Does it get more classic than a bowl of rice pudding? Talk about nostalgia! We’d been craving this comforting dessert for far too long, and so our perfected vegan version was born. It’s perfectly sweet, super creamy, and SO classic!
Naturally sweetened and just 7 ingredients, 1 pot, and 25 minutes required. Let’s make rice pudding!
Origins of Rice Pudding
Rice pudding exists in many forms in cultures around the world (source). From Trinidad to Venezuela, Ireland, Thailand, India, and beyond, a creamy rice-based concoction has found its way onto dessert menus worldwide.
The exact ingredients used vary by region and preference, but most recipes include some sort of rice, milk, spices/flavorings, sweetener, and sometimes eggs. The following is our inspired vegan version based on what we grew up knowing and loving!
How to Make Vegan Rice Pudding
Our version begins with combining dairy-free milk (we like almond for its neutral flavor) with maple syrup for natural sweetness, cornstarch to thicken, and sea salt to enhance all the flavors.
The cornstarch is the egg replacement in this recipe. We tested both with and without it and prefer the creamy, cling-to-the-rice texture it provides.
Once the mixture has cooked with the rice, we add light coconut milk to make it rich and creamy with minimal coconut taste and vanilla for classic rice pudding flavor.
The result is tender, fluffy rice coated in sweet, creamy perfection! You can either enjoy it warm (with optional toppings like cinnamon and raisins), or cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming) and enjoy after chilling.
We hope you LOVE this rice pudding! It’s:
Super creamy
Cinnamon-spiced
Perfectly sweet
Comforting
Quick & easy
& Kind of perfect!
It’s a great way to repurpose leftover rice in an extra delicious way. Rice pudding also keeps well, making it the perfect dessert to have on hand in the fridge throughout the week.
More Creamy Vegan Desserts
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Creamy Vegan Rice Pudding (1 Pot)
Ingredients
RICE PUDDING
- 1 ½ cups cooked white rice (we prefer jasmine rice because it holds its shape well while still being soft)
- 1 ½ cups dairy-free milk (plain, unsweetened // we used almond milk)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup canned light coconut milk (we like Whole Foods 365 brand)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR SERVING optional
- Cinnamon
- Raisins
Instructions
- If you don’t already have cooked white rice, prepare it at this time using these instructions. 1/2 cup dry rice yields ~1 ½ cups cooked. Set aside.
- To a medium saucepan, add the dairy-free milk, maple syrup, cornstarch, and sea salt. Whisk to combine, then add cooked white rice and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Heat the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 13-16 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid but is still slightly runny. It should resemble risotto. Next, add the light coconut milk and vanilla extract and stir constantly for 2-4 minutes until the mixture is thick yet pourable. It should look like a loose risotto — it will thicken as it cools.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the pudding cool for a few minutes if serving warm (option to top with cinnamon and raisins). Alternatively, you can let it cool completely.
- To cool the pudding, place into a medium heat-proof bowl and cover the top of the pudding with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Again, option to serve with cinnamon and raisins. We prefer the chilled rice pudding.
- It will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It can be frozen, but we find the texture becomes grainy and brittle rather than smooth and tender.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*Loosely adapted from Allrecipes.
Cheryl Temple says
Can I use full fat coconut milk ? That’s all I have!
Yes (assuming you mean instead of light coconut milk)! It will be richer/thicker and have a slight coconut flavor, but it’s a great swap :)
Rose says
Snap! I made this this morning and it’s the bomb! I doubled the batch (because I know I can always count on MB’s recipes), used the stovetop method, brown jasmine rice, and about 2/3 of the amount of maple syrup. Next time, I’ll decrease the sweetness even more because I would’ve liked to add chopped prunes, but that would put the sweet level over the top for me. Also, used soy milk and coconut cream for extra richness. Delish – thank you!
Aw, we’re so honored that you trust our recipes so much, Rose! Thank you for making this one and sharing your experience! xo
Clyde says
I made this recipe with low expectations because I didn’t think it could live up to it’s dairy counterparts. Boy was I wrong! I found it to be a delicious variation that is slightly less sweet than other variations. But once dressed with cinnamon and raisins it’s just perfect. Thank you for sharing this!
Whoop! We’re so glad this rice pudding exceeded your expectations, Clyde. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Kristie says
Delicious! I portion it into small mason jars and my kids take it in their lunch. Ran out of cornstarch so I used tapioca starch (twice the amount, mixed with 1/4c of the almond milk before adding to the mix). Added cinnamon and it’s JUST SO GOOD!
We’re so glad your kids enjoy it, Kristie! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Margaret says
A favorite! My husband has been asking for rice pudding for years now and I finally had the time to make it. His mother used to always make and when I found your recipe I thought let’s give it a try. We used brown rice and I added raisins and cut up dates. (He would have disowned me if I had left out the raisins!). Sprinkled cinnamon on top! Loved it! I will be making this many times in the future! 🥰
Aw, we’re so glad you got around to making it and that you both enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Margaret! xo
Bianca says
Would this work with brown rice?
