Mango Sticky Rice: The Sweet Thai Dessert That Ruined All Other Desserts For Me

What Even IS Mango Sticky Rice? (And Why Should You Care?)

Mango sticky rice is Thailand’s greatest export.

Okay, second greatest. After pad thai. But it’s close.

The real name is Khao Nieow Mamuang. Say that three times fast.

Here’s what it is: Glutinous rice soaked in sweet coconut milk, served with fresh, ripe mango, and drizzled with more coconut cream.

Sounds simple. Feels like a hug.

The rice is chewy but soft. The mango is juicy and bright. The sauce is sweet with a tiny punch of salt that makes your brain go wait, why is this so good?

It’s not cake. It’s not ice cream. It’s not pudding.

It’s better.

Traditional mango sticky rice has been around for centuries in Southeast Asia. Street vendors in Bangkok sell it from carts. Grandmothers pass down recipes in faded notebooks. Tourists cry over it in food courts.

And now? It’s everywhere. Instagram. TikTok. Your cousin’s food blog.

But here’s the secret most people don’t tell you:

Homemade mango sticky rice is actually easier than making regular rice.

No, seriously.

You have to know what you’re doing.

Mango Sticky Rice Recipe: The Only One You’ll Ever Need

Let’s stop talking and start cooking.

I tested seventeen versions of this mango sticky rice recipe. Burnt some. Under-cooked some. Made a few that looked like rice soup.

It is the one that finally worked.

Yield: 4 servings (or 2 servings if you have no self-control, which I don’t)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Soak time: 30 minutes minimum (4 hours is better)

Cook time: 25 minutes

Total time: About 1 hour 

Mango Sticky Rice Ingredients List

For the rice:

• 1 cup glutinous rice (also called “sweet rice” or “sticky rice”) 
• 1 ¼ cups water
• Pinch of salt

For the coconut sauce:

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk — do NOT buy the “lite” version. It is not the time for dieting. 
• ¼ cup sugar (palm sugar if you’re fancy, white sugar if you’re normal) 
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For serving:

• 2 large ripe mangoes (Ataulfo/Honey mangoes are the gold standard) 
• Toasted sesame seeds OR crispy mung beans for crunch 

How To Make Mango Sticky Rice: Step By Step

Step 1: Wash your rice like you mean it.

Put the glutinous rice in a bowl. Run cold water over it. Swish it around with your hand.

Drain. Repeat.

Keep going until the water runs clear, not milky.

It takes about 4-5 washes. Your hands will get cold. Do it anyway.

Why? Excess starch makes the rice gummy and sad. Clear water = happy rice.

Step 2: Soak the rice.

Cover the washed rice with fresh cold water. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.

Four hours is better. Overnight is best.

I know. Waiting sucks. But this is non-negotiable. Unsoaked sticky rice cooks unevenly and hurts your teeth.

Step 3: Drain and steam.

Drain the rice completely.

If you have a steamer basket: Line it with cheesecloth, dump in the rice, and steam over simmering water for 20-25 minutes.

If you don’t have a steamer: Put rice and 1 ¼ cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Cover. Simmer on low for 12-15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let it sit covered for 10 minutes.

Both work. Steaming is traditional. One-pot is easier. Choose your own adventure.

Step 4: Make the magic coconut sauce.

While rice cooks, open your coconut milk.

Scoop the thick cream off the top? Some recipes tell you to do this. Ignore them. Use the whole can.

Pour coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add sugar and salt. Warm over LOW heat.

Do not boil. Boiling ruins everything.

Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste it. Should be sweet, salty, and taste like vacation.

Set aside ¼ cup of this sauce for drizzling later.

Step 5: Marry the rice and coconut.

Put hot cooked rice in a bowl. Pour most of the coconut sauce over it (not the reserved ¼ cup).

Stir gently. Don’t mash.

Cover the bowl. Walk away for 15-20 minutes.

It is the “absorption” stage. The rice drinks up the coconut milk like a thirsty traveler. It is where the flavor really happens.

Step 6: Cut the mango.

Peel your mangoes. Slice off the cheeks. Cut into thin strips or cubes.

A ripe mango should smell sweet at the stem and give slightly when squeezed.

Is your mango hard and green? Put it in a paper bag on the counter for 2 days. Check again.

Step 7: Plate like a pro.

