Colombian Sweet Coconut Rice

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Sweet, creamy coconut rice is a signature side dish from Colombia's Pacific coast, where Afro-Colombian cooks simmer short-grain rice with freshly pressed coconut milk, panela, and a thread of warm spice. It is intentionally sweet, designed to balance the salty crunch of fried fish or the bold savoriness of stewed red beans. The result is glossy, fragrant grains that taste almost like a rice pudding yet hold their shape for serving alongside a savory main.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 470 kcalCalories
• 18 gFat
• 14 gSaturated Fat
• 70 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 14 gSugar
• 6 gProtein
• 95 mgSodium
• 320 mgPotassium
• 45 mgCalcium
• 2.6 mgIron
• 1 mgVitamin C
• 0 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Coconut Rice

• 1 cup jasmine or medium-grain white rice
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (shaken well)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup grated fresh or thawed frozen coconut meat, divided
• 1/4 cup grated panela or firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
• 1 small cinnamon stick plus 2 whole cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

1. Rinse the rice in cool water 2 to 3 times, swishing with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear; drain well in a fine-mesh sieve.
2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the coconut milk, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and salt. Warm over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the liquid is steaming and any thick coconut solids have loosened — do not let it boil.
3. Stir in the rinsed rice, half of the grated coconut (reserve the rest for the end), the panela or brown sugar, and the raisins if using. Bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer.
4. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, cover the pan tightly, and cook undisturbed for 22 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is fully absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface of the rice.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, keep the lid on, and let the rice rest for 10 minutes so the steam finishes the grains and they turn tender and glossy.
6. Uncover, discard the cinnamon stick and cloves, and fluff the rice gently with a fork — avoid mashing the grains.
7. Fold in the remaining grated coconut so it stays bright and slightly chewy on top of the cooked rice.
8. Serve warm as a sweet side alongside fried whole fish, garlic shrimp, or a bowl of savory stewed beans for the classic sweet-savory contrast.

Cook’s Notes

• Use a thick-walled pot so the coconut milk does not scorch; thin pans can turn the bottom brown before the rice cooks through.
• Do not lift the lid while the rice steams — even a quick peek drops the temperature and leaves gummy grains.
• For the most authentic Pacific-coast flavor, use grated panela (piloncillo) rather than brown sugar, and add the zest of half a lime at the end for a quiet citrus lift.
• If the rice is still wet after 25 minutes, leave the lid on with the residual heat for another 5 minutes; if it is dry on the bottom, splash in 2 tablespoons of warm coconut milk.
• Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days and reheat with a tablespoon of coconut milk over very low heat with a tight lid.

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