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    Home » Recipes » Rice

    Rice Cooker Coconut Rice with Lemongrass

    May 18, 2023 · Published: September 19, 2020 By: Asian Caucasian 42 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Coconut rice in bowls
    Coconut rice in a rice cooker with a wooden spoon

    This fluffy Rice Cooker Coconut Rice with Lemongrass is rich, fragrant, and delicious with infused coconut flavors! It's the perfect side with Asian-inspired dishes!

    A gray bowl filled with steamed white rice topped with coconut flakes, a white spoon and blue napkin on the side, on top of a wooden board this recipe

    I swear, I could eat this Rice Cooker Coconut Rice with Lemongrass as an entire meal! It's that freakin' good! The flavors are outstanding, especially with the addition of the coconut flakes. And the lemongrass is just subtle enough. Serve it on the side with your favorite protein, like ANYTHING!

    The ingredients are few: Jasmine rice, coconut milk, salt, and shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes—and it comes together so quickly.

    uncooked white rice kernels in a wooden bowl on top of a wooden cutting board

    The jasmine rice comes out fluffy, flavorful, and delicious!

    lemongrass stalks on a wooden board

    The infusion of fresh lemongrass stalks gives this coconut rice bright citrus notes!

    Ingredients for coconut rice

    • Jasmine rice -- it's aromatic and perfect with the coconut flakes/lemongrass combo. Comes out so fluffy in the rice cooker.
    • Coconut milk -- I used full fat coconut milk to give this rice the richest flavor. But if you want to make it lower cal, you can use light coconut milk.
    • Coconut water -- the coconut water gives this rice a little extra flavor, but plain water will do just fine.
    • Lemongrass stalks -- the infusion of lemongrass gives this coconut rice bright citrus notes.
    • Coconut flakes -- You can use these coconut flakes both inside the rice when cooking and toasted for a crunchy garnish.
    A woman holding a wooden spoon scooping white rice from a rice cooker

    It's so easy to make this jasmine rice in a rice cooker, but you can also prepare this as you would any rice on the stovetop.

    Steamed white rice on a wooden spoon held above a rice cooker

    Steps to make rice cooker coconut rice

    1. Rinse the jasmine rice in a bowl until the water runs clear. This also helps release the starches.
    2. Place rice, coconut milk, coconut water, salt, and pieces of lemongrass in a rice cooker. Cover tightly with lid and let cook until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and the cooker turns to warm setting.
    3. Add in the coconut flakes and stir. Cover and let sit on warm setting for 10-15 minutes. When ready to serve, discard lemongrass sticks and fluff rice with a fork. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.
    4. To toast coconut: Place 3 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes in a frying pan over medium-high heat and "dry fry" until light golden brown.
    A gray bowl filled with steamed white rice topped with coconut flakes, a white spoon and blue napkin on the side, on top of a wooden board

    Coconut rice can be served with a variety of Asian dishes, like my Miso Glazed Salmon, Pan Seared Halibut with Nuoc Cham, or Stir-Fry Beef and Broccoli. This may become your default rice side dish for Asian fare!

    TIPS & TRICKS

    • This recipe works best with jasmine white rice, a long-grain, slightly sticky rice that's typically grown in Thailand. Brown rice and other rice will not work well for this recipe.
    • Rinsing the rice until the water becomes clear is an important step in the process for perfect rice. It will remove the starches to keep the rice less mushy.
    • I highly recommend this recipe with a rice cooker for the best results.
    • Plain water can be substituted for coconut water.
    • Always fluff the rice after it's cooked through. You can use a large fork or the flat spoon that comes with the rice cooker.
    • I like to freeze my rice in an airtight baggie, laid flat. Then you can microwave it in a micro-safe bowl when ready to serve.

    WANT MORE?

    If you like this Rice Cooker Coconut Rice recipe, you’re going to want these recipes:

    • Healthy Shrimp Fried Rice
    • Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice with Crab
    • Cauliflower Kimchi Fried Rice
    • Stuffed Peppers with Turkey and Rice

    Update Notes: This post was originally published on March 14, 2016, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like step-by-step instructions and tips in September 2020.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    white rice in a gray bowl with a white spoon and blue napkin on the side

    Rice Cooker Coconut Rice

    ★★★★★

    5 from 19 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    This fluffy Rice Cooker Coconut Rice with Lemongrass is rich, fragrant, and delicious with infused coconut flavors! It's the perfect side with Asian-inspired dishes!

    • Total Time: 1 hour
    • Yield: 6 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 cups jasmine white rice
    • 2 ½ cups good-quality coconut milk
    • 1 ½ cups coconut water
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into two-inch pieces
    • ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
    • Top with toasted coconut flakes for garnish if desired.

