Colombian Coconut Rice Pudding (Arroz con Coco)

About This Recipe

Arroz con coco is a beloved Caribbean-Colombian dish that walks the line between side dish and dessert, depending on the household. Along the coast around Cartagena, coconut is central to the local cuisine, and this rice pudding showcases it simply — simmered slowly until the milk turns rich and slightly nutty. The key technique is toasting the coconut milk on its own before adding the rice, letting the fat separate and deepen in flavor the way it would over an open fire in a traditional coastal kitchen. From there, it's a patient simmer, stirring just enough to keep the rice from sticking without breaking it down into mush. Sweetened with panela — Colombia's unrefined cane sugar — and dotted with raisins, it's traditionally served both warm as a side to fried fish and chilled as a standalone dessert.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 cupwhite rice
• 2 cupscoconut milk
• 1 cupwater
• 0.5 cupraw cane sugar (panela) or brown sugar
• 0.5 cupraisins
• 1cinnamon stick
• 2whole cloves
• 0.25 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupshredded coconut(toasted, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the coconut milk

   In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer the coconut milk alone for 8-10 minutes until it separates slightly and the oil rises, stirring occasionally.

2. 2

   Add rice and spices

   Stir in the rice, water, cinnamon stick, cloves and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to low.

3. 3

   Simmer slowly

   Cover and cook 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the mixture has thickened to a loose porridge.

4. 4

   Sweeten and add raisins

   Stir in the panela and raisins. Continue cooking uncovered 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the pudding thickens further.

5. 5

   Cool and garnish

   Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Let cool slightly — it thickens as it sits — then top with toasted shredded coconut before serving.

   Serve warm or chilled; both are traditional depending on the household.

Variations

• •

  Add a splash of dark rum at the end for an adult version popular on the Caribbean coast.

• •

  Swap raisins for chopped dried mango for a more tropical twist.

• •

  Use full-fat coconut cream instead of coconut milk for an even richer pudding.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. It thickens considerably when cold; loosen with a splash of milk when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions