I couldn’t stop staring at how glossy coconut cream over pillowy glutinous rice makes humble mango into an irresistible Thai dessert I had to share.

Jump to Recipe

I am obsessed with mango sticky rice because it hits sweet and creamy in the most honest way. The sticky glutinous rice gives that irresistible chew while rich coconut milk makes every bite silk and bright.

I love how simple components sing when they truly work together. But it is the contrast of warm rice and cool mango slices that keeps me coming back.

Not sentimental about desserts, just brutally honest: this one nails balance and texture. Pure fruit, pure coconut, zero fuss.

I crave it midday, late night, any time I want something that actually satisfies and never boring.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Sticky base, chewy and comforting.
Basically soaks up the coconut, stays warm.
Rich, creamy sauce that makes everything silky and indulgent, luscious.
Sweetness balance; tweak to taste so it’s not cloying or flat.
Tiny pinch wakes flavors, it’s essential despite being small and humble.
Aromatic leaf, subtle floral note.
Plus it smells like home and comforting.
Steaming moisture; helps rice cook evenly without drying out at all.
Sweet, fragrant fruit that adds bright juicy contrast.
Basically sunshine on your spoon.
Thickens the coconut sauce so it clings.
It’s magic, smooth.
Crunch and nuttiness on top, plus texture contrast and visual pop, little show-off crunch.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (200 g) glutinous rice, rinsed until water runs clear and soaked 3 to 4 hours or overnight if you can

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) full fat coconut milk, shaken well

1/3 to 1/2 cup (65 to 100 g) granulated sugar, adjust to taste

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 to 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot, optional but nice

1 cup (240 ml) water for steaming the rice

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced (choose sweet, fragrant ones)

1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water for thickening the coconut sauce

2 tablespoons toasted mung beans or sesame seeds for garnish, optional

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Rinse 1 cup glutinous rice until water runs clear, then soak 3 to 4 hours or overnight if you can, drain well.

2. Set up a steamer with 1 cup water and a clean towel or cheesecloth in the basket, add the soaked rice, cover, and steam over simmering water 20 to 25 minutes until glossy and tender.

3. Meanwhile, shake 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk and pour into a small saucepan; stir in 1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, taste and adjust sweetness. Add 1 to 2 pandan leaves tied in a knot if using, warm gently until sugar dissolves but do not boil.

4. Reserve about 1/3 cup of that sweetened coconut milk in a separate small bowl for the topping, cover and set aside.

5. When rice is done, transfer it to a wide bowl, discard pandan, and pour the remaining coconut milk over the hot rice; stir gently to coat every grain, press plastic wrap directly on the rice and let sit 15 to 20 minutes so it absorbs the coconut flavor and becomes sticky.

6. While rice rests, mix 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth, then warm the reserved coconut milk in a small pan, whisk in the starch slurry and simmer a minute until slightly thickened to a pourable sauce; cool a bit.

7. Peel and slice 2 ripe mangoes into even pieces, choose sweet fragrant ones for best flavor.

8. To serve, mound a scoop of the sticky rice on plates, fan mango slices beside or over the rice.

9. Drizzle the thickened coconut sauce over the rice and mango, or serve extra on the side for folks who want more.

10. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons toasted mung beans or sesame seeds on top if you like some crunch, and eat right away for best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Fine mesh sieve for rinsing the glutinous rice
2. Large bowl to soak the rice and to drain it in
3. Steamer setup: a pot with lid plus a steamer basket or a bamboo steamer that fits it
4. Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to line the steamer basket
5. Small saucepan to warm the coconut milk and make the sauce
6. Small heatproof bowl to reserve the coconut milk topping
7. Whisk for the starch slurry and sauce
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir and fold the rice
9. Sharp knife and cutting board for peeling and slicing the mangoes
10. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you like exactness)

FAQ

Q: Can I use regular rice instead of glutinous rice? A: No, regular rice won't get that sticky, chewy texture. Glutinous rice is essential for the classic mouthfeel. If you can't find it, try to get it from an Asian grocery or order online.

Q: Do I have to soak the rice overnight? A: You don't have to soak overnight, but 3 to 4 hours is the minimum. Longer soaking makes the grains cook more evenly and gives a better sticky texture. If you're in a rush, use hot water to shorten the soak to about 1 hour, but results might be less perfect.

Q: How do I know when the rice is done? A: It should be tender, glossy, and clump together when you press it. If it's still a bit hard in the center, steam it another 10 minutes with a damp cloth on top. Don't overcook or it'll turn mushy.

Q: Can I make the coconut sauce ahead of time? A: Yes, you can make it a day ahead and reheat gently. If it separates, whisk it over low heat and add the starch mixture a little at a time until it thickens again. Taste and adjust sugar after reheating.

