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Jan 2, 2020 By Jessica Beacom

Thai Coconut Curry Rice

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Vegan
Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe

This Thai Coconut Curry Rice with Vegetables is a Thai-inspired twist on fried rice your whole family will love!

A skillet filled with Thai Coconut Curry Rice that is garnished with sliced green onions.

Rice is nice but this Thai Coconut Curry Rice with Vegetables is ah-mazing!

This Thai-inspired spin on fried rice combines fluffy white rice with creamy coconut milk, warm curry spices and plenty of fresh vegetables for a side dish that’s one part comfort food and one part game-changer. Imagine a bowl of this rice topped with perfectly grilled salmon or shrimp or leftover cooked chicken. Even by itself, with just a big squeeze of lime, it’s perfect!

A saucepan with coconut milk, uncooked white rice, and red curry paste to make Thai Coconut Curry Rice.

All the taste of Take-out for a fraction of the cost

I crave Thai red curry dishes made with rich, silky coconut milk but I’m not always keen on take-out prices and the fact that I have to drive across town to indulge that craving. Add to that the fact that my kids are not fans of anything curry and what’s a curry-loving, driving-hating, budget-conscious mama to do? I make my own at home, that’s what I do.

And I make it in the easiest way possible (read: one-pan) using the freshest ingredients so I can get my curry fix and get dinner on the table before the dinner-hour meltdowns happen.

Overhead view of a shallow white bowl filled with veggie-studded Thai Coconut Curry Rice.

Here’s the best part.

That part about my kids not loving curry? It’s true. They do love fried rice though so I thought if I combined the two that maybe they’d be into it. And I was right. You can imagine my surprise when they both took a bite (hesitantly, of course… because you never know what their mother might be tricking them into…)  and then another and another. They had no idea it was curry! I felt as though I’d won a gold medal. 

And now this Thai Coconut Curry Rice makes a regular appearance on our meal plan.

Overhead view of a small white plate with a gold fork next to a serving of Thai Coconut Curry Rice that appears to be in the process of being eaten.

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Let's Get Cookin'

Thai Coconut Curry Rice

This Thai twist on fried rice with its warm curry spices and rich coconut-scented rice makes an easy and delicious side dish for grilled meat or fish.

  • Author: Jessica Beacom
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: ~ 6 cups
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Vegetarian,
Overhead view of a white bowl filled with Thai Coconut Curry Rice with a gold fork in the bowl.
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste (or more to taste)
  • 1 (14-ounce) can ‘light’ coconut milk*
  • ½ cup water**
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
  • 1 small red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup roasted cashews or peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp. coconut oil
  • Lime wedges, optional

Instructions

  1. Combine rice, coconut milk, water, red curry paste and salt in a medium saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil, stir gently then cover with a tight-fitting lid.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-17 minutes or until rice is almost done (it shouldn’t be hard but it also shouldn’t be mushy)
  4. Remove rice from heat and allow it to stand for 10-12 minutes covered before stirring.
  5. While rice is cooking, add 2 teaspoons coconut oil to a large skillet placed over medium-high heat.
  6. When the oil is melted, add carrots, zucchini, and red pepper. Stir fry the vegetables until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and green onions and cook an additional 1 minute.
  7. Stir rice into vegetable mixture. Stir in basil and chopped cashews. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

* You can use full-fat coconut milk but you may need to use a little water to get the rice fully cooked (see below about liquid and cooking times)

**Due to differences in rice (type, brand, etc.), altitude, size of the pot, how tight the lid fits, etc. you may need more water for the rice to be fully cooked. Test the rice just before the end of the suggested cooking time and add a few tablespoons more water, if needed, if the rice seems too undercooked.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 223
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 330mg
  • Fat: 9g
  • Carbohydrates: 33g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 5g

What’s your favorite way to make rice? Share in the comments below

Pin it now & make it later!

Pin image for Thai Coconut Curry Rice


Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. 

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links that won’t change your price but will share some commission.

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians so credit is given where credit is due. Thank you!

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Lyana Swennen says

    June 10, 2016 at 9:24 am

    I like my rice coked or baked with veggies.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      June 10, 2016 at 9:08 pm

      Baked rice sounds like a great way to prepare rice. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  2. Fanny says

    June 10, 2016 at 9:05 pm

    i am big on curry. That rice is amazing with curry with its sweet, nutty flavor.

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      June 10, 2016 at 9:07 pm

      Curry is where it’s at! We agree, Fanny, this rice is perfect for curry dishes.

      Reply
  3. Leon says

    June 10, 2016 at 9:12 pm

    This rice is gluten-free, vegan, and it tastes nice!! Thanks For the recipe!

