How to make Coconut Rice in an Instant Pot

Want to learn how to make perfect coconut rice in an Instant Pot? This Coconut Rice recipe from The Whole Smiths will not only leave you deliciously satisfied but longing for a tropical getaway. The rice is so easy to prepare in the Instant Pot and naturally gluten-free.

Do you want to know how many times I’ve made rice at home between 2010 and 2018?

Zero. Yes, zero.

Part of that was because as someone who follows a predominantly grain-free diet I just never made it, I used cauliflower rice instead. The other part was, well I didn’t really know how to make it perfectly.

I didn’t have a rice cooker and I didn’t want a bunch of over-cooked sticky rice on my hands. So it was really easy to skip.

Until the Instant Pot.

The secret to perfectly cooked coconut rice? Use an Instant Pot! 

Yes, the magical appliance that has taken over modern kitchens across the globe. It seems all I need in my kitchen these days is a blender and an Instant Pot.

In fact, I’m ringing it along with me if a zombie apocalypse ever occurs. If you haven’t yet jumped onto the Instant Pot bandwagon, you are in for a treat.

For those that don’t know, it’s a modern pressure cooker…not like the ones our grandmas’ had. You can use it similarly to a slow cooker but it’s not slow.

It will cook your food in a fraction of the time.

I use the 8-Quart version and find it’s just the right size to feed my family. If you are worried about adding another appliance to your collection that will collect dust, this will not be that.

I promise. Besides, then you can make my Easy Instant Pot Carnitas!

Alright back to the Instant Pot coconut rice.

Not only did I want to show you how easy it is to now make rice in your Instant Pot but I wanted to show you how to pump up the flavor with a bit of coconut.

The coconut flavor is quite subtle but I find that it adds just enough to make it different. An essence if you will.

Ways to serve Instant Pot Coconut Rice:  

This Instant Pot Coconut Rice can easily be swapped into recipes like my Pork Fried Cauli
Rice instead of cauliflower or used in lieu of mashed sweet potatoes in my Curried Meatballs.

It’s a perfect compliment to Asian-inspired dishes.

I’m even toying around with trying to make an Instant Pot Mango Rice as a dessert, so keep your eyes open for that one.

How to make rice in an Instant Pot:

Now on to how to make coconut rice in the Instant Pot. The short of it is, you add the rice to the Instant Pot along with a 1:1 ratio of water and use the “Manual” mode, set it for 3 minutes and let it naturally depressurize for 10 minutes.

That’s it. There’s no long of it.

How to make Coconut Rice in an Instant Pot: 

For the coconut rice, I simply toast some unsweetened shredded coconut rice in the pot on
“Sauté” mode for about a minute, add the rice and bit of ghee or butter, replace some of the water with light coconut milk and apply the same settings. That’s it!

If that sounds too good to be true to you, I promise it’s not.

In fact, that’s what I feel after every recipe I make in my Instant Pot. How on earth did
something so delicious come out of this little machine with so little effort?!

I can’t wait to hear about your Instant Pot Coconut Rice adventures in the comments below!

Tips on how to make coconut rice: 

• Make a large batch of rice early in the week and store it in the refrigerator for easy reheating.
• To reheat the coconut rice without it drying out, simply add the rice to a microwave safe bowl, add a tablespoon of water for every cup, cover it with a paper town and heat it for a minute or so until it is heated through. You can also use this same technique in an oven.
• For a slightly sweetened Instant Pot Coconut Rice, add 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar to the pot when you add the rice. It will be very subtle and will enhance the flavor of whatever recipe you’re pairing with the coconut rice.

FAQ: 

What is the best kind of rice to use for this recipe? 

While you can use any type of white rice for this recipe, I personally like jasmine rice. My personal favorite is this one by Lundberg. I often buy it from my local Whole Foods but it’s much more affordable and economical to purchase it on Amazon.

Should I rinse the rice prior to cooking it?

That’s up to you. There’s no right or wrong answer and it comes down to personal preference. If you don’t rinse the rise you will have a slightly, barely noticeable stickier texture. Personally, that’s what I like as it tends to adhere sauce a little bit better to the rice grains.

 Is this Instant Pot Coconut Rice recipe Whole30 compliant?

 No! No, no. no. It’s great for your days after Whole30 if you find that you can tolerate it well. But during Whole30? No. You can see a full list of the Whole30 guidelines HERE.

I’m allergic to coconuts. Can I use this technique to make it without the coconut?

Yes! Just leave out the shredded coconut and replace the coconut milk with water for a total of 2 cups of water.