This coconut lime rice is a side dish that will steal the show! Fluffy jasmine rice is cooked in rich coconut milk, then brightened up with lime juice, zest, and fresh cilantro. It’s quick, simple, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
Coconut can be a pretty polarizing ingredient that everyone seems to love or hate. Since you’re here, I’m betting you’re with me on team coconut. I LOVE the stuff and truly believe it makes almost everything better. That’s why I fell hard for my coconut rice. It was my favorite rice recipe ever… until now. You know what goes really well with coconut? Lime. The combination is amazing, and it’s the star of this coconut lime rice recipe.
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This dish starts out just like my classic coconut rice, but gets finished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a spoonful of zest, and a handful of cilantro. The result is both decadent and refreshing. And while I could happily eat a whole bowl of it on its own, it really shines as a side dish paired with bold sweet-and-savory flavors.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below you’ll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Jasmine rice. Jasmine is my favorite variety for this dish. Basmati also works great, particularly when paired with a curry. Other varieties of long-grain white rice should also work fine. If you’re using brown rice, you’ll probably need to increase the amount of water a bit.
- Water.
- Coconut milk. We’re using full-fat coconut milk from a can. Light coconut milk can be substituted if you’d like to reduce the fat and calorie content of the dish. Don’t use coconut milk beverage, which is normally sold in cartons and is intended for drinking. Read my guide to dairy-free milk if you’re not sure which is which.
- Salt.
- Lime juice. Make sure you’re using freshly squeezed lime juice. The flavor is so much better than bottled!
- Lime zest.
- Cilantro. Try chopped scallions or fresh basil if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Steps 1 & 2: Cook the rice. Combine the rice, water, coconut milk, and salt in a medium pot. Heat the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the liquid has all been absorbed by the rice.
Tip: No peeking! Leave the lid on while the rice cooks. You want to keep all of your steam trapped in there. If you’re not sure how to tell when the rice is done, use a clear lid.
Step 3: Let it rest. Let the pot sit with the lid on it for about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Season the rice. Stir in your lime juice, zest, and chopped fresh cilantro. Give the rice a taste-test and adjust anything you see fit. You could add more salt, lime juice, zest, or cilantro.
Step 5: Serve. Your coconut lime rice is ready to enjoy! Dish it up and dig in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! None of the ingredients in this recipe contains gluten.
Leftover coconut lime rice can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days, or in the freezer for about three months. It’s best reheated in the microwave, covered with a damp paper towel to prevent it from drying out.
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Coconut Lime Rice
This coconut lime rice is a side dish that will steal the show! Fluffy jasmine rice is cooked in rich coconut milk, then brightened up with lime juice, zest, and fresh cilantro. It’s quick, simple, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 (13.5 ounce/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
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Stir the rice, water, coconut milk, and salt together in a medium saucepan with a lid. Place the pot over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil, while stirring occasionally.
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Once the liquid boils, reduce the heat to low so the liquid is at a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let the rice simmer, covered, for about 17 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice (Note 1).
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Remove the pot from heat and let the rice sit with the lid on the pot for about 5 minutes.
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Uncover the pot and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the lime juice, zest, and chopped fresh cilantro. Season with additional salt, if desired.
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Serve.
Notes
- Don’t remove the lid from the pot while the rice cooks. Using a pot with a clear lid can help you to gauge when the rice is done without having to uncover it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 3mg
