The best coconut milk in a can delivers a strong, earthy coconut flavor that tastes fresh off the palm, not fresh out the can. Depending on your preferences and culinary uses, the best canned coconut milk could be thin or thick, smooth or textured, lightly sweet or bitter.
Oh, coconut milk. Or as I like to call it, nature’s spunk. To be honest, I was not particularly looking forward to this taste test. Even ignoring its appearance, coconut milk on its own is not incredibly appetizing—and yes, I had to try these straight out of the can to get a sense of their immediate differences. I tried over a dozen coconut milks in one sitting, which was a lot for my sanity, but ultimately worth it! So if you’re looking for the best canned coconut milk for different recipes like curry, vegan ice creams, rice puddings, smoothies, and more, here are my five recommendations. Whatever your cooking goals, there’s a coconut milk on this list to match! Enjoy.
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- Goya Coconut Milk
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Goya’s canned coconut milk gives you the real deal: raw, unrefined coconut milk. The only ingredients are coconut milk, water, and a preservative. Because this has no gums (which people with sensitive stomachs may appreciate), the texture isn’t emulsified. It’s meaty and separated. I could see this being used for Thai curries, where the separation of the coconut cream can add depth to the dish. This would also be the best coconut milk in a can for slow-cooked soups and stews, where you want the coconut milk to thicken naturally as the dish simmers.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Nature’s Charm Sweetened Condensed Milk
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On its own, Nature’s Charm Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk is the most palatable of the bunch. It’s quite sweet, thanks to cane sugar, and it has a slower, syrup-like consistency. In my opinion, if you’re exclusively buying canned coconut milk, this is the best coconut milk for coffee and tea. More importantly, though, it’s great for baking. This would lend sweetness and moisture to cakes, brownies, cookies… the possibilities are endless, y’all. Not something I thought I’d ever say about canned coconut milk, but here we are.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Savia Coconut Milk
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If you’re looking for something super rich (which, same, girl), Savia is the best coconut milk brand for you. The consistency is extra thick and creamy, with a more rounded flavor and strong coconut finish. I could see this canned coconut milk going into desserts like coconut puddings, custards, or dairy-free ice cream, where the creaminess can really shine. It’s also a great choice for making decadent sauces or vegan whipped cream, where a strong coconut flavor and velvety finish are key.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Wild Harvest Organic Coconut Milk
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Wild Harvest really stood out to me. The coconut flavor is quite strong without leaving any strange bitter aftertaste, and the texture hits all the right notes. It’s smooth and creamy without being too gummy. The light version is slightly thinner, and I’d happily recommend it for anyone cutting down on fat and calories, but the regular organic can just really shines. There’s nothing I can really pinpoint to in the ingredients for this flavor difference, so I have to speculate the “organic” coconuts (whatever that means) simply taste fresher, or the brand uses a better recipe overall. Props to you, Wild Harvest. You cracked the coconut code.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Nature’s Charm Evaporated Coconut Milk
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Wow, Nature’s Charm canned coconut milk has such a concentrated flavor—not surprising, given evaporated milk is simply milk but with less water. It was the only can of lightly sweetened coconut milk that I was able to actually enjoy trying. The consistency is pretty thin and smooth, but again, thanks to that evaporated milk, it’s not at all watery. It’s not too sweet, and it still tastes strongly of coconut, but the inclusion of sugar and sea salt really balances the flavor and adds depth. Nature’s Charm is the best coconut milk we’ve found so far!
Credit: Merc / Sprouts
Best No Gums
Best Condensed
Best Thick
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other canned coconut milks we tried: Thai Kitchen Gluten Free Lite Coconut Milk, Thai Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk, Thai Kitchen Unsweetened Coconut Milk, El Mexicano Coconut Milk, Simple Truth Coconut Milk, Kroger Authentic Coconut Milk, Sprouts Organic Coconut Milk, Sprouts Lite Coconut Milk, Great Value Coconut Milk, Andre Prost Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk, Good & Gather Unsweetened Coconut Milk, Good & Gather Organic Unsweetened Coconut Cream, Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Milk
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!