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    Framed Cooks ยป Recipes ยป Side Dishes

    Coconut Rice Pilaf

    Published: Apr 24, 2016 ยท Modified: May 19, 2021 by Kate Morgan Jackson ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 16 Comments

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    Jazz up your rice with this easy recipe for coconut rice pilaf, filled with peas and peanuts and creamy coconut flavor. A great side dish!

    Coconut Rice Pilaf

    There is something about saying the words rice pilaf that instantly makes suppertime sound all kinds of elegant…and when you add the word coconut to the mix, as in Oh, I think I will make some coconut rice pilaf for dinner tonight, well, things start sounding downright decadent.

    And things kind of are decadent, because coconut rice pilaf means you are going to be cooking up your rice in a mixture of coconut milk and chicken broth and mixing it up with tender sweet peas and salty chopped peanuts and peppery scallions and PLEASE PASS THE COCONUT RICE PILAF RIGHT NOW.

    What is rice pilaf?

    Rice pilaf is actually all kinds of simple to make, despite the fanciness it conjures up.  It basically refers to rice that is simmered up in a flavored broth, and most of the time there are other delicious things mixed in, as in the Rice Pilaf with Cherries and Pistachios on my friend David‘s site, and whenever I make any kind of rice pilaf I wonder why I ever would make plain rice, ever ever ever.

    And that counts double for coconut rice pilaf, because as wonderful as rice tastes when it is cooked in chicken broth, when you add creamy, dreamy coconut milk to the mix…well, just wrap your mind around the idea of rice absorbing some delectable coconut flavor as it cooks.

    The scallions and peanuts are going to give the pilaf a whole sweet and salty vibe with just a little bite, and the peas are going to add a little tender bit of green to the whole thing.

    Coconut Rice Pilaf

    Depending on what I have on hand, I will sometimes stir in a handful of flaked coconut (which will make it a wee bit sweeter) or a couple of shakes of hot sauce (which will make it a wee bit sassier)…or both.

    This goes perfectly with a nice grilled steak, and if you want to make it a one bowl meal, stir in some sliced chicken or poached shrimp.

    I’m telling you…rice pilaf.  MAGIC.

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    Coconut Rice Pilaf

    coconut rice pilaf
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    Jazz up your rice with this easy recipe for coconut rice pilaf, fill with peas and peanuts and creamy coconut flavor. A great side dish!

    • Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 3/4 cup coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup chicken broth
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1/2 cup rice
    • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
    • 1/2 cup salted peanuts
    • 2 scallions, sliced
    • 1/4 cup flaked coconut (optional)
    • A few shakes of hot sauce (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Bring coconut milk and broth to a simmer in a medium pot and stir in rice and sugar. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Add additional coconut milk as needed.
    2. Stir in peas, scallions and peanuts. Add coconut and/or hot sauce if you like. Serve at once.

    Equipment We Used to Make This Recipe

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    Cutting Board

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    Medium Pot

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    Notes

    Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying!

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    Comments

    1. grace says

      April 26, 2016 at 1:54 pm

      i hate the texture of rice, so the idea of adding some nuts is a good one in my mind! i enjoy coconut too, so this might be the very first batch of rice i like!

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 28, 2016 at 7:20 am

        I’m betting it IS! :)

        Reply
    2. Amanda says

      April 26, 2016 at 9:39 am

      I just made rice wih coconut milk too. Isn’t that flavor wonderful?
      This rice pilaf is so tempting! And the peanuts and scallions sound so delicious!

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 28, 2016 at 7:21 am

        I think I could cook everything with coconut milk and be perfectly, perfectly happy. :)

        Reply
    3. Mir says

      April 25, 2016 at 1:19 pm

      I love rice pilaf and I love peanuts, so this is heaven. Any grain cooked in broth is so much better than cooking in water! Looks amazing, too!

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 26, 2016 at 5:53 am

        I don’t think I could ever cook rice in plain old water again…happy sigh for pilaf!

        Reply
    4. demeter | beaming baker says

      April 25, 2016 at 9:42 am

      Coconut rice sounds absolutely scrumptious right now! Love that you included a good dose of coconut milk. Okay, off to drool and dream about this… ;) Happy Monday Kate!

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 26, 2016 at 5:53 am

        Drool and dream…that could be my motto! :)

        Reply
    5. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      April 25, 2016 at 8:35 am

      Pilaf does sound fancy, doesn’t it. SO much better than just saying, “oh we are having rice on the side”. Loving this pilaf, Kate!! The flavors you used in here sounds amazing!! Plus anything coconut totally makes me swoon! Love the pops of peas, peanuts and scallions! Simply delicious, my dear! Cheers – to a beautiful day, dear! xo

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 26, 2016 at 5:54 am

        Yes, and fancy is proven to be 150% more delicious than plain! xoxo!

        Reply
    6. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

      April 25, 2016 at 7:57 am

      I agree, rice pilaf just sounds so fancy, even though its so easy to make! This coconut version looks so pretty, Kate! What a great dish to impress hungry house guests with!

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 26, 2016 at 5:54 am

        Just don’t tell them how easy it is, right? :)

        Reply
    7. Megan - The Emotional Baker says

      April 25, 2016 at 7:24 am

      I love rice pilaf, but I hardly ever make it. However, a version with coconut will definitely be making an appearance at my dinner table very soon ;)

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 26, 2016 at 5:54 am

        Coconut does put a whole new spin on things, right?

        Reply
    8. Vivian | stayaliveandcooking says

      April 25, 2016 at 6:10 am

      Ohh yum! I’ve never actually made coconut rice but this sounds like a must-try. Love the addition of the peanuts!

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 26, 2016 at 5:55 am

        Peanuts and coconut just seem made for each other, right?

        Reply

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