This vibrant lemongrass risotto is a light and creamy twist on the classic comfort dish, made with refreshing lime, sweet peas, and rich coconut milk. Infused with the citrusy aroma of lemongrass, this coconut risotto is a wholesome, plant-based meal that’s both satisfying and nourishing. Using risotto with coconut milk instead of traditional cream or cheese keeps it dairy-free. Using light coconut milk reduces the amount of saturated fat used, making this risotto recipe light and healthier. This vegan pea risotto is a flavorful dinner with simple, everyday ingredients.
Why you’ll love this risotto with coconut milk
- No time-consuming stock prep: You don’t need hours to make flavorful risotto! This recipe uses an easy shortcut with lemongrass pieces, thyme sprigs, and bouillon cubes to create a quick, aromatic broth that infuses the risotto with fresh, citrusy depth in minutes.
- No wine needed: Unlike traditional risotto, this version skips the wine without sacrificing taste—perfect if you’re avoiding alcohol or just don’t have any on hand.
- Light, creamy, and healthy: This coconut risotto is made with wholesome ingredients like coconut milk and sweet peas. Made without cream, butter, or cheese, it is light yet creamy, thanks to naturally rich coconut milk.
- Plant-based and family-approved: Naturally vegan, this pea risotto is comforting, protein-rich, and loved even by non-vegans.
- Simple ingredients, elevated flavor: Everyday ingredients like rice, peas, lime, and herbs are transformed with fresh lemongrass into a flavorful, restaurant-quality risotto with coconut milk—no fancy techniques required.
- Perfect for weeknights: Because we skip the traditional stock prep, this lemongrass risotto comes together much faster than you might think. It’s totally achievable on a busy weeknight when you’re craving something special but short on time.
- Sneaky Veggies: Those sweet green peas not only add a lovely pop of color but also boost the nutritional value. It’s a delicious way to get an extra serving of vegetables. (Feel free to add a handful of spinach if you have. It takes 2 more minutes, but the flavor and nutrition you get is immense!)
This is how you make the lemongrass risotto:
Ingredients and substitutions
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)
- Rice: You can use Arborio or Carnaroli
- Lemongrass: I prefer fresh lemongrass, if you can’t get it, try the dried or frozen versions. No lemongrass? Lemongrass teabags (choose caffeine-free ones) also work! Use about 4 to 5 bags for this recipe.
- Coconut milk: Use fresh unsweetened one.
- Bouillon cubes: Chicken or vegetarian
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and dried rosemary; you can use whatever Italian herbs you have on hand, fresh or dried.
- Other flavor-makers: Garlic, onion, lime juice and optionally, a chili if you want a little heat to balance the flavors.
- Secret ingredients: Thyme stalks and lime zest!
How to make lemongrass risotto
1. Make stock with lemongrass
Take water in a large stock pot. Chop the lemongrass stalks into small pieces and add. (If you’re using dried or frozen lemongrass, add ¼ cup to the water.)
If you’re using fresh thyme, separate the leaves from the stalks. Add the stalks to the water.
Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil.
Stir in the bouillon cubes. Reduce the flame and let it simmer while you cook the rice.
2. Cook the rice
In another large pot, heat olive oil. Sauté finely chopped onions (and red chili, if using).
Once the onions turn translucent, add minced garlic and sauté.
Add rice, green peas and dried rosemary. Stir for a few minutes until the rice starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Start adding the simmering stock to the rice using a strainer to strain the stock as you go.
Add 2 ladles of stock. Stir and allow the rice to absorb the water.
Then add 2 more ladles of strained stock and stir. When most of the water is absorbed, repeat.
DO NOT remove the stock from the stove. Keep it simmering.
Keep adding the stock and stirring until the rice is cooked al dente (the grains are soft but still have a bite).
3. Finish with coconut milk and lime
Heat the coconut milk and add to the rice while you keep stirring.
Add lime zest and fresh thyme leaves. Once you start seeing bubbles, turn off the stove.
Drizzle lime juice and stir one last time. The risotto should be runny at this stage.
