Coconut rice pudding – this easy, creamy, delicious vegan rice pudding is flavoured with coconut and cardamom, giving it a tropical twist.
Serve with berry compote for a hearty, nostalgic, comforting dessert; or you can even have it for breakfast!
Rice pudding is such a classic, nostalgic dessert, and one that happens to be very easy to make vegan. This coconut rice pudding is rich, creamy, coco-nutty and incredibly satisfying.
Served with a fruity berry compote it is a truly comforting, retro pudding that is great both hot and cold, and is even good for breakfast!
I make it on the stovetop, it is quicker than baked rice pudding, and avoids the dreaded rice pudding skin!
What Do I Need To make Coconut Rice pudding?:
Pudding rice: You need to use a short grained rice, ideally pudding rice but risotto rice will also work. Don’t use long grain, brown, basmati or paella rice.
Coconut milk: Tinned full fat coconut milk is best. You could use light, but the pudding won’t be as rich and creamy.
Sugar: I use caster or granulated sugar to preserve the white colour of the pudding, but any kind of sugar will work, including maple syrup. You can reduce the amount of sugar if you like, or just add it at the end of cooking to taste.
Cardamom: This is totally optional but I like to add a couple of split cardamom pods while the rice is cooking. You can omit them, or add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and/or allspice.
Berries: Any kind you like, either fresh or frozen. I like to use a frozen blend of blackberries, cherries and blackcurrants.
How To Make Coconut Rice Pudding:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
Place the rice, coconut milk, water, sugar and cardamom pods (if using) in a deep saucepan.
Bring up to a gentle simmer then turn the heat down to low and cook for 35-40 minutes until the rice is soft and the liquid has reduced, stir often.
It might still be a bit runny at this stage, but it will thicken as it cools.
To make the compote, place the berries, sugar and water in a pan and cook until the berries have softened.
If it is too runny, add a little cornflour mixed with a splash of cold water and cook until thickened.
Top Tips:
The texture of the rice pudding will vary depending on the fat content of the coconut milk and the rice you use. If you prefer a very thick rice pudding you can omit the water, and if you find the pudding to be too thick, you can add more water or milk of your choice as needed.
The rice pudding will likely still be a bit runny when it is cooked, but it will thicken considerably as it cools.
You can add either whole or ground spices to taste (such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice).
A dash of vanilla extract would work well, or why not try adding some finely grated orange zest.
Use a deeper pan than you think you need and keep an eye on the pudding as it cooks to ensure that it doesn’t boil over. Once it has come up to a simmer turn the heat down very low, it should be barely simmering.
Stir the pudding often while it is cooking to stop it from catching.
It would also be great topped with mango or pineapple instead of the berry compote
Try adding some rum soaked raisins or sultanas for a grown-up twist.
Can You Make rice Pudding In Advance?:
Yes! You can prepare this recipe ahead of time and then reheat it in a pot on the stovetop when you are ready to serve it. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I Freeze It?:
Yes, allow the coconut rice pudding to cool then place it in a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost and reheat to serve, adding a little extra milk as needed.
More Vegan Pudding Recipes:
- Vegan spotted dick
- Vegan sticky toffee pudding
- Vegan Eve's pudding
- Rhubarb apple crumble
- Vegan steamed chocolate pudding
- Vegan steamed maple syrup pudding
- Vegan self-saucing chocolate pudding
- Berry and coconut steamed puddings
- Vegan jam roly-poly
- Vegan jam and coconut sponge
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
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Coconut Rice Pudding With Berry Compote
Ingredients
Rice Pudding
- 115 g (½ cup + 1 Tablespoon) pudding rice or risotto rice
- 800 ml (two cans (3.5 cups)) full fat coconut milk
- 150 ml (½ cup + 2 Tablespoons) water (more as needed)
- 75 g (⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon) sugar (more or less to taste)
- pinch salt
- 2 cardamom pods bruised (optional)
Blackberry Compote
- 250 g (9oz) blackberries (or mixed frozen berries)
- 1 Tablespoon sugar (more to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with a splash of cold water (optional)
Instructions
- Place the rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, salt and cardamom pods in a pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a gentle simmer for 35-40 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has reduced. Stir the mixture regularly, especially towards the end of cooking. It may still seem a bit runny when it is done but it will thicken considerably as it cools.
- Once the pudding is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and discard the cardamom pods, pour into a bowl, cover and place in the fridge to chill. If, once the pudding has chilled, you find it to be too thick, stir in a little milk or water to loosen.
- To make the compote, place the berries, sugar, water and star anise in a pan and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes until the berries have softened.
- If you find the compote to be too liquidy (bear in mind that it will thicken a bit as it cools though), stir in a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a splash of cold water then bring the compote back up to the boil and simmer for a minute until thickened. Discard the star anise.
- Serve the rice pudding hot or cold with the compote (also hot or cold).
Notes
- See post above for tips, details and step-by-step photos.
- If you prefer a very thick rice pudding you can omit the water. The higher the fat content of the coconut milk, the thicker and creamier the pudding will be once chilled.
Stacey Guilliatt (Nobody Said It Was Easy)
Oh this looks amazing! Going to have to try this as we have a blackberry bush at our new house 🙂 #tastytuesdays
hannahhossack
Thanks Stacey, I'd love to have my own personal blackberry bush! I just go foraging in my local park.
Beeh
I'm giving you five stars because I love your recipes and even though I have not made this recipe but I am looking forward to do it. My only concern is that it seems like very little rice ratio to milk only a half a cup plus one =tablespoon of rice and two cans of coconut milk? And on top of that water?..not sure. After the rice cooks, it completely disappears and the texture of the rice is lost?
Hannah
Hi Beeh, thank you so much! Yes rice pudding tends to have quite a bit of liquid to rice as it isn't meant to be dry, you want a wet risotto like consistency. The rice retains it's texture when cooked and while it may seem like it is still a bit runny when first cooked, it thickens a lot as it cools. You can always omit the water if you are worried and just add some at the end if needed.
Genevieve Cooke
This is such a delicious rice pudding. I haven't made rice pudding since I went vegan and it used to be my favourite dessert. I added the cardamon and also a cinnamon stick and a touch of vanilla... Sooo good! Thank you for another great recipe ☺️