Hi Bianca, we think it will turn out much more firm with brown rice, but other readers have reported they enjoyed it. Let us know if you try it!
Debbie says
I have made this twice in the last few days! It is delicious and easy to make! Thank you for such a great recipe!
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Debbie! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Meri Schroeder says
I’ve only tried a bite, but it’s very good. I’m a huge pudding fan, so it’s nice to have a healthier alternative so I can indulge without gaining 1,000 lbs! Thanks for the recipe!
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Meri! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Khurty Ramudu says
Hello there! Can I use arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch for this recipe?
Hi Khurty! We think arrowroot would make it bouncy, but we haven’t tested it. Another option would be to leave it out! It’s still really tasty without cornstarch, it just adds a little extra cohesiveness.
Julie says
Hi there!
Why do you mix two types of milks instead of using the same type of milk for the entire recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Julie! The regular dairy-free milk helps cook the rice pudding to the correct texture while the coconut milk helps make it creamy in the end. Similarly to using dairy milk and cream in a recipe! Hope this helps. xo
Rebekh says
Made this except i had no coconut milk so i put in sweetened coconut instead. Very sweet but delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rebekah! Thank you for sharing! xo
Maria says
Can you add rose water to this?
We haven’t tried that, but it sounds delicious! Let us know if you try it!
Fran says
I wanted to make it for weeks but I had to collect all the ingredients first, as I run out of light coconut milk cans and jasmine rice!
This is delicious! Oh, the creamy consistency is heavenly, and the slightly sweet flavour is just perfect! I had to stop myself to eat it before it gets chilly… I’ve added cinnamon and raisins, can’t wait to have the whole glass at snack time tomorrow!
Yay! We’re so glad you got to make it and enjoyed the result :) Thank you for sharing, Fran! xo
Arvis says
Absolutely delicious! I love rice pudding but can’t do dairy. I used vanilla almond milk and a plant based heavy cream I love, Country Crocks Plant Cream. Perfect! Thank you for this recipe!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this version, Arvis. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Julia says
So, so good! Thanks for the recipe. To avoid wasting coconut milk, I doubled the recipe and replaced a bit of the regular milk with more coconut milk (full fat) to use up a full can. I don’t notice any coconut taste so no issues there if anyone is in a similar boat.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Julia! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
random dude says
i made this it turned out really good but it was a bit salty still really good.
We’re glad you enjoyed it overall! One idea – if using standard table salt (vs. fine sea salt), it will taste saltier. Either way, feel free to reduce to preference next time!
Roma says
Can I make it a day prior and refrigerate it?
Hi Roma, yes! It’s best when fresh, but will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
Sophia says
Hi! I have yet to make this because I do not have coconut milk or cornstarch on me!! What are substitutes for those?
Hi Sophia, you could sub another dairy-free milk (such as almond, oat, or cashew), but it won’t be as creamy. For cornstarch, we’d suggest trying arrowroot starch or leaving it out (though we prefer the texture it adds). Hope that helps!
Viktoriya says
Yummmm!! This will be my go-to recipe for leftover rice. I never know what to do with it if I have too much. I don’t know that I’ve ever had rice pudding, so I don’t really have anything to compare it to. Unless mango sticky rice is considered as rice pudding? Either way, I’m saving this and will be making it again. Thank you!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Viktoriya! Thank you for sharing! xo
heather says
For those asking about brown rice I am here to say that I have made this twice now, both times with short grain brown rice, and in my opinion it was perfect!
Leaning into the coconut flavour I added ground cardamom, freshly grated nutmeg and some coconut extract.
Loved it, thanks!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Heather! xo
Lisa says
Despite the issues I had making this— it came out sooo good! I made it using the instant pot recipe and had “food burn”, likely because I have a huge instant pot and the overall quantity was too low. I was still able to salvage it and cook the remnants on the stovetop and it was amazing. Next time I will try doubling it to put in the instant pot to hopefully avoid the food burn issue.
My question is whether the instant pot recipe is correct— since you are starting with dry rice, shouldn’t there be extra liquid? I’d appreciate any additional input before I make it again! Thanks!!
Hi Lisa, thank you for sharing your experience and sorry that method gave you some trouble! We were using a 6 quart Instant Pot. We initially tried with more liquid using the Instant Pot, but were surprised to find that it was too liquidy at the end and required more time sautéing after pressure cooking to evaporate excess liquid.
Rachel says
I doubled the recipe based off Lisa’s comment, am using the 6 qt instant pot and still experienced the burn notice :/.
Aw, bummer! We wonder if doubling the recipe doesn’t work well. Or perhaps your coconut milk was thicker?
Ehud Shavit says
Hi!
I’ve yet make this recipe.
Do you think it would be a possibility to make a bigger batch and freeze some to use at a later time or it would ruin the experience?
Thanks!