Scoop warm rice into a small bowl. Press down gently. Flip onto a plate. Tap the bottom—lift bowl.

Perfect rice mound. Every time.

Arrange mango slices next to it. Drizzle with reserved coconut sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds or mung beans on top.

Step 8: Try not to cry.

First bite. Close your eyes. Remember that strip mall in 2014.

You made it. You really made it.

The Great Rice Debate: Jasmine vs. Glutinous

Here’s where people get confused.

Can I make mango sticky rice with jasmine rice?

Technically? Yes. You can use a screwdriver to hammer a nail, too.

Should you? No.

Authentic mango sticky rice requires glutinous rice. Also called “sweet rice.” It has a different starch structure—more amylopectin, less amylose.

Translation: it gets sticky and chewy instead of fluffy and separate.

Jasmine rice is beautiful. Fragrant. Wonderful for curry. Terrible for this dessert.

One recipe I found actually suggested jasmine rice. I tried it. The result was sad. Rice floating in sauce. No cling. No chew.

Don’t do it.

Buy the glutinous rice. It’s cheap. It’s at any Asian grocery store. It’s also labeled “sweet rice” or “sticky rice.” Sometimes it comes in a bag with a picture of a mango on it. That’s a sign.

No Steamer? No Problem: Mango Sticky Rice Without Steamer

I lived without a steamer for thirty-one years.

You don’t need one.

Mango sticky rice in a rice cooker works perfectly. Just soak the rice, drain it, add water (ratio about 1:1.25), and press “cook”.

Mango sticky rice with jasmine rice won’t work. But mango sticky rice with glutinous rice in a regular pot? Totally fine.

Here’s my no-steamer method:

1. Soak rice 4+ hours
2. Drain completely
3. Add to pot with 1 ¼ cups fresh water per 1 cup rice
4. Bring to a boil
5. Cover, reduce heat to low, cook 12-15 minutes
6. Turn off the heat, leave covered 10 minutes
7. Fluff gently

Works every time—no special equipment required.

Restaurant Style Mango Sticky Rice: The Pro Secrets

Want your restaurant-style mango sticky rice to taste as it came from Bangkok?

Here’s what the pros don’t tell you:

Secret 1: Pandan leaves.

Add a knotted pandan leaf to the rice while cooking. It adds a vanilla-almond-nutty fragrance you can’t get any other way.

Secret 2: Salt is not optional.

The salt in the coconut sauce isn’t just for flavor. It’s a contrast tool. Sweet + salt = brain fireworks. Leave it out, and the dish falls flat.

Secret 3: Warm sauce, cold mango.

Temperature contrast matters. Serve the rice warm, the mango chilled, the sauce somewhere in between.

Secret 4: Cornstarch for cling.

Mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir into your coconut sauce as it warms. It thickens slightly and clings to the rice like a blanket.

Secret 5: Rest the rice.

That 15-20 minute rest after adding coconut milk? Non-negotiable. Rushing this step gives you wet rice, not creamy rice.

What To Do With Leftovers (If You Have Any)

How long can you keep mango sticky rice in the fridge?

Store rice and mango separately. Rice lasts about 2 days in the fridge. Mango lasts 1 day before getting weepy.

Can you microwave mango sticky rice?

Yes, but only the rice. Not the mango.

Sprinkle rice with a few drops of water or coconut milk. Microwave 30 seconds. Fluff. It won’t be AS good as fresh, but it’ll be 85% there.

Mango sticky rice in the rice cooker leftovers can be reheated in the same pot with a splash of water on the “warm” setting.

Whatever you do: do not freeze it. Thawed sticky rice has the texture of wet cardboard. Trust me on this.

Mango Sticky Rice Sauce Recipe: The Part Everyone Messes Up

The mango sticky rice sauce recipe seems simple. Coconut milk, sugar, salt.

So why does it go wrong?

Problem 1: The sauce is thin and watery.

Fix: Use full-fat coconut milk. The cheap “coconut drink” in cartons is 90% water. You need the canned stuff. Also, cornstarch slurry saves lives.

Problem 2: The sauce is grainy.

Fix: Sugar didn’t dissolve. Warm the sauce gently. Stir constantly. Don’t rush.

Problem 3: The sauce is bland.