Q: My coconut milk is watery or separates, what do I do? A: Shake the can well before measuring. If it's thin, simmer it slowly to reduce and concentrate flavor. If it separates after cooking, whisk in the starch slurry over low heat until smooth.

Q: Any tips for picking and serving mangoes? A: Choose ripe mangoes that give slightly when you press and smell sweet at the stem. Slice cleanly and serve rice warm with chilled mango for the best contrast. Toasted mung beans or sesame seeds add crunch and make it look fancy.

The BEST Mango Sticky Rice (Easy) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

For glutinous rice: use sushi rice or short grain rice if you can not find sticky rice, but note texture will be less chewy and a bit denser; cook a little less water so it does not get mushy.
For full fat coconut milk: swap with canned light coconut milk plus 2 tablespoons coconut cream or heavy cream for richness, or use full fat coconut yogurt for a dairy free twist.
For granulated sugar: use palm sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup; palm gives a caramel note while maple adds a different sweetness and will thin the sauce so reduce other liquid slightly.
For tapioca starch or cornstarch: use arrowroot powder or potato starch in the same ratio; they thicken similarly but arrowroot makes the sauce a bit clearer and glossy.

Pro Tips

1. After steaming, spread the rice in a wide, shallow bowl and press the plastic wrap directly onto the surface while it soaks up the coconut milk; this traps steam so the grains absorb more flavor and stay glossy instead of drying out.

2. Warm the coconut milk gently with the pandan and sugar, then taste and err on the less sweet side; ripe mangoes add a lot of sweetness, and you can always drizzle more sweetened sauce at the table for people who want it sweeter.

3. If your mangoes aren’t ultra-ripe, give them a quick sprinkle of lime or lemon juice right before serving to brighten the flavor and cut any starchy taste. For extra aroma, zest a little lime into the coconut sauce.

4. For crunch without sogginess, toast mung beans or sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant and cool them completely before sprinkling on top at the last second. Store leftovers with the sauce separate so the rice keeps its texture.

The BEST Mango Sticky Rice (Easy) Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I couldn't stop staring at how glossy coconut cream over pillowy glutinous rice makes humble mango into an irresistible Thai dessert I had to share.

Servings

servings

Calories

528

kcal

Equipment: 1. Fine mesh sieve for rinsing the glutinous rice
2. Large bowl to soak the rice and to drain it in
3. Steamer setup: a pot with lid plus a steamer basket or a bamboo steamer that fits it
4. Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to line the steamer basket
5. Small saucepan to warm the coconut milk and make the sauce
6. Small heatproof bowl to reserve the coconut milk topping
7. Whisk for the starch slurry and sauce
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir and fold the rice
9. Sharp knife and cutting board for peeling and slicing the mangoes
10. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you like exactness)

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) glutinous rice, rinsed until water runs clear and soaked 3 to 4 hours or overnight if you can
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) full fat coconut milk, shaken well
1/3 to 1/2 cup (65 to 100 g) granulated sugar, adjust to taste
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 to 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot, optional but nice
1 cup (240 ml) water for steaming the rice
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced (choose sweet, fragrant ones)
1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water for thickening the coconut sauce
2 tablespoons toasted mung beans or sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Directions

Rinse 1 cup glutinous rice until water runs clear, then soak 3 to 4 hours or overnight if you can, drain well.
Set up a steamer with 1 cup water and a clean towel or cheesecloth in the basket, add the soaked rice, cover, and steam over simmering water 20 to 25 minutes until glossy and tender.
Meanwhile, shake 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk and pour into a small saucepan; stir in 1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, taste and adjust sweetness. Add 1 to 2 pandan leaves tied in a knot if using, warm gently until sugar dissolves but do not boil.
Reserve about 1/3 cup of that sweetened coconut milk in a separate small bowl for the topping, cover and set aside.
When rice is done, transfer it to a wide bowl, discard pandan, and pour the remaining coconut milk over the hot rice; stir gently to coat every grain, press plastic wrap directly on the rice and let sit 15 to 20 minutes so it absorbs the coconut flavor and becomes sticky.
While rice rests, mix 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth, then warm the reserved coconut milk in a small pan, whisk in the starch slurry and simmer a minute until slightly thickened to a pourable sauce; cool a bit.
Peel and slice 2 ripe mangoes into even pieces, choose sweet fragrant ones for best flavor.
To serve, mound a scoop of the sticky rice on plates, fan mango slices beside or over the rice.
Drizzle the thickened coconut sauce over the rice and mango, or serve extra on the side for folks who want more.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons toasted mung beans or sesame seeds on top if you like some crunch, and eat right away for best texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.