Coconut lime rice is a versatile side dish you will love with everything from seafood to curry and more. Ready in under 30 minutes using simple ingredients. This is a hands-off, easy coconut rice recipe you will love!
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Coconut Cilantro Lime Rice
Creamy coconut lime rice is one of our favorite side dishes for serving with everything from salmon, shrimp, and fish tacos with fruit salsa, to steak, chicken, pork chops, curries, stir-fries, burrito bowls, and more. It's a versatile dish that packs a lot of flavor thanks to tasty but simple ingredients, like fresh lime juice, coconut milk, and aromatic basmati rice.
Our coconut lime rice recipe is prepared on the stove, so you will not need a rice cooker. However, if you have one and want to use it, feel free. You will most likely need to make adjustments to get it to work in whichever rice cooker you have!
Ingredients in Coconut Lime Rice
- Basmati Rice: A long-grain white rice known for having a nice smell and a light, nutty taste. Once cooked, basmati rice becomes fluffy with grains that won't stick together like some other varieties of rice will. You can also use jasmine rice.
- Water: Combines with the coconut milk and is necessary for cooking the rice.
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk: Make sure to get unsweetened coconut milk. If you don't want any coconut flavor, you can use entirely water. Just keep in mind this will, of course, change the taste of the rice!
- Kosher Salt: We highly recommend using kosher salt or sea salt and not table salt.
- Lime: For the zest and juice. Make sure to use a fresh lime. You do not want to use bottled lime juice.
- Fresh Cilantro (Optional): This is optional, but cilantro is a great pairing for coconut lime rice!
Why You Should Rinse Your Rice
Rinsing rice before cooking gets rid of the extra starch and any debris on the grains, which will make the end result fluffier, less sticky, and tastier.
Starch on rice can make it sticky and gummy when cooked. Basmati rice is usually firmer and less sticky than other types of rice, but if there's too much starch, it can turn out mushy.
Additionally, rice generally comes with bits of dirt and debris in the package or on the rice itself, so rinsing gets rid of anything that might be stuck on the grains.
You can rinse basmati rice in a colander under cold water. You can also try soaking the rice for 30 minutes before rinsing to help it cook faster and make the grains plumper.
Rinsing a few times until the water runs clear will help remove enough starch so the rice turns out fluffy.
How to Make Coconut Lime Rice
Step 1
Rinse and drain rice in cold water until the water runs clear.
Step 2
In a 10-inch skillet, add rinsed rice, water, coconut milk, lime juice, and salt. Stir everything together.
Step 3
Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat and stir. Then, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 12 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. When most of the liquid is absorbed, remove from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Remove cover and fluff with a fork.
Stir in lime zest.
Step 5
Give it a taste and adjust the flavor to your liking.
Step 6
Garnish with cilantro and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Rinsing the rice is important to get a perfectly fluffy texture, so don't skip that step.
- Make sure to let the rice rest under the lid for 10 minutes after removing it from the heat. Don't touch it until it's had time to rest. This is very important!
- The coconut milk adds a slight coconut flavor. It is not overpowering. But, if you want no coconut flavor, see our suggestions for substitutes below.
Coconut Milk Substitutes for Lime Rice
- Regular Milk: Use the same amount of regular milk, though it won't have the coconut flavor. Add a little extra lime juice or zest to boost the flavor.
- Coconut Water: This will add some coconut flavor, but it's thinner than coconut milk. You may need to add a small amount of cream or milk to get the right texture.
- Almond Milk: Use the same amount as coconut milk. It has a mild flavor and works well, though it won't taste like coconut.
- Water with a Splash of Cream: You can use just water and add a splash of cream or butter for richness. This won't have the coconut flavor but will still be tasty.
What to Serve with Coconut Lime Rice
Storage Instructions
- Store leftover coconut lime rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a heat-proof oven-safe container in the air fryer, or in the microwave.
FAQ
Be sure to rinse your rice several times until the water runs clear. If you don't rinse your rice, there is a chance it will become mushy from the extra starch on the grains.
Coconut lime rice has a mild coconut flavor that isn't overpowering.
Air Fryer Side Dishes
Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!
Coconut Lime Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed until water runs clear
- 1¼ cups water
- 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- fresh cilantro for garnish optional
Instructions
- Rinse and drain rice in cold water until the water runs clear.
- In a 10-inch skillet, add 1 cup basmati rice, 1¼ cups water, 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk, lime juice from 1 lime, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir everything together.
- Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, stir and reduce heat to low/simmer. Cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 12 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. When most of the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Remove cover and fluff with a fork.
- Stir in lime zest. Give it a taste and adjust the flavor to your liking.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro for garnish and serve.
Notes
- Rinsing the rice is important to get a perfectly fluffy texture, so don’t skip that step.
- The coconut milk adds a slight coconut flavor. It is not overpowering.
- If you don’t have coconut milk or prefer not to have the coconut flavor, you may use all water or see our list of other substitutions.
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