Creamy Coconut Rice with Lime and Cilantro
A quick and easy side dish featuring creamy coconut milk-infused rice brightened with fresh lime juice, zest, and cilantro. Perfectly fluffy with a subtle tropical twist.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Tropical / Fusion
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (preferably jasmine)
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) unsweetened canned coconut milk
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Juice of 1 medium lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- Zest of 1 medium lime
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 4 grams)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or coconut oil
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch (about 1-2 minutes).
- In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir gently without breaking up the rice grains.
- Add the rinsed rice and optional butter or coconut oil to the saucepan and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once small bubbles appear around the edges, reduce heat to low and cover tightly with a lid.
- Cook the rice gently for 18 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice steam with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork. Immediately stir in lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve warm as a side dish.
Notes
Rinsing the rice prevents gumminess from the coconut milk. Use equal parts coconut milk and water to avoid mushy rice. Add lime juice and zest only after cooking to preserve brightness. Fluff rice gently with a fork. Butter adds creaminess; coconut oil enhances coconut flavor. If rice is wet after cooking, simmer uncovered briefly to evaporate excess moisture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup cooked r
- Calories: 230
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: coconut rice, lime, cilantro, side dish, easy recipe, tropical, jasmine rice, creamy rice