This irresistibly rich coconut rice pudding recipe comes with a taste of the tropics. Coconut and vanilla rice with a mango topping makes a pudding that is far too good to keep for the nursery. Suitable for vegans and everyone else too!
Coconut rice pudding
Easy to make and sure to impress, this fabulous coconut rice pudding combines the richest rice with mango and toasted coconut. If you were ever in doubt that rice pudding could be a dinner party dish, think again.
See also
- Basic stove top rice pudding – the classic way to make rice pudding
- Baked rice pudding is slowly cooked in the oven
There’s nothing new, of course, about adding coconut to a rice pudding recipe. Indian milk puddings, known as kheer or payasam, have long used coconut milk or cream in the mix. These tend to be much wetter and spicier than this version, however.
While many most recipes seem to combine dairy milk with coconut, I have made my coconut rice pudding entirely dairy free. With so many people trying out a vegan diet now, it seems the natural thing to do, though if you prefer to use cow’s milk in combination with the coconut, you can.
Why make coconut rice pudding
- A glamorous twist on the nursery classic
- Full of fabulous flavours
- A naturally vegan version of a milk pudding
- Impresses your guests!
Coconut rice pudding ingredients
- Pudding rice – or other short-grain white rice. You can use risotto rice if you don’t have pudding rice.
- Sugar – I use golden caster sugar but white is fine
- Coconut milk drink – or dairy milk if you prefer
- Canned coconut milk – I use a full fat one. You can use a light version but I don’t think it works as well, and prefer to serve smaller portions instead.
- Coconut oil – for extra flavour. It will form a slick on the top early in the cooking but will be absorbed by the end.
- Cardamom pods
- Vanilla – You can leave it out but I like to use a little. Always choose real vanilla extract or paste, rather than artificial vanilla ‘essence’.
- Mango (optional, not shown) – to top the pudding. Chop a fresh mango or do as I do and keep a bag of mango chunks in the freezer to take out as needed.
- Toasted coconut flakes (optional, not shown) – to top the pudding
How to make coconut rice pudding – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Put all the ingredients in a big heavy pot except for the mango and coconut flakes, which are for garnish. Stir well.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
Use a big heavy pot. This helps to avoid sticking.
Put the pot on the stove over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Then turn the heat right down (I use a diffuser ring to help with this) and cover with the lid.
Stir the pudding every five minutes. You may need to set a timer so that you don’t forget!
Step Two – As you stir the pudding, carefully scrape the bottom and sides of the pot where the rice will thicken first. You don’t want it to stick.
When cooking it can look as though there is too much liquid, but this is really not the case. Remember that rice really does take up a lot of fluid.
Step Three – After 30–40 minutes, the rice will be soft and cooked. There will still be lots of liquid but this will reduce as the pudding starts to cool, so you can now remove the pudding from the heat.
Allow the pudding to stand a little before serving topped with chopped mango and toasted coconut.
Serving suggestion
Serve your coconut rice pudding warm or chilled, topped with chopped mango and toasted coconut flakes.
Alternatively, try it with any tropical fruit compote.
Variations
- Flavour – Add a little more or a little less vanilla, or dust the finished pudding with a little grated nutmeg or cinnamon.
- Citrus – Replace the vanilla a little lime zest.
- Stir in some rum-soaked sultanas.
- Griddle some pineapple slices as an alternative to the mango.
- Use a reduced fat coconut milk if you need to take extra care, but I think it’s better to serve smaller portions.
Storage
Fridge – Keep your rice pudding covered in the fridge for 3 days and reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave (which is quicker and cheaper). You may need to add some more coconut milk to loosen it.
Freezer – Allow your coconut rice pudding to cool, pack into an airtight box and freeze for up to 3 months. Just defrost and reheat. Again, you might need to add some extra liquid when you reheat.
Hints and tips
- Pudding rice is best but a short-grain risotto rice will work. It needs to be starchy and to break down well, so don’t use paella rice (which is short-grain but won’t break down) or long-grain rice. These won’t produce the same creaminess.
- Make sure you keep returning to stir the pudding. This is needed to help the rice break down and to avoid burning.
FAQs
In the UK, the right sort of rice for traditional rice puddings is sold as pudding rice. Elsewhere, you may need to look for plump white short grain rice.
This pudding is all-natural and absolutely delicious. It is not, however, a slimming course! Remember that it is your diet in general that is healthy or unhealthy, and that it is fine to enjoy pudding now and again. Just make sure you get some exercise!
I dislike them and never use them, but you can use artificial sweeteners if you want to. Follow the instructions for the product as to how to convert the volume of sugar.
I prefer to serve a modest portion rather than compromise on flavour.
More pudding recipes
- Basic rice pudding recipe – the simplest version of this classic pud
- Baked rice pudding – rich and delicious, and it cooks itself
- Baileys bread and butter pudding – a twist on a very traditional pudding for special occasions
- Hot peaches in butterscotch sauce – a delicious and original fruit dessert
- More delicious desserts and puddings
Coconut Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 100 g pudding rice (or risotto rice)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 300 ml coconut milk drink (or other milk)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 pods cardamom
- 1 tsp vanilla
Optional to serve
- 1 mango (or mango chunks from the freezer)
- toasted coconut flakes
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a big heavy pot except for the mango and coconut flakes, which are for garnish. Stir well.100 g pudding rice, 2 tbsp sugar, 300 ml coconut milk drink, 1 can coconut milk, 1 tbsp coconut oil, 3 pods cardamom, 1 tsp vanilla
- Put the pot on the stove over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Then turn the heat right down and cover with the lid.
- Cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir the pudding every five minutes so that it does not stick. As you do so, scrape the rice from the sides and base of the pan.
- After about 35 minutes, the rice will be soft and cooked. There may be some liquid left but this will be absorbed as the pudding cools. Remove from the heat and allow to rest before serving topped with the mango and coconut.1 mango, toasted coconut flakes
Notes
Storage
Fridge – Keep your rice pudding covered in the fridge for 3 days and reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave (which is quicker and cheaper). You may need to add some more coconut milk to loosen it. Freezer – Allow your coconut rice pudding to cool, pack into an airtight box and freeze for up to 3 months. Just defrost and reheat. Again, you might need to add some extra liquid when you reheat.Hints and tips
- Pudding rice is best but a short-grain risotto rice will work. It needs to be starchy and to break down well, so don’t use paella rice (which is short-grain but won’t break down) or long-grain rice. These won’t produce the same creaminess.
- Make sure you keep returning to stir the pudding. This is needed to help the rice break down and to avoid burning.
- Use a diffuser to keep the heat low if you need to.
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