This Thai Coconut Curry Rice with Vegetables is a Thai-inspired twist on fried rice your whole family will love!
Rice is nice but this Thai Coconut Curry Rice with Vegetables is ah-mazing!
Our 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 1 part comfort food and 1 part game-changer. Imagine a bowl of this rice topped with perfectly grilled salmon or shrimp. Even by itself, with just a big squeeze of lime, it’s perfect!
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 curry fans – so what’s a curry-loving, driving-hating, budget-conscious mama to do? I make my own, that’s what. And I make it the easiest way possible using the freshest ingredients so I can get my curry fix and get dinner on the table before the dinner-hour meltdowns happen.
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.
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Thai Coconut Curry Rice
This Thai twist on a fried rice with it’s warm curry spices and rich coconut-scented rice makes an easy and delicious side dish for grilled meat or fish.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Vegetarian,
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 Tbsp. red curry paste
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- ¾ cup water (plus more, if needed – see notes)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini, sliced and quartered
- ½ red pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup cashews, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp. coconut oil
- Lime wedges, optional
Instructions
- Combine rice, coconut milk, water, red curry paste and salt in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, stir gently then cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove rice from heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes covered.
- While rice is cooking, add 2 teaspoons coconut oil to a large skillet placed over medium-high heat.
- When oil is melted, add carrots, zucchini and red pepper. Stir fry vegetables until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and green onions and cook an additional 1 minute.
- Stir rice into vegetable mixture. Stir in basil and chopped cashews. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
*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.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2/3 cup
- Calories: 258
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 139mg
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
What’s your favorite way to make rice? Share in the comments below
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I like my rice coked or baked with veggies.
★★★★★
Baked rice sounds like a great way to prepare rice. Thanks for sharing!
i am big on curry. That rice is amazing with curry with its sweet, nutty flavor.
Curry is where it’s at! We agree, Fanny, this rice is perfect for curry dishes.
This rice is gluten-free, vegan, and it tastes nice!! Thanks For the recipe!
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!
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!
Where’s the red curry paste in your recipe? And how much?
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.
I made this for my neighborhood BBQ and everyone loved it! I also added edamame for some extra protein!
★★★★★
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!
★★★★★
Hi Liz,
Yes, adding a bit more water will remedy the undercooked rice issue. Glad you loved it!
My rice was undercooked but other than that the flavors in this were absolutely delicious! Amazing recipe! Thank you for sharing!
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).
Delicious! I used an entire can of light coconut milk and added less water. I also added sautéed shrimp on top 🙂
★★★★★
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!
This recipe looks so yummy!! With being on whole 30, how could i adjust the recipe to use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice?
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!