    Instructions

    1. Rinse the jasmine rice in a bowl until the water runs clear. This also helps release the starches.
    2. Place rice, coconut milk, coconut water, salt, and pieces of lemongrass in a rice cooker. Cover tightly with lid and let cook until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and the cooker turns to warm setting.
    3. Add in the coconut flakes and stir. Cover and let sit on warm setting for 10-15 minutes. When ready to serve, discard lemongrass sticks and fluff rice with a fork. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.
    4. To toast coconut: Place 3 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes in a frying pan over medium-high heat and "dry fry" until light golden brown.

    Notes

    • This recipe works best with jasmine white rice, a long-grain, slightly sticky rice that's typically grown in Thailand. Brown rice and other rice varieties will not work as well in this recipe.
    • Rinsing the rice until the water turns clear is an important step in the process for perfect rice. It will remove the starches to keep the rice less mushy.
    • I highly recommend this recipe with a rice cooker for the best results. You can do this on the stove-top as well.
    • Plain water can be substituted for coconut water.
    • Always fluff the rice after it's cooked through. You can use a large fork or the flat spoon that comes with the rice cooker.
    • I like to freeze my rice in an airtight baggie, laid flat in the freezer. Then you can simply microwave it in a micro-safe bowl when ready to serve.
    • Author: Asian Caucasian
    • Prep Time: 15 min
    • Cook Time: 45 min
    • Category: Sides
    • Method: Rice Cooker
    • Cuisine: Asian Fusion

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 373
    • Sugar: 5.4 g
    • Sodium: 468.1 mg
    • Fat: 29.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 27.7 g
    • Protein: 4.7 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: coconut rice in rice cooker, thai coconut rice recipe, fragrant coconut rice

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @AsianCaucasianBlog on Instagram and hashtag  #AsianCaucasianEats

     

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      18 Easy Asian Fried Rice Recipes
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Claudia

      April 04, 2023 at 1:41 am

      I'm wondering if you ever tried sautée some onions with oil and the rice first before adding the rest of the ingredients? I usually do that with my jasmine rice. Just curious...

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        April 07, 2023 at 9:21 am

        Hi Claudia! I'm not sure I would like the combo of coconut and sautéed onions. But, that's just me. I encourage you to get creative. There are no rules!😜

        Reply
    2. Scott

      December 15, 2022 at 11:32 pm

      Are you using rice cooker cups (180ml) or standard cups (240ml)?

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        December 19, 2022 at 8:48 am

        Hi Scott! These are standard cup measurements. Hope you enjoy this yummy coconut rice! I'd love your feedback!

        Reply
    3. Alexis

      September 22, 2020 at 9:30 pm

      So simple yet so delicious! I love fresh flavors in my rice, but I hadn't thought of using lemongrass before. Thank you for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:24 am

        Thanks, Alexis! The lemongrass adds such a great fragrance to this coconut rice. Hope you'll try it next time!

        Reply
    4. Sapana

      September 21, 2020 at 6:25 pm

      I love making rice in rice cooker but never tried with lemon grass. It sounds quite interesting, will try the next time I make rice.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:24 am

        Adding the lemongrass makes this coconut rice so incredibly fragrant. It's a great addition to ordinary rice.

        Reply
    5. Beth

      September 21, 2020 at 3:24 pm

      I'm looking forward to making this recipe with a partially-milled Japanese brown rice that is my son's favorite, and we'll use lemongrass from our yard - always looking for new recipes to use that as it's growing so big!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:23 am

        That sounds great, Beth! Please let me know how this recipe turns out with the brown rice. Love to get feedback using other rice varieties!

        Reply
    6. Gail Montero

      September 21, 2020 at 9:16 am

      I love that you added lemongrass for extra flavor and yummy aroma in this coconut rice. Need to make this soon!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:22 am

        Thanks, Gail! I think you'll love how easy it is to make this coconut rice recipe in the rice cooker. Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Kushigalu

      September 21, 2020 at 7:09 am

      One of the flavorful rice recipe this was that I tried. Thanks for sharing. My whole family loves it. Will be making this soon again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:22 am

        Rice is such a great staple to have as a side dish with so many proteins. So glad you like this recipe!

        Reply
    8. Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious

      September 21, 2020 at 2:31 am

      We love coconut rice in and make it weekly! There are so many food prep recipes that you can make with coconut rice. Beautiful job!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:21 am

        Thank you! Making this coconut rice in the rice cooker is so darn easy! Will never make rice stove-top again.

