Cilantro-Lime Coconut Rice

Make delicious, fluffy cilantro-lime coconut rice with this easy 6-ingredient recipe! It’s the perfect way to elevate plain white rice and ready in under 30 minutes! (This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan.)

Cilantro-lime coconut rice is so versatile and can be paired with almost any dish! I make a large batch of this rice at least once a week and enjoy it as a healthy meal prep option. It is my absolute fav!

This Cilantro-lime Coconut Rice is

• Super fluffy and lightly sweetened, thanks to the coconut milk
• Zesty, due to the lime
• Herbaceous, thanks to the cilantro

What You Need To Make The Best Cilantro-Lime Coconut Rice

• Canned Coconut Milk: Make sure to use full (or reduced-fat) canned coconut milk, not coconut cream.
• Water: Most recipes use coconut milk only, but I think the texture of the rice turns out better with a mix of coconut milk AND water.
• Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice: The lime gives the rice a wonderful zesty flavor. Add lime zest as well for even more flavor.
• Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: The shredded coconut gives the coconut rice even more delicious coconut flavor. Plus, it blends in perfectly with the rice and does not impact the texture of the dish at all. The shredded coconut is completely optional, but highly recommended.
• Cilantro: The cilantro is mixed in after the rice cooks. It balances the tartness from the lime juice and sweetness from the coconut perfectly.
• Rice: You can use long grain white rice, jasmine rice, or basmati rice for this recipe. You can use brown rice as well, but may need to add more water during the cooking process.

How To Make Cilantro-Lime Coconut Rice

1. Rinse the rice with water until the water runs clear. This is a necessary step and helps to make fluffy rice.
2. Mix the rice, water, coconut milk, shredded coconut, and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
3. Remove the rice from the heat. Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro. Enjoy

What To Serve With Coconut Cilantro-Lime Rice?

• 30-Minute Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
• Grilled Tri-Tip Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast (Gluten-Free)
• Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili
• Crispy Gluten-Free Air Fryer Fish
• Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Tacos | Gluten-Free
• The Best Vegan Tacos: Crispy Potato Tacos and Spicy Cauliflower Tacos
• Jerk Lamb Chop Recipe (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)
• 3-Ingredient Honey Garlic Air Fryer Salmon

I hope you enjoy this Cilantro Lime Coconut Rice Recipe! 

If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.