Hi Ehud, we tested freezing it and didn’t love the texture!
Dana C. says
This recipe came out at the left time—I just had an oral surgery and needed an easy to eat snack that would meet my sweet tooth needs. Needless to say, I’ve made this every day for the last week! And plan to make it every day until my recovery is done. Thank you!
We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying it, Dana! Wishing you a speedy recovery! xoxo
forest says
This turned out great! I used full fat coconut milk, warmed on the stove so that the fat would melt into the liquid before adding to the pudding. I also cooked the pudding on medium low rather than medium, because medium seemed way too hot. The rice was almost a little too hard, so maybe next time I would decrease the heat further and cook longer. I also found it to be a little too sweet with the addition of raisins, so I’d probably reduce the maple syrup as well.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Forest! So glad you enjoyed it with some modifications!
JMae says
Wow! This was easy to make and absolutely delicious. Thick, creamy, flavorful! I followed the recipe to a tee, even the making of the rice. It was perfect.
Seriously better than Kozy Shak!!!
Whoop! We’re so glad you love it so much! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
n says
satisfied my cozy shack craving! thank you
Yay! Thank you for sharing! xo
Nicole says
I was so excited to see this recipe as I looove rice pudding and this was lovely! I had a bowl hot, oatmeal style with sliced banana, toasted almond slivers, hemp hearts, flaked coconut etc and am looking forward to trying the leftovers cold.
Ooo yum! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Nicole!
Lilia Diaz says
You’re always spot on with all your delicious recipes. I’ve 45 years of cooking experience and I’ve had my share of rice pudding. The most flavorful one has been from Puerto Rico. It’s fragrant from within not only sprinkled on the top. The milk base is all coconut. Fresh, not canned. The milk “soup” as it is referred to is simmered with allspice, cinnamon sticks, cloves and the most important, lemongrass. Once you have it you’ll never want another. The rice is short grain. Starchy enough on it’s own. It’s wonderful. I hope you do experiment this indulgence of flavor.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Lilia!
Sheila says
What can I substitute for the cornstarch which we are allergic to?
Hi Sheila! You can leave it out! It’s still really tasty without cornstarch, it just adds a little extra cohesiveness.
Andrew Daigle says
You might try arrowroot powder as well. I use that as a replacement for cornstarch all of the time
SNL says
I used arrowroot starch 1:1 substitute and I enjoyed it. I feel the arrowroot made the pudding creamier, rather than cooking the rice in water and then milk (traditionally English rice pudding cooks raw rice in milk). Hope that helps! P.S I won’t rate the recipe as I used cooked brown basmati rice, 75g leftover yoghurt (omitted coconut milk) and a random amount of oat milk.
Denise says
My daughter is allergic to coconut. Is there something else I could substitute for the canned coconut?
Hi Denise, yes, that would be fine! We’d suggest another thick milk like homemade cashew milk. Hope that helps!
Nanette Wild says
I am allergic to all milk except coconut milk. Can I use it instead of the other milk?
Hi Nanette, Yes! We’d suggest diluting it with water to avoid a coconut taste. Hope that helps!
Amy says
Could you make this using all canned coconut milk for the liquid portion?
Hi Amy, Yes! We’d suggest diluting it with water to avoid a coconut taste. Hope that helps!
Nanette Wild says
Wonderful. Thank you for replying so quickly.
kim jackson says
Thanks for sharing! I have been trying different vegan Rice Pudding recipes and have not found “the one” so I am excited to try yours! Quick question – would this work with brown rice?
Hi Kim, We hope this is the one :) Can’t wait to hear what you think! We think the texture of brown rice would be too firm, unfortunately.
Joan says
Delicious! I just made this today and my husband and I loved it! I used brown rice and coconut milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and raisins on top and it’s scrumptious! So easy and so good! Thank you for another easy and delicious vegan recipe!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Joan! xo
Mary says
To start, I have not made this yet, though it does look good. I have made rice pudding with leftover brown rice many times. It can be delicious, but you need more liquid and you need to cook it longer. You might want to cook it in some milk for a while before adding the cornstarch mixture.
SNL says
I used brown basmati and enjoyed it, but I agree it does a little texture – which is what I wanted. If you want cohesive mush (in the best way), you need white sticky rice such as jasmine or short grain (sushi, UK sells pudding rice for this purpose, Nigella swears by arborio risotto rice).
B says
Can you use arrowroot instead of cornstarch?
Hi, we think arrowroot would make it bouncy, but we haven’t tested it. Another option would be to leave it out! It’s still really tasty without cornstarch, it just adds a little extra cohesiveness.
Bethan says
Hi there, would brown rice be a suitable alternative for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Bethan, We think the texture of brown rice would be too firm, but let us know if you try it!
Andrew Daigle says
Have you made this with brown rice? Would any other substitutions be necessary?
Hi Andrew, we haven’t. We think the texture of brown rice would be too firm, but let us know if you try it!