Evaporated Milk in Macaroni and Cheese? [Here’s why!]

Milk is one of the most common ingredients used in macaroni and cheese. But, have you wondered which milk will be best suited for macaroni and cheese?

There are varieties of milk available today in the supermarkets and we have a plethora of options to choose from such as whole, skimmed, condensed, evaporated, and plant-based milk.

However, all varieties of milk can be used for your macaroni and cheese. One type of milk stands out – Evaporated Milk.

In general, evaporated milk is recommended in macaroni and cheese as it is easier for the condensed milk to mix with the pasta’s starch and create a creamy emulsion. Evaporated milk has more protein content and less fat hence it makes the macaroni cheese creamier and less greasy.

Evaporated milk is also used in many other desserts where you need to attain a creamy texture such as ice creams. Since evaporated milk does not have any water content it helps to make a thick creamy mixture. Also, this makes the dish richer and smoother.

An extremely easier understanding of what evaporated milk is that it is an ‘unsweetened’ version of condensed milk. It comes in a can just like condensed milk. It has a flowy consistency. Also, it is easily found on most supermarket shelves.

It can be readily used in creamy sauces as it will provide a nice texture and body to them. Let’s have a look at some of the advantages of using evaporated milk in macaroni and cheese.

Advantages of using evaporated milk in macaroni and cheese

1. The ultra-thick milk blends with the regular or whole milk and forms a super creamy texture.
2. Since there is less water content it gives a concentrated flavor.
3. Evaporated milk is also called unsweetened condensed milk as it hardly has any sugar.
4. It is also packed with nutrients.
5. It increases the shelf life of macaroni and cheese compared to regular milk.
6. Evaporated milk has more protein content and less fat. Thus, it makes the dish more creamy and less greasy.
7. When mixed with equal parts of water, it can be a substitute for regular milk.

Can I use Regular milk or Whole Milk instead of Evaporated milk in macaroni and cheese?

Regular or whole milk can be used if you do not have evaporated milk in your macaroni and cheese. This is the most commonly used milk since it is readily available in most homes.

Using regular or whole milk works well most times. Using regular milk one can sometimes struggle to get a creamy texture as the fat content of milk varies. It is recommended to make a roux and add it to your macaroni and cheese which will help in getting a creamier sauce.

Although skimmed milk can be used, avoid using it as it does not have enough fat content to give a creamy texture.

Can I use regular or whole milk combined with evaporated milk in macaroni and cheese?

Evaporated milk works well and can be combined with regular or whole milk to make macaroni and cheese. The ultra-thick unsweetened milk blends well with regular milk and makes the mix thick, rich and creamy. This combination of regular milk with evaporated milk in your dish will make it richer but less greasy than heavy cream.

Suggested Read: What Cream to Use for Pasta? [With Table and Examples!]

This is a good substitute for heavy cream. You will get the benefit of the taste and texture minus the calories. Also, another advantage of using evaporated milk is that you need less milk in total to get the creamy texture. As evaporated milk is pure milk minus the water content.

However, if you want to skip the calories, you can blend evaporated milk with water or pasta water and it mimics the consistency of whole milk. Although evaporated milk has a pouring consistency macaroni and cheese when made with evaporated milk while reheated may clump together or runs the risk of going dry and crispy, as it may not have enough moisture in the dish.

Non- Dairy substitutes of evaporated milk such as evaporated coconut milk can also be used.

Advantages of using Evaporated Milk in Macaroni Cheese:

1. You need less milk compared to the amount of milk that you would have to use while adding regular or whole milk.
2. It combines well with milk to create a thick creamy mix.
3. You need not add cream while using evaporated milk.
4. It adds fewer calories to the dish as it easily eliminates the use of the cream.
5. When mixed with an equal quantity of water evaporated milk can be a substitute for whole milk.

Can I use Condensed Milk in Macaroni and Cheese?

Condensed Milk is a great substitute for your heavy cream or cream that is used in Macaroni Cheese. It is popular in the Southern style which is a baked version of the dish. Condensed milk is budget friendly as you need less amount compared to the amount of cream to make macaroni cheese.