    Reply
  4. Cara says

    May 7, 2017 at 11:51 am

    Just made this and it is so yummy!! Thanks for the recipe. I added a bit of coconut aminos to mine at the end… So good!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 7, 2017 at 2:29 pm

      Hi Cara,

      Thanks! So glad you loved it. It’s one of my favorite ways to get a Thai take-out fix while on a budget. Get tip about the aminos!

      Reply
  5. Augustine Rodriguez says

    April 12, 2018 at 4:04 pm

    Where’s the red curry paste in your recipe? And how much?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      April 19, 2018 at 6:43 am

      Hi Augustine,

      I’m sorry about that, there should be 2 tablespoons of red curry paste in the recipe. I’ve updated the recipe card to reflect this.

      Reply
  6. Sandy O says

    July 5, 2018 at 7:30 pm

    I made this for my neighborhood BBQ and everyone loved it! I also added edamame for some extra protein!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Liz says

    December 22, 2018 at 4:54 pm

    Yum yum yum!! It was delicious even though the rice was slightly under cooked – thoughts how to fix that? Add more water in the beginning? I also chopped up some left over chicken and threw it in the pot with the veggies. Super easy and super good!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      December 23, 2018 at 12:50 pm

      Hi Liz,

      Yes, adding a bit more water will remedy the undercooked rice issue. Glad you loved it!

      Reply
    • Kayla Duval says

      January 5, 2019 at 4:32 pm

      My rice was undercooked but other than that the flavors in this were absolutely delicious! Amazing recipe! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jessica Beacom says

        January 6, 2019 at 6:43 am

        Hi Kayla,

        Thanks for the feedback. It seems that someone else had that issue so I’ve updated the recipe to give a range for the water (since variations in altitude, the type/brand of rice, the size of the pot and how well the lid fits can all affect the cooking time and need for more or less water).

        Reply
  8. Kristi says

    January 28, 2019 at 5:16 pm

    Delicious! I used an entire can of light coconut milk and added less water. I also added sautéed shrimp on top 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      January 28, 2019 at 5:21 pm

      Thanks for sharing this, Kristi! Good to know you can use a can of light coconut milk and less water and still have great results. I also add shrimp and it’s honestly better than takeout!

      Reply
  9. Sage W says

    February 8, 2019 at 7:51 am

    This recipe looks so yummy!! With being on whole 30, how could i adjust the recipe to use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      February 13, 2019 at 9:01 am

      Hmmm…that’s a good question. We have not tested this recipe with cauliflower rice but I love the idea of creating a recipe similar to this using cauliflower rice!

      Reply
  10. Hilary says

    May 19, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    This was delicious! I had the cook the rice quite a bit longer and add more water, but I’m at altitude.

    Reply
  11. Mara says

    July 13, 2019 at 7:36 am

    If I want to double the rice do the proportions stay the same? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 14, 2019 at 9:25 pm

      Yes, they do. Though you may find that you need more water when cooking the rice (at least this has been my experience when doubling rice).

      Reply
  12. Tiffani T says

    August 22, 2019 at 11:43 am

    We make this all the time! My whole family loves it.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  13. Eric says

    November 29, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    Tasty, but lacks the punch of a spicy curry. Double the salt and the curry paste and it’s much better.

    Reply
  14. Ashley says

    December 3, 2019 at 1:40 pm

    This was bomb! I didn’t have zucchini or red pepper so just used extra carrots and a TON of chopped spinach, full fat coco milk (it’s all I had + extra calories I needed) also no basil on hand so I just used extra lime juice on my portion with sliced avocado and it was still delicious. I’m vegan so I used this as a main dish and kept me full!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      December 3, 2019 at 6:23 pm

      I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Ashley. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  15. Inna says

    January 14, 2020 at 3:01 am

    This is soo good!
    And takes almost no effort to make.

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

    Reply
  16. Gretchen Cianciarulo says

    March 4, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    Absolutely delicious! I added shrimp to make it a meal, and threw in some red onions I had. Plan to incorporate it into our regular routine!

    Reply
  17. Rebekah says

    April 2, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    Is there a sub for curry paste?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      April 7, 2020 at 7:35 am

      Hi Rebekah,

      You could use yellow curry powder instead of the curry paste, adding it to taste (since some are spicier than others).

      Reply
  18. Kassandrah Lent says

    April 19, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    How would you adapt this for cauliflower rice? Is that possible?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      April 20, 2020 at 9:23 pm

      Hi Kassandrah,
      We haven’t tested the recipe using cauliflower rice so unfortunately, I really can’t say. You would only need a fraction of the amount of liquid, so maybe sautee the veggies, add the spices and cauliflower rice then add a little of the coconut milk. That’s where I would start.

      Reply
  19. Tara Kucinski says

    April 22, 2020 at 3:24 pm

    This is a delicious recipe. I use jasmine rice and full fat coconut milk. For the veggies I just use whatever frozen or fresh ones I have and I also add some pineapple to the dish to sweeten it up some. I add a little extra spice too.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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