Fix: More salt. I’m serious. Salt doesn’t make it salty. Salt makes it taste like coconut and sugar and sunshine.

Problem 4: The sauce tastes “canned.”

Fix: Add a pinch of salt and a drop of vanilla extract. Cuts that metallic edge.

Mango Matters: Choosing the Right Fruit

Not all mangoes are created equal.

For coconut milk, you want:

• Sweet, not tart. Over-ripe is fine. Under-ripe is a crime.
• Fibrous? No. Stringy mango gets stuck in your teeth. Avoid.
• Fragrant. If it doesn’t smell like mango, it won’t taste like mango.

Best varieties:

• Ataulfo/Honey: Small, yellow, buttery, minimal fiber. The king of sticky rice mangoes. 
• Keitt: Large, green even when ripe, sweet, firm. Good backup.
• Nam Dok Mai: Thai variety. Impossible to find in US supermarkets, but incredible if you do.

Worst varieties:

• Green/unripe: Sour. Crunchy. Wrong texture. Wrong flavor.
• Tommy Atkins: Most common in grocery stores. Pretty red skin. Bland, fibrous flesh. Meh.

One recipe suggested smelling the stem end. If it smells perfumey and sweet, it’s ready.

I do this in the grocery store. People stare. I don’t care.

Common Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)

Mistake 1: Not washing the rice.

Result: Gummy, sticky-weird, not sticky-good.

Fix: Wash until the water runs clear. No shortcuts.

Mistake 2: Skipping the soak.

Result: Hard centers. Uneven cooking.

Fix: 30 minutes minimum. Seriously.

Mistake 3: Boiling the coconut milk.

Result: Separated, greasy, curdled-looking sauce.

Fix: Low heat. Patience. Stir.

Mistake 4: Adding all the sauce at once.

Result: Soggy, swimming rice.

Fix: Reserve some for drizzling. Rice should be moist, not drowned.

Mistake 5: Wrong rice.

Result: Fluffy white rice with mango sauce. Sadness.

Fix: Glutinous/sweet/sticky rice. Say it with me.

Variations: Make It Your Own

Vegan mango sticky rice recipe: Already vegan if you use plant-based sugar. Some palm sugars are processed with bone char; check labels if that matters to you. 

Mango sticky rice with coconut cream: Swap half the coconut milk for coconut cream. Thicker. Richer. Dangerous.

Brown sticky rice: Exists. Takes longer to soak. More fiber. Less traditional. Still tasty.

Mango coconut parfait: Layer sticky rice, mango chunks, coconut yogurt, and toasted coconut. Breakfast of champions. 

Berry swap: No good mango? Use strawberries or raspberries. Different, not bad. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What type of rice is best for mango sticky rice?

You must use glutinous rice (also called sweet rice or sticky rice). Regular jasmine rice or white rice will not give you the correct chewy, clingy texture. Look for it in Asian grocery stores or the international aisle of major supermarkets.

2. Can I make mango sticky rice ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare the rice and coconut sauce up to one day ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator. Reheat rice gently with a splash of water or coconut milk. Slice fresh mango just before serving.

4. Why did my coconut sauce separate?

You likely boiled it. Coconut milk separates when heated too aggressively. To fix it, warm the sauce over low heat and whisk vigorously until it comes back together—prevention: low heat, constant stirring, no boiling.

5. Is mango sticky rice gluten-free?

Yes! Despite the name “glutinous rice,” there is absolutely no gluten in sticky rice. The word “glutinous” refers to the glue-like texture, not the protein gluten. This dessert is naturally gluten-free and celiac-safe.

References:

• Recipes, “Mango Sticky Rice Recipe,” 2025 
• Local Trust Guide, “How to Make Mango Sticky Rice: A Delicious Thai Dessert,” 2025 
• Eat This Much, “Mango Sticky Rice Nutrition Facts,” 2025 
• Analida’s Ethnic Spoon, “Thai Mango Sticky Rice Recipe,” 2024 
• SlayChef, “Mango Sticky Rice – Thai Recipe,” 2025 
• Eatme.eu, “Sticky Mango Rice,” 2025 
• VegWeb, “Mango with Sticky Rice,” 2006 
• Cooked.wiki, “Mango Sticky Rice” (Gourmet/Epicurious archive), 1994/2004 

Read More: How to Make Mango Pickle at Home