        Reply
    9. Julie @ Running in a Skirt

      September 20, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      Jasmine rice is perfect with this and I love you make yours in the rice cooker. What a gorgeous side dish idea for dinner. Will make again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:20 am

        I love that this coconut rice goes with just about everything! We eat it quite often and love how quick it is to make in the rice cooker!

        Reply
    10. Sarah James

      September 20, 2020 at 10:50 am

      Your rice looks cooked to perfection, I love the idea of added coconut flakes for added crunch. Thanks for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:20 am

        Thanks, Sarah! The texture of the toasted coconut flakes on top seals the deal with this rice!

        Reply
    11. Jacqueline Debono

      September 20, 2020 at 4:17 am

      I have always made just plain rice in my rice cooker but this coconut rice was so much nicer! Will be making it again very soon!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 25, 2020 at 9:19 am

        So glad you enjoyed this coconut rice, Jacqueline! It's a favorite in our house, and goes with everything!

        Reply
    12. Chef Dennis

      September 19, 2020 at 8:16 pm

      I love jasmine rice your recipe gave me a new way to serve it. The coconut flavor was a nice addition to the rice.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 24, 2020 at 5:30 pm

        The coconut sure give this rice the extra flavor and nice texture on top with the coconut flakes!

        Reply
    13. emily

      September 19, 2020 at 7:15 pm

      Coconut rice is always a huge hit in our house and we love this recipe! Using a rice cooker makes it so easy!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 24, 2020 at 5:30 pm

        This is pretty much a staple in our house too! Using the rice cooker is the way to go!

        Reply
    14. Kari Alana

      September 19, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      This looks like such a fun and easy recipe to try so thank you so much for sharing!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 24, 2020 at 5:29 pm

        This coconut rice could not get any easier in the rice cooker! That's why I love it so much!

        Reply
    15. Marta

      September 19, 2020 at 11:03 am

      The combination of lemongrass and coconut flavor really took this plain rice from, "so-so" to "gimme two scoops". This will be the go-to for our Asian recipes.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 24, 2020 at 5:28 pm

        Love how you think, Marta! Maybe three scoops too? 🙂

        Reply
    16. Amy Liu Dong

      September 19, 2020 at 8:10 am

      I have never tried to add a coconut into my rice before but I am pretty sure that this recipe is delicious. I will definitely try this, thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 19, 2020 at 9:35 am

        The coconut is outstanding in this Jasmine rice! Gives the rice a nice texture too.

        Reply
    17. Leslie

      September 17, 2020 at 1:37 pm

      You have some wonderful tips to ensure the perfect rice cooker recipe! So much appreciate that!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 17, 2020 at 5:48 pm

        Honestly, the rice cooker makes cooking rice so darn easy! But you really do have to rinse the rice thoroughly or it gets so starchy!

        Reply
    18. Fred N

      September 16, 2020 at 4:35 pm

      This looks so good and tasty and I'm my household would love it! We eat a lot of rice over here. We usually eat Basmati rice, and we'll take a break for a month with Jasmine I think that'll be a perfect time to make this aromatic recipe. Thanks for sharing Lesli!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 17, 2020 at 5:47 pm

        You're welcome, Fred! We love this rice so much. My hubby is always asking me to make it.

        Reply
    19. Taleen | Just As Tasty

      September 16, 2020 at 4:13 pm

      Oh yum! We're big fans of coconut rice in this house, so I'm super excited to make this!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 17, 2020 at 5:47 pm

        We love coconut rice too! I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

        Reply
    20. Stine Mari

      September 15, 2020 at 3:20 pm

      Oh my lord this is my kind of rice dish! Lemongrass is one of my all-time favorite ingredients, so fresh and ctirusy. And coconut as well, yummm!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 17, 2020 at 5:44 pm

        Coconut rice goes well with everything! Although, I've been know to eat this as a meal.😜

        Reply
    21. Suzanne Collins

      September 14, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Nothing like a great rice recipe! This coconut rice was amazing! My husband went back for seconds (and thirds!). Making it in the rice cooker was SO easy too.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        September 14, 2020 at 8:45 am

        I'm so glad you and your hubby loved this coconut rice! It's my hubby's fave too. Thanks so much for the great feedback!

        Reply

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    Lesli Schwartz.

    Hi, I'm Lesli! Welcome to Asian Caucasian, a healthy-ish food blog born out of a passion for home-cooked, Asian-inspired cuisine. I always cook with market-fresh ingredients and prepare simplistic, healthy Asian recipes so you can throw away those take-out menus! Come share my culinary love of beautiful Asian-fusion food, and get cooking in the kitchen! READ MORE!

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