4 minutes if using an oven-safe glass bowl)
  • When the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
  • Add garnish of your choice and serve warm. 

Notes

This recipe will make al dente rice. If you like softer rice, add ¼ cup more coconut milk or water. 
Created: This recipe was created in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 155mgPotassium: 177mgVitamin C: 0.6mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 2.2mg
Keyword coconut milk rice, coconut rice, easy
Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @PipingPotCurry or #pipingpotcurry

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Claire says

    January 11, 2022 at 11:52 am

    Would it be OK to double this recipe? We have an 8 cup Instant Pot.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      January 14, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      Hi Claire - Sure, you can double the recipe. The cooking time will remain the same.

      Reply
      • Claire says

        January 20, 2022 at 2:13 pm

        Thanks! Also, can I make this ahead and reheat it? Could I make it the day before?

      • Meeta Arora says

        February 04, 2022 at 9:52 am

        Hi Claire - Sure, you can make the rice ahead. To reheat, add a splash of water, and cover the bowl of rice with a wet paper towel, then heat in the microwave. The wet towel helps to not dry out the rice.

  2. Sheena says

    September 30, 2021 at 3:23 am

    Hi Meeta,

    Would it be possible to do pot in a pot with a Thai curry at the bottom and coconut rice on top? If so, what would be the right setting to cook?

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      October 01, 2021 at 10:11 pm

      Hi Sheena - If you are cooking a chicken Thai curry which takes about 5 minutes of high pressure cooking time, then pot-in-pot jasmine rice could work with it. Do a 5-10 minute pressure release. I would not suggest to cook PIP rice with a veggie Thai curry, as the cooking time will be lower.

      Reply
  3. Nadia says

    June 15, 2021 at 3:23 pm

    Recipe turns out v well - beautiful soft coconut aroma. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      June 16, 2021 at 7:06 am

      Hi Nadia - Glad to hear you enjoyed the coconut rice!

      Reply
  4. Rachel says

    November 21, 2020 at 11:34 am

    This was delicious, although using a glass bowl after 8 minutes on high pressure and natural pressure release it was rock hard, and needed another 5 minutes. I then added a few tbsp more water and left it warm for a few minutes and it went beautifully sticky.

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      November 22, 2020 at 9:33 am

      Thank you for sharing your feedback, Rachel. Glad to hear you enjoyed the coconut rice.

      Reply
  5. Emily says

    January 07, 2020 at 6:49 am

    I don't have a steel bowl, can I just put the rice in the instant pot

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      January 14, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Emily - Yes, I have included instructions for both cooking in the steel insert and pot-in-pot.

      Reply
  6. Aliya says

    November 28, 2019 at 10:48 pm

    Would his coconut rice recipe be possible with brown basmati rice instead of white?

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      December 02, 2019 at 11:25 am

      Hi Aliya - Yes, this recipe would work well with brown basmati rice too. You can use the same proportions, just cook on high pressure for 22 minutes.

      Reply
  7. Paul says

    September 07, 2019 at 5:24 pm

    Although good, I continue to look for a sweet coconut rice as served in Thai restaurants. This wasn't it, unfortunately, since it is not sweet at all.

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      September 09, 2019 at 10:42 pm

      Hi Paul - Yes, this one is a savory coconut rice recipe. I hope you find what you are looking for 🙂

      Reply
  8. Laura says

    March 24, 2019 at 9:13 pm

    What would you serve with this?

    Reply
    • Meeta Arora says

      March 26, 2019 at 3:34 am

      Hi Laura - This coconut rice goes really well with Thai or Chinese food. However you can also just serve this as a replacement for white rice. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

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