Anyone making vegan one-pot dishes
For a curry, dahl, soup or sauce, compare coconut milk for cooking by its coconut content, fat content and the quantity your recipe needs.
Who is this guide for?
Anyone who pays close attention to ingredients
If you’re looking for a short ingredients list or an organic product, check the exact variety. Carrefour France product details range from recipes containing only coconut and water to those with stabilising gums.
Anyone choosing between coconut milk, cream and drink
These names refer to different products. The coconut cream and drink products featured by Carrefour France differ considerably in their coconut content, so start with the consistency your recipe calls for.
What should you check before buying?
First, choose the type of product your recipe calls for. To compare different coconut milks for cooking, check their ingredients and choose a pack size you can use in line with the storage instructions.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency of one-pot dishes | Compare the coconut extract content and fat per 100 ml, where stated. | For a curry or dahl, I want a sauce with the consistency my recipe calls for. Around 36% of consumers put consistency at the top of their list. |
| Ingredients and vegan suitability | Read the ingredients for the exact variety and check for any vegan statement or certification you’re looking for. | Before using a product in my vegan recipes, I want to know what it contains rather than relying on the word “coconut” alone; ingredients are the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Useful quantity | Match the pack size to the recipes you have planned and check the storage instructions once opened. | If I’m only cooking a small amount, I’d rather not open more coconut milk than I can use. Pack size comes first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Product type | Check whether it’s labelled coconut “milk”, “cream” or “drink” before choosing. | When my recipe calls for coconut milk, I want to avoid using a drink that’s too thin or a cream that’s thicker than expected. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this distinction. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Substituting coconut drink for coconut milk without adjusting the recipe
The Bjorg coconut drink featured by Carrefour France contains 4% coconut and 4% coconut water. Its ingredients differ from those of the coconut milks for cooking mentioned here, so your sauce may turn out thinner than expected.
For a one-pot dish, check that the product name and ingredients match what your recipe calls for before considering a substitute.
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Using coconut cream as you would regular coconut milk
The Suzi Wan thick coconut cream featured by Carrefour France contains 90% coconut extract. If you use it in a recipe designed for coconut milk, you may need to adjust the recipe.
Choose it when you need a particularly thick consistency, or adjust the quantity and liquid to suit the recipe.
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Relying on “organic” or “plant-based” without checking the variety
The ingredients aren’t the same across products: Carrefour France lists only coconut and water for Real Thai and Kara Bio, while Carrefour Bio also contains guar gum.
Check the ingredients of the product you buy, and look for an explicit vegan statement if that’s one of your criteria. A short ingredients list isn’t, by itself, a certification.
Coconut milk brands to know
Real Thai
Carrefour France lists Real Thai coconut milk for cooking in a 200 ml carton.
- This product lists 85% coconut extract and water in its ingredients.
- Check that you’re looking at this exact variety if you want this specific formulation.
Kara
Carrefour France lists, among other products, organic coconut milk and Kara light coconut milk.
- The 200 ml organic variety contains 64% organic coconut extract and water.
- The light version featured also contains thickeners, so don’t assume the ingredients are the same across varieties.
Carrefour Bio
Carrefour France describes its 330 ml organic coconut milk as a plant-based cooking ingredient.
- Its ingredients list contains 76% organic coconut extract.
- It also contains guar gum, so it isn’t suitable if you’re looking for a product made with coconut and water only.
Suzi Wan
Carrefour France lists both coconut milk and coconut cream for cooking under this brand.
- The 200 ml coconut milk contains 56% coconut extract, while the thick cream featured contains 90%.
- Choose between milk and cream according to the consistency you need, rather than treating the two products as interchangeable.
Coconut milk for cooking on Joybuy
These products are coconut milk for cooking, including for curries, soups and sauces. Choose between a smaller pack, a larger quantity or a multipack to suit your recipes, then check the ingredients and any vegan statement you’re looking for on the product you buy.
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Kara Organic Coconut Milk UHT 17%, 200 ml
Worth considering for a curry or soup recipe that calls for a small amount of coconut milk. Check the ingredients and look for any vegan statement you require on the packaging.
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Valcom Organic Coconut Milk, 400 ml
For recipes that use more coconut milk, such as curries or soups. The ingredients include guar gum; check the label if you’re looking for a thickener-free recipe or a vegan statement.
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AROY-D Coconut Milk Tetra, 12 × 1 L
Worth considering if you’re planning several recipes with coconut milk. This pack contains twelve 1 L cartons, so make sure you’ll use them all and follow the storage instructions once opened.
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CHAOKOH Coconut Milk 18%, 6 × 250 ml
The 250 ml bottles can be opened as needed for several curry or soup recipes. The ingredients include the emulsifier E435; if vegan suitability is important to you, check its origin or look for an explicit statement on the packaging.
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Wind Mill Coconut Milk, 165 ml can
This smaller pack may suit a one-off curry or soup recipe. The ingredients include citric acid; check the ingredients and any vegan statement that matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is coconut milk automatically vegan?
No. The word “coconut” alone doesn’t guarantee that a product meets all your vegan criteria. Read the ingredients and look for an explicit statement or certification if you require one. Carrefour France lists only coconut and water for the Real Thai and Kara Bio products mentioned here, but those ingredients lists alone don’t count as certification.
When should you choose coconut cream instead of coconut milk?
Choose coconut cream if your recipe calls for a particularly thick consistency. The Suzi Wan thick coconut cream featured by Carrefour France contains 90% coconut extract; adjust the quantity if you’re following a recipe designed for coconut milk.
Can a coconut drink replace coconut milk in a curry?
Not directly if you’re relying on coconut milk to give the sauce its consistency. The Bjorg drink featured by Carrefour France contains 4% coconut and 4% coconut water, while the coconut milks for cooking mentioned here have different coconut extract contents. Be prepared to adapt the recipe if you switch product type.
What should you look for on the label when comparing two products?
Start with the product name and ingredients list, then compare the nutritional information on the same basis, including fat per 100 ml where stated. The DGCCRF notes that the product name and ingredients are among the labelling details to check. For your recipe, also check the pack size and storage instructions for the specific product.