24 Ways to Use Up Leftover Coconut Milk

Have half a can of coconut milk sitting in the back of the fridge? Put it to good use with recipes for sweet and savory dishes such as stir-fries, cakes, drinks and marinades.

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Red Curry Chicken Stir-Fry

Have curry in a hurry with Ching-He Huang's 25-minute stir-fry. Coconut milk makes a creamy sauce when mixed with red curry paste.

Get the Recipe: Red Curry Chicken Stir-Fry

Dessert Sushi

Averse to raw fish? Try dessert sushi. Coconut milk and sugar help flavor rice and make it stick together so it's perfect for rolling with fruit leather and topping with colorful fruit.

Get the Recipe: Dessert Sushi

Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese with Crispy Sage Leaves

With its bright orange color, you'd never guess this macaroni and cheese is vegan and gluten-free. Butternut squash and coconut milk create a creamy sauce before the casserole is topped with truffle-salted, crispy sage.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese with Crispy Sage Leaves

Throwdown's Toasted Coconut Cake with Coconut Filling and Coconut Buttercream

You must be nuts about coconuts to love Bobby Flay's winning cake. A coconut cake is filled with coconut custard and covered with coconut buttercream and toasted coconut shavings.

Get the Recipe: Throwdown's Toasted Coconut Cake with Coconut Filling and Coconut Buttercream

Orange-Spice Chia Smoothie

This creamy orange smoothie is the next-best thing to drinking a liquid Creamsicle for breakfast, but it’s much healthier, thanks to chia seeds.

Get the Recipe: Orange-Spice Chia Smoothie

Tres Leches Rice Pudding

Tres leches cake meets arroz con leche with Smitten Kitchen's coconut-tinged rice pudding. An extra spoonful of decadence tops the dessert with cinnamon-spiced whipped cream.

Get the Recipe: Tres Leches Rice Pudding

Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

This coconut milk-based marinade — flavored with fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, lime, ginger, garlic and a shallot — helps guarantee juicy grilled chicken every time.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Grilled Skirt Steak with Rendang-Style Marinade

Coconut milk helps skirt steak caramelize on the grill, and this dish gets a zing from gingery-lemongrass rendang sauce.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Skirt Steak with Rendang-Style Marinade

Coconut Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Sauce

This addictive bread pudding is drizzled with sticky rum-spiked coconut caramel, and you may be tempted to eat the entire dish in one serving.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Sauce

Coconut Blurry Curry Cocktail

Veer into savory territory with Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark's curry and coconut milk cocktail, and mentally transport yourself to a tropical island — monkey sidekick optional.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Blurry Curry Cocktail

Coconut-Chia Pudding Breakfast Bowl

Yes, you can have dessert for breakfast. Refrigerated overnight, chia seeds plump and thicken in coconut milk for the healthy pudding of your dreams. 

Get the Recipe: Coconut-Chia Pudding Breakfast Bowl

Creamy Coconut Chickpeas with Sweet Potatoes

Load your baked sweet potato with stewed chickpeas, spinach and tomatoes for a delightful meatless Monday (or any day of the week, for that matter).

Get the Recipe: Creamy Coconut Chickpeas with Sweet Potatoes

Chicken South Indian Style

Take a foray into South Indian cooking with a hearty, creamy chicken-and-tomato stew. Seek out sambar powder — which features a slew of Indian spices — for authentic flavor.

Get the Recipe: Chicken South Indian Style

Salmon with Coconut Sauce

It takes only a little more than 30 minutes to get Bal Arneson's seared salmon with ginger-coconut sauce on the table.

Get the Recipe: Salmon with Coconut Sauce

Homemade Coconut Chai Tea Latte

Bobby Flay's chai latte gets its creaminess from frothy coconut milk, which complements warm cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger perfectly.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Coconut Chai Tea Latte

Creamy Curried-Pumpkin Dip

It doesn't have to be fall for you to enjoy pumpkin dip. Spruce up canned gourds with Indian flavor from curry powder and coconut milk; use crisp plantain chips and warm naan to scoop up the flavorful dip.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Curried-Pumpkin Dip

Coconut Milk Risotto with Asparagus

This risotto gets Asian flair from lemongrass and ginger, and it's cooked slowly until creamy — but it doesn't have any actual cream.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Milk Risotto with Asparagus

Buffalo-Style Cauliflower with Cashew-Dill Dipping Sauce

Adventure into vegan cooking with cayenne-spiced, oven-fried cauliflower and a cheesy-tasting, cheese-less cashew sauce. Close your eyes and it's almost like Buffalo wings and ranch.

Get the Recipe: Buffalo-Style Cauliflower with Cashew-Dill Dipping Sauce

Coconut Banana Pudding

Southern banana pudding is typically loaded with fat and calories, but Tia Mowry slims things down with her version, made with coconut milk and agave nectar.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Banana Pudding

Halibut with Coconut Sauce

Crisp halibut sits atop Indian-spiced coconut sauce and buttery green peas for an easy yet impressive weeknight dish.

Get the Recipe: Halibut with Coconut Sauce

Coconut Rice

Roger Mooking cooks rice in coconut milk and toasted fennel and coriander seeds for a sweet and slightly sticky side dish.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Rice

Spicy Jamaican Oxtail Curry

Coconut milk is popular in Indian, Asian and Jamaican curries. Nadia G adds even more unique flavor by deglazing the oxtail with a dark stout.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Jamaican Oxtail Curry

Coconut Strawberry Banana Cream Pie

Vegans can also enjoy this "cream" pie, made with a date-sweetened crust and a fruity coconut milk filling.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Strawberry Banana Cream Pie

King Prawns Sauteed in Coconut Milk

King prawns will be royalty in your kitchen with this easy, spicy entree.

Get the Recipe: King Prawns Sauteed in Coconut Milk