Easy Coconut Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot
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This super easy coconut basmati rice in the Instant Pot is incredibly delicious, comes together quickly, and is the perfect healthy side dish to serve alongside your favorite tropical dishes or curries.
One of our favorite meals lately is marinated Jamaican Jerk chicken thighs served alongside tropical coconut rice. It is SO good, and the best part is how easy it is to make this ultra-flavorful rice!
I love using the Instant Pot to make rice. The pressure cooker makes perfect rice every time, and it is more versatile for our family than a rice cooker.
Easy Pressure Cooker Coconut Rice
Coconut rice is a popular dish served in many areas around the world, including many South Asian countries, some Caribbean islands, Latin America, and West Africa.
Traditionally, it is most often made with jasmine rice or long-grain white rice, but for this Instant Pot coconut rice recipe, I am going to share how you can make it with basmati rice.
Why Basmati Rice?
I choose basmati rice for almost all my rice dishes. The reasons are quite simple:
- I buy a 50-lb bag of it in bulk at Costco. So…I have a lot of it.
- We like the lower glycemic index of basmati rice. Not everyone needs to be concerned about that, but my husband is a type 1 diabetic and we have certainly learned over the last couple of decades which foods are easier for him to manage his blood sugar with.
All that said, clearly we choose basmati for personal reasons. You’re free to choose whatever type of rice you like, but the cooking time will vary. Refer to my rice cooking chart at the end of this post to learn how to adapt your Instant Pot cook time for different types of rice.
Ingredients for Fluffy Coconut Rice in the Instant Pot
For this recipe, you just need a few simple ingredients.
Rice – As mentioned previously, this recipe uses basmati rice. But you can also use jasmine rice, long-grain white rice, or brown rice with some adjustments (see chart at the bottom of the post).
Full-Fat Coconut Milk – Full-fat canned unsweetened coconut milk is needed for this recipe. I have tested this recipe with light coconut milk and do not recommend it. It will cook just fine, but it won’t have much of a coconut flavor. To get the tropical taste, you need the full-fat variety.
Salt - A bit of sea salt or pink salt can bring out the natural sweetness of the rice and coconut.
You will also need an Instant Pot or similar style pressure cooker.
Can I Use a Rice Cooker?
Coconut rice can certainly be made in the rice cooker. However, the ingredient ratios and cook times given in this post are specifically for the pressure cooker. You will need to adjust the liquid and cook time per the instructions for your model of rice cooker.
Simple Instant Pot Coconut Rice Instructions
This easy recipe couldn’t be simpler.
1. Rinse Rice
Measure out 1-cup dry basmatic rice and pour into a mesh colander. Rinse the plain rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Dump the clean rice into the Instant Pot insert.
2. Add Ingredients to Pot
Pour the 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk and the 3/4 cup of water into the pot. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt over the rice. Use a spoon to stir and spread the rice into an even layer.
3. Pressure Cook
Set your Instant Pot to High Pressure for 7 minutes. Allow a 10 minute natural release before releasing the remaining pressure and removing the lid.
4. Serve
Serve this coconut rice with whatever main dish you desire! Squeeze a wedge of lime over the rice for extra flavor. See the Serving Suggestions section for suggestions.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes the perfect side dish for tropical main dishes, or a great carbohydrate base for meal prep recipes. That said, there are special considerations you need to take for reheated rice.
Uncooked rice can contain Bacillus cereus, a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning. Unlike other forms of bacteria, it is not killed with high heat, so the spores survive while the rice is being cooked.
The danger from these spores comes from when the rice is room temperature for too long. At regular room temperatures, these spores grow into bacteria and multiply.
The longer rice is left at room temperature, the more likely the rice is to become unsafe.
In order to prepare and enjoy leftover rice safely, take the following precautions:
Steps for Safely Reheating Rice
1) Cook rice as directed. Once it is cooked, keep the rice hotter than 140°F for serving.
2) Refrigerate immediately after you finish serving. Make sure your refrigerator is below 40°F.
3) Store the rice in shallow airtight containers no more than 3-inches deep. This will ensure the rice cools down as fast as possible, minimizing time in that “danger zone” of temperature between 40° and 140°.
4) Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F.
5) Discard remaining leftovers after 3-4 days.
For more information, check out this super helpful fact sheet from the University of California on reheated rice safety.
Rice Variety Cooking Chart
The chart below gives you some other varieties of rice and how you can tweak the recipe to work for them:
Please note the types of rice carefully! I have only tested long-grain varieties in the Instant Pot. I cannot give cook times for any short-grain varieties. Generally speaking, short grain needs less time and less liquid.
For best results, please use basmati rice or one of the other suggested varieties in the chart above.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this coconut rice with anything you want! Some ideas are Jamaican jerk chicken, Hawaiian pork, or a delicious curry. I love serving my smoked carrots with hot honey along with this rice for more fun summer flavors.
For another easy Instant Pot rice recipe, try my Instant Pot wild rice instructions! For any other side dish ideas, check out my appetizers & side dishes section.
Leave a Comment & Review
If you loved this recipe, please leave a comment and 5-star review below! It really helps me out. 🙂
Coconut Rice in the Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice or long grain rice, but see notes for cook time
- 1/2 cup coconut milk canned, full fat
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- lime wedges for serving optional
Optional
- Lime Wedges for Serving
Instructions
- Rinse the rise under cool water until the water runs clear. Pour the rinsed rice into the Instant Pot insert.
- Add 1/2 cup coconut milk, 3/4 cup water, and 1/4 tsp salt to the rice. Stir to mix.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and move the valve to the Sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes + 10 minute gradual release.
- When the gradual release is done, remove the lid from the pot carefully. Fluff up the rice and serve with a squeeze of lime wedge if desired.
Notes
2) Refrigerate immediately after you finish serving. Make sure your refrigerator is below 40°F.
3) Store the rice in shallow airtight containers no more than 3-inches deep. This will ensure the rice cools down as fast as possible, minimizing time in that “danger zone” of temperature between 40° and 140°.
4) Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F.
5) Discard remaining leftovers after 3-4 days.
Love this flavor twist on a regular white rice. So easy and simple to make, too. Delicious!