Creamy Coconut Curry Rice With Vegetables
This coconut curry rice is made with creamy coconut milk and packed with vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and peppers. It’s an easy side dish to make and leftovers heat up great! Recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

It’s no secret that I LOVE cozy rice bowls that are packed with flavour and nourishing ingredients. This creamy coconut curry rice is no different – it’s so full of veggies, whole grain brown rice, satiating coconut milk, and curry spices.
This recipe is great as a side dish to your favourite protein source, or you could enjoy it as the base of a rice bowl. I’ve shared some ideas for what to serve it with below.
Another plus? Leftovers keep very well and heat up super easily in the microwave. It would make a great packed lunch option, too! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Ingredients Needed
This coconut curry rice recipe is make with only 10 simple ingredients:
- brown rice
- canned coconut milk
- curry powder
- shallot
- garlic
- zucchini
- broccoli
- bell pepper
- mushrooms
- olive oil (or other cooking oil)
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Recipe Modifications
- Feel free to use different vegetables in this recipe. You can use as many of the ones listed in this recipe as you’d like or throw in some other ones (like cauliflower, bok choy, or spinach)!
- Instead of shallots, you can dice up an onion or leave it out entirely if it’s not something you tolerate.
- I used this long-grain brown rice for this recipe, but you are welcome to use any type of rice you’d like. Please refer to the packaging to see the exact cooking time and liquid to rice ratio. If the ratio differs to the recipe instructions, simply add 1 cup water and the remainder in coconut milk.
What To Serve With Coconut Curry Rice
Because this coconut curry rice is a source of fibre-rich starch, fats, and vegetables I recommend serving it with a source of quality protein to balance out your meal.
Since this dish has so much flavour, feel free to keep things simple with a basic protein, such as:
- sautéed shrimp or scallops in a little olive oil, salt + pepper
- baked chicken or salmon
- crispy tofu or tempeh
- hard-boiled, poached, or sunny side up eggs
Brown Rice Nutrition Benefits
Brown rice is:
- a fibre-rich whole grain, with 1 cup providing 3.5 grams (about 14% of your daily needs)
- an excellent source of B-vitamins, like:
- thiamin
- niacin
- B6
- pantothenic acid
- a good source of minerals like:
- manganese
- selenium
- magnesium
- phosphorus
- copper
- zinc
- iron
Coconut Milk Nutrition Benefits
Coconut milk is a good source of:
- vitamins and minerals, like:
- manganese
- copper
- magnesium
- selenium
- potassium
- iron
- folate
- vitamin C
- fats, which help with the development of our brains, hormones, and all cells throughout our bodies. Fat also helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and helps to keep us feeling full and satisfied
- despite being higher in saturated fats, research shows that coconut intake may actually improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
More Delicious Rice Recipes
- Creamy Coconut Corn Rice
- Cheesy Miso Mushroom Rice
- Vegan “Cheesy” Broccoli Rice
- Green Goddess Rice Bowl
- Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice Bowl
- Mexican Rice Casserole
Did you give this Creamy Coconut Curry Rice Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Creamy Coconut Curry Rice With Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 can coconut milk, divided (approx. 400 ml or 13.5 fl oz.)
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (for cooking veggies)
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped (approx. 1 medium zucchini)
- 2 cups broccoli, chopped (approx. 1 crown)
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (approx. 7 mushrooms)
Instructions
- Rinse brown rice in a sieve then transfer to a large pot.
- Add water, 3/4 cup coconut milk, curry powder, salt, and pepper to the pot with the rice. Stir, then bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once the liquid starts to boil, cover and reduce to low heat. Allow to simmer for about 40 minutes. **NOTE: all rice brands are a bit different, so please check the packaging of the rice you're using to see the exact amount of liquid to rice ratio and cooking time. See recipes notes for more tips!
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high. Cook shallots and garlic for a few minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Then, add all the chopped vegetables to the pan and cook until they're tender and lightly browned (about 10-12 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Once the rice is cooked, stir in all the cooked vegetables and the remainder of the coconut milk. Adjust seasonings to taste.**TIP: If you'd like the coconut milk to absorb a bit more, simply continue to cook for a minute or two while stirring everything together.
- Serve with your favourite protein and enjoy hot!
Notes
- Feel free to use different vegetables in this recipe. You can use as many of the ones listed in this recipe as you’d like or throw in some other ones (like cauliflower, bok choy, or spinach)!
- Instead of shallots, you can dice up an onion or leave it out entirely if it’s not something you tolerate.
- sautéed shrimp or scallops in a little olive oil, salt + pepper
- baked chicken or salmon
- crispy tofu or tempeh
- hard-boiled, poached, or sunny side up eggs
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
16 Comments on “Creamy Coconut Curry Rice With Vegetables”
This is a great recipe! Made it tonight and loved it. I used Minute Rice because that’s all I had on hand and it worked well. It’s a perfect side dish that would go with any protein. I had it with salmon.
Hi Linda! Thank you so much for the kind review – it’s so appreciated. So happy to hear you enjoyed it and that Minute Rice worked well here!! Love that you had it with salmon too 🙂
it was yummy, thanks.
Thank you so much for sharing, Latifa! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one 🙂
Aloha! I plan on making this recipe tonight, as I’m trying to make veg-based dishes for my blood pressure. Is it possible to double the amount of rice, as long as I double the other ingredients? I love your blog!
Hi Lee! Thanks so much for your question and kind words – sorry I’m just getting to it now! Yes of course you can double the rice along with the other ingredients to make more servings. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Taste amazing 🤩! I will definitely recommend anyone to make it.
I made mine with Salmon on the side.
Hi Davina! Thanks so much for sharing your experience. So happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Love it with salmon 🙂
This was wonderful and just so flavorful! For veggies, I did red bell pepper, carrots, broccoli and also lastly added some leftover roasted pumpkin which made it even more delicious! Can’t wait to make again 🙂
Hi Meredith! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review. It’s so appreciated and I’m SO happy you enjoyed this recipe!! Oh my gosh the leftover roasted pumpkin sounds PERFECT here – I need to try that myself!!!
Very good. I used red and orange bell pepper, some onion, broccoli and mushrooms and added some air fryer tofu. Added some garam masala, cumin and cayenne because we like it little spicy. Served with some Sriracha on the side and gobbled it up!!
Thanks so much, Candice! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this one. Appreciate the review. Love the modifications you made to add a little extra spice 🙂
Awesome recipe! My family ate it up so quickly! No left overs!!! I must make it again!!! Thank you so much for publishing this wonderful delightful recipe! Yum!!! ☺️❤️
Hi Sherry! Thank you so much for sharing your experience!! It means the world. So happy to hear that your family enjoyed this one 🙂
PS. you may also enjoy this miso mushroom rice or this creamy coconut corn rice if you want some other flavour combinations!!
Nice…
Thanks, Sharron!