Evaporated milk substitute
Simmer 2 1/2 cups of regular milk until it reduces by about 60% to 1 cup, then use it cup for cup. Half-and-half also works 1:1 for a richer result.
Out of evaporated milk mid-recipe?
Tell Sous Chef what you are missing. It swaps the ingredient and rewrites the steps that use it, and keeps your original recipe.
What are you making?
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Whole milk, simmered down
Great fit2½ cups whole milk
For this dish: It gives the same concentrated milk body.
How: Simmer the milk over low to medium heat, stirring often so it does not scorch, until it reduces by about 60% to 1 cup. It takes about 30 minutes, so check the volume.
What changes: Fresh flavor, with less of the canned, cooked taste. Results depend on your pan and stove.
Contains milk.
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Half-and-half
Great fit1 cup half-and-half
For this dish: It makes a smooth, rich sauce.
How: Use it cup for cup, with no cooking.
What changes: Richer than evaporated milk because it has more fat. Quick and easy.
Contains milk.
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Heavy cream + whole milk
Great fit¾ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup whole milk
For this dish: Cream makes sauces smooth and thick.
How: Stir the cream and milk together. This is 9 oz cream and 3 oz milk for 12 oz of evaporated milk.
What changes: Much richer than evaporated milk. Good for sauces, heavier in desserts.
Contains milk.
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Coconut milk (dairy-free)
Works1 cup canned coconut milk
For this dish: It works in curries and soups, with coconut taste.
How: Stir the can well and use it cup for cup.
What changes: Creamy body similar to evaporated milk, with a coconut flavor.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
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Almond milk, simmered down (dairy-free)
Works2½ cups unsweetened almond milk
For this dish: It adds body, but less richness.
How: Simmer the same way as dairy milk until it reduces by about 60% to 1 cup. Stir often.
What changes: Thinner and less creamy than dairy evaporated milk, with a nutty taste. Oat and other plant milks can be reduced the same way.
Contains tree nuts.
What evaporated milk does in a recipe
Evaporated milk is milk with about 60% of its water removed. It is thick, creamy and slightly cooked tasting, with no added sugar. It adds body to soups, sauces and pies without the fat of cream, so a substitute needs concentrated milk solids and some thickness.
Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef
A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.
You ask Sous Chef
"I don't have evaporated milk."
Sous Chef edits the recipe
2½ cups whole milk
Simmer the milk over low to medium heat, stirring often so it does not scorch, until it reduces by about 60% to 1 cup. It takes about 30 minutes, so check the volume.
When not to substitute
Do not use sweetened condensed milk. It is much sweeter and thicker. In a pie or custard that must set, measure carefully or use a canned product.
Common questions
Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk?
Not cup for cup. Regular milk is much thinner. Simmer about 2 1/2 cups down to 1 cup first.
Is evaporated milk the same as condensed milk?
No. Evaporated milk is unsweetened. Sweetened condensed milk has a lot of sugar added and is much thicker.
Can I use powdered milk?
Yes. Mix it with about 60% of the water the package calls for to get a thicker, richer milk.
Related
- Sweetened condensed milk substitutes
- Heavy cream substitutes
- Sour cream substitutes
- Half-and-half substitutes
- All ingredient substitutes
- How to substitute an ingredient
Sources
- Evaporated milk substitutes (Food Network)
- Condensed or evaporated milk substitute (Kids with Food Allergies)
- Ingredient substitutions (Colorado State University Extension)
Cook with what you have.
Import any recipe into Sous Chef and ask for the swap. It rewrites the ingredient list and the steps, and never loses the original. Free on iPhone.