The rice will absorb most of the liquid to give you a perfectly creamy risotto in no time. Who says you need cream for a creamy risotto!
What to pair with coconut risotto
- Baked thin-sliced chicken breasts
- Baked panko crusted chicken
- Chili garlic tofu with veggies
- 5- ingredient lemon garlic shrimps
- Pesto crusted salmon
Variations and additions
- Cheese: If you’re not vegan, try sprinkling fresh grated Parmesan cheese at the end of cooking for extra flavor and creamy mouthful.
- Toasted coconut flakes on top of the lemongrass risotto will enhance the coconut flavor and add a nice textural contrast.
- More herbs like parsley and cilantro add a burst of freshness.
- Add protein: Marinate firm tofu cubes, shrimps or cubes of chicken with salt, black pepper and lemon juice for 10 minutes. Sauté them in the pot until cooked and remove. Use the same pot to sauté the onions and the rest as per the recipe. Add the cooked protein at the end of cooking.
- More vegetables: When you add green peas, you can add mushrooms or vegetables like carrots and bell peppers. If using spinach, stir it in when you add coconut milk.
Last week I made this wholesome one-pot meal: mushroom spinach risotto with lemongrass.
More recipes with lemongrass
Lemongrass Risotto Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 stalks of lemongrass (or ¼ cup of dried/frozen)
- 6 stalks of thyme
- 5 cups of water
- 1½ bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 red chili (optional)
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¾ cup light coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
1. Make stock with lemongrass
- Chop 8 stalks of lemongrass into small pieces. Separate the leaves from 6 stalks of thyme.
- Take 5 cups of water in a large stock pot. Add chopped lemongrass and thyme stalks to the water.
- Reserve the thyme leaves to add later.
- (If you’re using dried or frozen lemongrass, add ¼ cup of it.)
- Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil.
- Stir in 1½ bouillon cubes and reduce the flame.
- Let it simmer while you cook the rice.
2. Cook the rice
- In another large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Finely chop 1 small onion and 1 red chili (if using). Mince 3 cloves garlic.
- Sauté the onions until they turn translucent. Stir in minced garlic and chopped red chili.
- Add 1 cup Arborio rice, ½ cup green peas and ½ teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Stir on low heat for a few minutes until the rice starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Start adding the simmering lemongrass stock to the rice using a strainer to strain the stock as you go.
- Add 2 large ladles of stock. Stir and allow the rice to absorb the water.
- Add 2 more ladles of strained stock and stir. When most of the water is absorbed, repeat.
- DO NOT remove the stock from the stove. Keep it simmering.
- Keep adding the stock and stirring until the rice is cooked al dente (the grains should be soft but still have a bite).
Finish with coconut milk
- Warm up ¾ cup light coconut milk and add to the rice while you keep stirring.
- Add 1 tablespoon lime zest and the reserved thyme leaves. Once you start seeing bubbles, turn off the stove.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon lime juice and stir one last time. The risotto should be runny at this stage.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the liquid. Serve!
Notes
- Rice: You can use Arborio or Carnaroli
- Lemongrass: If you can’t get fresh lemongrass, try the dried or frozen versions. Can’t find them? Lemongrass teabags (caffeine-free) also work! Use about 5 to 6 bags for this recipe.
- Use unsweetened light coconut milk.
- Bouillon cubes: Chicken or vegetarian is fine.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and dried rosemary; you can use whatever Italian herbs you have on hand, fresh or dried.
- Secret to a creamy risotto (without cream) is to stir frequently. It needs some elbow grease! The more you stir the rice, the more starch is released and it gets ultra-creamy.
- Cook al dente before adding coconut milk. Rice will continue to cook in the residual heat even after removing from heat.
- DO NOT add cold coconut milk to the rice. Warm it up (don’t boil) before adding.
★★★★★Did you try this recipe? Please give a star rating in the comments below ★★★★★
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Join over 1000 home cooks like you who subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get all the latest recipes right in your inbox. Or follow me on your favorite social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. Thank you and happy cooking!
excellent recipe with nice pictures. very detailed description. encourages you to give it a try !
Thank you, Aisha! Glad you liked the recipe 🙂