What Vegetables to Serve with Coconut Rice (12 Veggies)
You know you love coconut rice, but have you wondered what vegetables to serve with coconut rice?
If so, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve put together a list of our favorite vegetables to serve with coconut rice that will add a ton of flavor and texture to your meal!
What Vegetables to Serve with Coconut Rice (12 Veggies)
Coconut rice is a delicious, rich side dish that can be served with a variety of main courses and dishes.
If you’re looking for the perfect vegetable to serve alongside your coconut rice, we’ve got 12 ideas that will take your taste buds on a trip around the world.
1. Green Beans
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/535787686932473068/Canned green beans are a classic side dish, and they’re equally at home with a sweet and savory dish like coconut rice.
With their crisp texture and earthy flavor, green beans bring a freshness to your meal that will really make it sing.
2. Carrots
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/351912461026044/For a more complex taste and texture, try serving your coconut rice with carrots, which bring both sweetness and earthiness to the table—and their bright orange color will add a burst of vibrancy to your plate!
3. Broccoli
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/627618898074424926/For something truly different, try pairing your coconut rice with broccoli!
The vegetable’s mild flavor complements the coconut rice’s rich sweetness beautifully.
Plus, broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse—what could be better than that?
4. Asparagus
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/531776668509424157/Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that is pretty easy to find in grocery stores. It’s a green stalk that grows from the ground, and it can be served raw or cooked.
If you’re looking for a side dish to serve with coconut rice, asparagus would be a good choice.
5. Eggplant
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4081455902921882/Eggplant is another common vegetable that you can buy at many grocery stores.
It’s round and purple, so it makes for a nice contrast against white or brown dishes like coconut rice. Eggplant is also known for being very healthy—it contains lots of antioxidants and vitamins.
If you’re serving coconut rice with eggplant, your meal will be even healthier!
6. Zucchini
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1900024834286638/Zucchini is usually sold fresh in grocery stores, but it can also be found canned or frozen if you don’t have access to fresh zucchini at home.
Zucchini has a mild flavor that goes well with other foods as well as coconut rice because it doesn’t overpower other flavors like some vegetables might do.
7. Peas
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/2955555997223027/Peas are familiar, so you don’t have to worry about offending people who aren’t used to trying new things (or just don’t like change).
But they’re also tasty and fun—they add just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the flavor of the more exotic coconut rice.
8. Onions
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294774738119292600/Onions can also be served on the side when eating coconut rice.
Onions are a vegetable but they can also be used as an ingredient in other dishes as well.
Onions have a strong flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked.
They can also be pickled if they are not eaten right away!
9. Corn
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/914862416814515/Corn is another great vegetable to serve.
You can either use fresh corn cut off the cob for a bright pop of yellow in your dish, or you can choose to use canned corn if you’re looking for something more convenient and accessible.
10. Spinach
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1618549857980682/Spinach has a fresh and vibrant taste, which is why it’s a perfect pairing for the sweetness of coconut rice.
If you’re looking for a healthy, green side dish to go with your flavor-packed rice, spinach is what you want.
11. Kale
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/355714070575575838/Kale has a hearty texture, so it will stand up well to the fluffiness of the rice and hold its own weight in the meal.
Plus, it’s delicious! Kale goes great with all sorts of dishes, not just this one.
12. Cucumbers
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/566468459390287894/If you’re looking for a refreshing and light complement to your coconut rice dish, cucumbers are an excellent choice—they won’t weigh down the meal at all!
Plus, they’re really easy to prepare (you can just slice them up) and they’ll add some crunchiness to your meal.
What Vegetable Sides to Serve with Coconut Rice
When you’re looking for a side dish to serve with your coconut rice, it’s important to remember that vegetables are your friend.
They add color and texture to the plate, and can help make a meal more balanced.
Here are some of our favorite vegetable-based sides that pair well with coconut rice:
1. Roasted broccoli
What vegetable isn’t better when it’s roasted?
Roasted broccoli is great for any meal!
Here’s how to do it:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking oil.
- Cut up 1 head of broccoli into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until evenly coated.
- Spread the broccoli pieces out on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
2. Cilantro lime cauliflower rice
This is a Mexican-inspired dish that will bring vibrant flavor to your meal.