Also, this dish lasts longer compared to a dish made with cream as condensed milk is fairly stable at room temperature. However, since it is sweetened you might find that the dish is very sweet to your taste.

Combine it with milk to make an emulsion that will balance out the sweetness of the condensed milk. Also, adding salty cheese like cheddar or processed cheese will help to balance the sweetness, as well as alleviate the taste of the dish.

While reheating macaroni and cheese made with condensed milk add some milk or cream or water as macaroni and cheese turns out dry due to lack of moisture in the dish.

Advantages of using condensed milk in macaroni and cheese:

1. You need not add cream as it is adequately creamy.
2. Provides a longer shelf life compared to other dairy products that you may add.
3. It provides a subtle sweetness to the dish and can be easily combined with cheese to balance the sweetness.

The only major disadvantage of using sweetened condensed milk for your recipe is that the dish runs the risk of getting sweet. An easy fix for this is using Evaporated Milk, which is an unsweetened version of condensed milk.

condensed milk or evaporated milk – Which is better for Macaroni and Cheese?

Evaporated milk is a better choice between the two for your macaroni and cheese. As sweetened condensed milk is extremely sweet and runs the risk of making your macaroni and cheese sweet.

Although, condensed milk and evaporated milk are similar to each other in the way they are processed. They are both concentrated forms of milk where 60% of the water is removed. The only and major difference being once processed condensed milk is sweetened by adding sugar.

The result is a rich, thick, creamy, caramel-colored, and extremely sweet liquid. On the other hand, after reduction evaporated milk is homogenized, sterilized, and packed.

Since they look similar it is very easy to confuse the two.

Here are some key differences between evaporated milk and condensed milk:

Evaporated Milk	Condensed Milk
It is made by removing water by heating it to sixty percent if its volume is achieved.	It is made by reducing whole milk to sixty percent of its volume to take out the water content and then sugar is added to it.
It has a longer shelf life and is more stable at room temperatures.	It has a fairly good shelf life.
It is fairly thick but with a pouring consistency. It falls in a stream.	It is super thick and globby. Does not pour in a streamy consistency

Evaporated milk is used in place of milk and cream in the coffee, milkshakes, etc. It can also be used to replace milk in baked goods, whereas condensed milk is used in drinks, desserts, and baked goods.

What type of milk is best for mac and cheese?

There are many options of milk to choose from skimmed, whole milk, regular milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, dry milk (powdered milk), and a few non-dairy choices of milk such as nut-based milk, soy milk, and oat milk.

The best dairy-based milk for your macaroni and cheese would be whole milk or evaporated milk. Although, other kinds of milk can be used, whole milk and evaporated milk have a good fat content which is ideal for creamy pasta dishes.

An ideal option for non-dairy milk or vegan milk or your macaroni and cheese is evaporated coconut milk. Evaporated coconut milk is a great vegan-friendly substitute for evaporated milk and is used in place of coconut cream and cream-based sauces and creamy pasta dishes.

Suggested Read: Do you need butter for Macaroni and Cheese?

Can I make kraft mac and cheese with evaporated milk?

Evaporated milk is one of the best options available for Kraft macaroni and cheese. Adding evaporated milk to your Kraft macaroni and cheese will make the dish thick, smooth, creamy, and not greasy which happens when too much fat is added.

Evaporated milk does not have water content and is not sweet unlike condensed milk and has a pouring consistency. Thus, making it an ideal choice for your macaroni and cheese. Also, reheating macaroni and cheese will not separate easily as the dish has a less fat content.

The other good option would be full-fat milk or whole milk.

Can I make macaroni and cheese with evaporated milk and eggs?

If you are putting eggs in your macaroni and cheese then you might wonder if eggs can be used with evaporated milk. Eggs can be used with the combination of evaporated milk beaten eggs and evaporated milk has a similar consistency.

Evaporated milk can be easily blended with eggs for making your macaroni and cheese. Generally, about an equal part of eggs and evaporated milk is used in recipes. About 2 eggs are ideal for 1 can of evaporated milk. Also, add skimmed milk or regular milk so that the mix has enough moisture in it.

Suggested Reading: What is Tempering Eggs? [Complete Beginner’s Guide!]