Coconut milk is often a forgotten ingredient. Many have it in their pantry or pass it by at the grocery store, but they're not quite sure what to do with it. It's a true mistake to pass this ingredient up. Not only does it add luxury and richness to every dish it touches, but it's also extremely versatile.
Everything from curries to stews -- even desserts. Whether you are a seasoned pro and have been cooking with coconut milk forever or you're just starting out in the kitchen, here are some sweet and savory ideas to try out with coconut milk.
Vegetarian coconut rice with Brussels sprouts
Rice cooked in coconut milk makes a luscious base for just about any vegetarian topping. The video below combines coconut rice with skillet-cooked Brussels sprouts that are tossed in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, garlic, lime juice and chilies. It makes a tasty vegetarian main or side dish.
I like to use full-fat coconut milk in this recipe because it provides the most intense coconut flavor, but you can use light coconut milk if you prefer more subtlety or are watching calories. Look for Brussels sprouts that are fairly uniform in sizes so that they’ll cook evenly, and leave out the chili if you don’t want a spicy kick.
Vegetarian cauliflower curry soup
If you're looking for a creamy, comforting soup that won't weigh you down, this is definitely the soup to make. The recipe below is not only full of flavor, but it's actually super healthy too! Using coconut milk instead of cream is a fun, vegan twist on the classic Indian curry soup. As a bonus, it comes together in only 45 minutes, so it's a great candidate for your next quick-and-easy weeknight dinner.
I love how full-flavored coconut milk is. It has this ability to transform soups and sauces by making them lusciously creamy without needing to add heavy cream. It also has a slightly sweet flavor, which is perfectly balanced in this recipe by the spicy curry powder. In addition to the coconut milk, pureeing all the cauliflower into the soup gives this soup extra creamy feel. If you prefer to have some texture, feel free to leave some of the cauliflower chunks whole.
Vegetarian Thai red curry
Thai curries, filled with an assortment of vegetables and rich coconut milk and seasoned with flavorful pastes made of Thai herbs, chilies, spices and aromatics, make satisfying and delicious vegetarian meals. The recipe below gets its red color from a curry paste made with red chilies and other spices. Red curries are usually a bit more spicy than yellow curries and less spicy than green curries, though you can make yours as spicy or as mild as you like by altering the amount of curry paste you use.
Freezing and thawing tofu before cooking removes much of its liquid and gives it a porous texture that absorbs all of the intense flavors in this curry. If you don’t have time to freeze and thaw it, slice it into slabs and drain it between layers of paper towels topped with a weighted baking sheet to remove excess moisture. If you’re using a store-bought red curry paste, check the ingredients to make sure it is vegetarian (some contain shrimp paste or fish sauce). Check out this video below.
Vegetarian roasted Brussels sprouts with coconut ginger sauce
Brussels sprouts are like delightful miniature cabbages. They’re packed with both flavor and nutrients, and they're incredibly adorable too. The recipe below brings out their sweetness through oven roasting and pairs them with a savory and spicy sauce that's enriched with coconut milk.
Serve this saucy vegetable dish over steamed rice (use brown rice for extra nutrition). Look for Brussels sprouts that are uniform in size so that they cook evenly. Use agave nectar or another liquid sweetener besides honey to make the recipe vegan. You can see it all come together in this video below.
Curried coconut quinoa with roasted cauliflower
Quinoa is a wonderful grain to use as a base for vegetarian meals because it is a complete protein. In fact, it has twice the protein content of other grains such as barley and rice, and it is also gluten free. The only downside to quinoa is that it can be a bit bland on its own, but that’s easily fixed by cooking it in a flavorful liquid and infusing it with spices. The recipe below uses rich coconut milk as a cooking liquid and includes ginger, curry powder and other flavorful ingredients.
Cauliflower becomes deeply caramelized through oven roasting in this video, making it a satisfying topper for this rich, spiced quinoa dish. Studded with raisins and flavored with lots of aromatic spices, this dish is sure to satisfy.
Vegan curried quinoa-stuffed acorn squash
Acorn squash is a bit sweeter and nuttier than other winter squashes. They are fairly small in size but hearty enough for two servings. My favorite way to cook all winter squash is roasting it in the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil. It's simple yet flavorful -- plus, having the oven on always warms the house.
This video takes roasted squash to the next level by stuffing it. The halves serve as edible bowls for a curried coconut quinoa. The spiced quinoa pairs nicely with the sweet, nutty squash. Be sure to scoop out some squash with some quinoa for the perfect bite. Serve each half as an entree, or cut the halves into quarters to serve as an appetizer or side dish.
Frozen pineapple whips
I spent summers in Hawaii throughout my life before I became an adult. There is nothing like fresh pineapple or freshly made coconut milk. In the recipe below, we take pineapple and coconut milk and blend them together to make the perfect cooling summer treat that brings me back to the islands.
We start by using frozen pineapple. You can buy pineapple fresh and freeze it yourself or use store-bought frozen pineapple. I like to make this recipe with full-fat coconut milk, but you can use something lighter. It doesn't even have to be coconut milk. You can use almond milk, hemp milk or even regular dairy milk if you like. Blend this all together until smooth, and boom! You're ready to cool down in the hot summer sun. Just start by watching this helpful video.