Simply sauté the cauliflower in a little garlic and onion, and add lime juice and cilantro for the perfect finish.
3. Roasted cauliflower
Cut a head of cauliflower into florets, toss them in olive oil and salt, and roast them at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes; serve with chopped cilantro and lime juice.
4. Sweet potato fries
These fries are crispy and sweet, with just the right amount of spice.
They’re easy to make at home, especially if you have an air fryer (click here to find an air fried zucchini recipe)!
Here’s how to make them:
- Cut 2 peeled sweet potatoes into thin strips (about 3 inches long) using a peeler.
- Place them in a large bowl filled with cold water and let soak for at least 10 minutes, then drain well. Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking oil spray and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add the potato strips and cook until golden brown on both sides, turning as needed—about 5 minutes total—then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess fat.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt before serving alongside your coconut rice dish!
5. Ginger carrot soup
There’s nothing like a hot, steamy bowl of soup to warm you up on a chilly day—especially when it’s bright orange and full of carrots.
This ginger carrot soup is a perfect starter to a meal that includes coconut rice as the main attraction. You can also serve this soup with any curry or stir-fry.
Peel and dice 3 carrots and 3 stalks of celery into small chunks; add them to a soup pot along with 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger; simmer on low heat until the vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes); puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.
6. Green salad with cherry tomatoes and cucumber
This is a great side dish to serve with coconut rice because it’s super easy to make and doesn’t require any cooking.
Just wash your veggies and slice up the cherry tomatoes and cucumber. Toss them together with some olive oil and vinegar dressing, then enjoy!
7. Roasted beets with goat cheese
Roasted beets are a delicious way to bring color and flavor to your meal without overwhelming your palate or requiring too much work (especially if you buy them pre-cut!).
They’re also full of fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, iron and more!
8. Sautéed mushrooms
If you’re looking for something to round out your meal, sautéed mushrooms are the way to go.
They’re easy to make, they taste great, and they’re packed with nutritional benefits.
- Just toss some baby portobello mushrooms into a pan with some olive oil and garlic and cook them until they’re soft and brown.
- Serve alongside coconut rice for a full meal!
9. Sautéed kale
Grab a bunch of kale at the store—it’s all good, we won’t judge you if you leave it in a plastic bag in your fridge for three weeks till it’s time to use it, because frankly that’s what we do too.
- Wash the kale and tear it into bite-sized pieces (about 2 inches).
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add an onion with a pinch of salt, sautéing until translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add your kale and stir to coat with oil.
- Let cook down until wilted (about 5 more minutes).
- Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
10. Carrot Salsa
This is a delicious side dish that can be served hot or cold!
- To make carrot salsa, finely chop one bunch of carrots and add them to your food processor with 1/2 cup diced red onion and 1/2 cup cilantro.
- Pulse until they’re finely chopped.
- Then add 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 4 tablespoons olive oil.
- Pulse until it’s all combined!
- Serve with coconut rice for a flavorful meal!
11. Roasted Asparagus Spears
Roasted asparagus spears go great with coconut rice because they’re both healthy and delicious!
- To prepare roasted asparagus spears, wash and dry 12 stalks of asparagus.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer layer from each stalk.
- Then lay the stalks on a baking sheet (you may need two sheets) and drizzle each stalk with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
- Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until tender but not mushy—they should still have some crunch to them!
Why Consider Serving Veggies with Coconut Rice?
One of the best things about vegetables is how they can make a meal feel like it’s more than just carbs or protein.
And if you’re looking for ways to get your family to eat their veggies, coconut rice is a great way to do it.
It’s flavorful enough that kids will love it, but the coconut milk makes it creamy enough that parents won’t be worried about too much fat or calories.
It’s also really easy to make at home, so you can feel good about serving your family something healthy and delicious.
What Vegetables to Serve with Coconut Rice (12 Veggies)
Ingredients
- Green Beans
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Peas
- Onions
- Corn
- Spinach
- Kale
- Cucumbers
Instructions
- Pick any of the vegetabes from this list to use with your coconut rice meal.
- Prepare the ingredients according to the recipe.
- Be ready to munch in no time!
Hi, I'm Benjamin. I love cooking, long walks, and my girlfriend! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.