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Coconut milk does two jobs in a curry: it thins the sauce and it carries fat. Any swap has to do both, or the sauce splits.
The best coconut milk substitute
Whisk 50 g of creamed coconut block into 400 ml of hot water for every tin of coconut milk. It is the same ingredient in concentrated form, so the flavour and fat are right. Creamed coconut keeps for months in the cupboard and costs less than tins.
Every substitute, ranked
- Creamed coconut block plus water. 50 g to 400 ml. Effectively the real thing.
- Coconut cream thinned with water. Equal parts. Straightforward and reliable.
- Coconut milk powder plus water. Follow the packet. Keeps well and dissolves cleanly.
- Double cream plus desiccated coconut. Simmer 2 tbsp of coconut in 300 ml cream, then strain. No coconut milk needed, but heavy and dairy.
- Evaporated milk plus coconut essence. Last resort. Right texture, faked flavour.
- Cashew cream. Blend soaked cashews with water. Vegan and rich, but tastes of cashew, not coconut.
Carton coconut drink is not on this list. It is mostly water and will leave you with a thin, watery sauce.
Dairy free swaps that work
If you need to avoid coconut entirely rather than just the tin, the job is harder, because you are replacing a distinctive flavour as well as fat. These get closest in texture.
- Cashew cream. Soak 100 g cashews, blend with 300 ml water. Rich and neutral.
- Oat cream. Widely sold, holds up to gentle heat, and tastes of very little.
- Silken tofu blended with water. Adds body without much flavour. Blend it very smooth.
- Almond milk plus a spoon of nut butter. Thin on its own, so the nut butter supplies the fat.
Swaps by dish
| Dish | Best swap |
|---|---|
| Thai curry | Creamed coconut block plus water. Nothing else fries a paste properly |
| Tom kha soup | Coconut milk powder, whisked into the hot stock |
| Coconut rice | Creamed coconut block, grated into the cooking water |
| Curry where coconut is a background note | Cashew cream or oat cream |
| Desserts | Coconut cream thinned with water, for the richness |
How to keep a swap from splitting
Keep the pan at a gentle simmer and never let it boil hard. Substitutes are less stable than a full fat tin, so heat is the main risk. Stir the swap in towards the end of cooking rather than at the start, and add any acid such as lime or tamarind off the heat.
Where to buy creamed coconut in the UK
Creamed coconut blocks sit in the world food aisle of most large supermarkets, usually near the tinned coconut milk, and Asian and Caribbean grocers always carry them. Coconut milk powder is easier to find online. Both keep in the cupboard for months, which is why they are worth having in as a backup.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use milk instead of coconut milk in a curry?
Not well. Dairy milk is low in fat and curdles readily against acid and spice. Double cream is the better dairy option, and simmering desiccated coconut in it first brings back some of the flavour.
How much creamed coconut replaces a tin?
About 50 g of block whisked into 400 ml of hot water gives you the equivalent of a standard tin. Use 100 g in the same water if you want something closer to coconut cream.
Can I use coconut water instead?
No. Coconut water is the thin liquid from inside a young coconut and contains almost no fat. It will not enrich or thicken anything.
Is light coconut milk a good substitute?
It works but gives a thinner sauce, because it is standard coconut milk with added water. If it is all you have, use it and reduce the sauce for a few minutes longer.
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- Coconut milk powder. Mix with water for a lighter version, easy to store.
- Full fat coconut cream. Closest match to full fat coconut milk in a curry.
