Vegan Saucy Baked Rice Pudding (Air Fryer Recipe)

Looking for an easy, fuss-free dessert that’s 100% plant-based? This vegan rice pudding is rich, creamy, and absolutely comforting. Made with coconut milk and coconut cream, this dairy-free treat is full of warming spices like cinnamon and cardamom — and thanks to the Instant Pot Airfryer, there’s no stirring or stove time required.

Just mix, bake, and serve. It’s the perfect last-minute dessert or cozy treat for any night of the week.

Servings: 2–3
Prep Time: 5–8 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Equipment: Instant Pot Airfryer 

Ingredients

• 10 g plant-based butter (or unsalted butter)
• 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
• 160 ml coconut cream
• 40 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 2 crushed green cardamom pods
• Pinch of salt
• 120 g pudding rice (medium grain, e.g. Ribe rice)

Optional for serving:

• Jam of choice (raspberry, cherry, apricot)
• Toasted coconut chips or roasted flaked almonds

Preparation Method

1. Grease the dish: Butter a small ovenproof dish that fits into your air fryer basket, allowing room for airflow.

2. Warm and mix: Heat the coconut milk and coconut cream in the microwave until warm and melted. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt until well combined.

3. Assemble and bake: Pour the rice into the greased dish, then add the warm coconut mixture over it.
Place the dish in the air fryer, select the Bake function, set the temperature to 140°C, and the time to 12 minutes.

4. Rest and serve: After baking, remove the pudding from the air fryer and let it rest for 5 minutes. It may appear runny at first, but it will thicken as it cools.
Remove the cardamom pods, spoon into bowls, and top with jam and coconut flakes or almonds.

Tips for Perfect Coconut Milk Rice Pudding

• Use full-fat coconut milk and cream for the richest texture
• The pudding thickens more as it cools — don’t worry if it looks soft at first
• Add orange zest or nutmeg for extra flavour depth
• Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat gently
• Great as breakfast the next day too!