How to Use Canned Coconut Milk in Sweet and Savory Recipes

There are so many creative ways to use this rich and creamy, shelf-stable ingredient in recipes at home.

Next time you're stocking your kitchen cupboards, don't forget to buy one of our test kitchen's favorite pantry essentials: canned coconut milk, the star ingredient in all kinds of coconut milk recipes. With a can of this versatile, shelf-stable ingredient on hand, you are ready to make a wide range of dishes, savory and sweet. Whether you want to add mild coconut flavor and rich texture or replace dairy with an alternative ingredient, coconut milk is your standout staple. Here, we share how to use canned coconut milk in so many ways.

Tips

When you open a can of coconut milk, you'll most likely find it separated into two layers—a rich, thick cream on top and a milky liquid on the bottom. This is expected; there's nothing wrong with your can. Just whisk or blend to bring it back together, then follow your recipe's instructions.

Related: When to Use Cream of Coconut, Coconut Milk, or Coconut Cream in Your Cooking

Make It Sweet

When paired with a little sugar, coconut milk transforms from a savory ingredient into a flavor powerhouse, elevating your favorite desserts, baked goods, and even breakfast, in so many delicious ways:

• Desserts: Canned coconut milk adds a coconut kick to custard-based delights including flan and coconut cream pie and frozen treats like dairy-free ice cream.

• Cakes: Canned coconut milk is also a go-to for baked goods, stepping up the coconut taste of coconut cake and this two-ingredient vegan frosting. You can also trade it for almond milk in these vegan chocolate cupcakes.

• Breakfast: Substitute coconut milk for dairy milk in your favorite oatmeal, chia pudding, pancake, and waffle recipes. Blend it into a smoothie to add a creamy texture or make a coconut milk-based smoothie parfait.
  

Use in Place of Dairy

Whether you're fresh out of milk, or cooking for someone who is dairy intolerant, there may be times when it makes sense to substitute coconut milk for cow's milk.  A few notes about making the switch:

• Canned coconut milk adds a subtly delicious nutty note to baked goods.

• Coconut milk can be swapped for dairy products in most desserts; try a one-to-one ratio in your favorite recipes.

• The texture might not be exactly the same, but it will work. Coconut's flavor goes so well with pretty much anything sweet, including chocolate, vanilla, nuts, and fruit-flavored desserts, so you can't go wrong.

Add Creaminess to Beverages

Enhance your favorite coffee or tea with a touch of coconut milk rather than dairy, or use it to make a turmeric-laced golden latte. For something a little more fun, mix coconut milk into a classic cocktail, like a pi?a colada.

Combine It with Curry Spices

A match made in heaven, coconut milk and curry spices come together to create rich, flavorful broths. The coconut milk cools the spices in the curry and adds its signature nutty-sweet flavor and thick texture. Curries are much easier to make than you think; just combine coconut milk with red, green, yellow, or any curry paste or dried curry spice mixes like Madras or garam masala. Then, add your favorite vegetables or any meat. Savor the spices in our Indian-style fish curry and coconut curry shrimp and couscous.

Make Creamy Dips and Marinades

Mixing coconut milk into marinades helps tenderize meat and infuses it with flavor. Once your protein has had time to soak up the coconut milk mixture, grill, roast, or sear as you would normally. Combine coconut milk with peanuts to make the popular Thai dipping sauce, satay.

Stir It Into Soups

Adding anywhere from a splash to a whole can of coconut milk creates a creamy, nourishing broth for your favorite soups. Here are a few coconut-driven ideas to get you started:

• Try a coconut spin on chicken zoodle soup or make a batch of vegetable soup.

• Don't limit yourself just to brothy renditions, either; coconut milk adds depth to puréed vegetable crowd-pleasers like this gingery butternut squash soup and zesty Thai coconut zucchini soup.
  

Elevate Side Dishes

Add rich, creamy texture and nuttiness to classic dishes like creamed spinach and mashed sweet potatoes using this non-dairy option. You can also mix it into rice to delicious effect—coconut rice is just about one of the most irresistible ways to use canned coconut milk.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.