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Eggs & dairy · Milk & cream

Evaporated milk

Unsweetened canned milk cooked down to about half its volume, with a creamy, slightly caramelised taste.

A kind of milk

21 recipes with it

What it is

Milk heated to remove much of its water, then canned and sterilised. It is pale beige, about twice as concentrated as fresh milk and unsweetened, which distinguishes it from sweetened condensed milk. The canning gives it a faint cooked-caramel flavour.

How it’s used

  • Pumpkin pie and custard fillings
  • Creamy soups, sauces and macaroni cheese
  • Leche flan and tres leches cake
  • Tea and coffee in many parts of Asia and the Caribbean
  • Diluted with water as everyday milk

Characteristics

Taste
Creamy with a light toasted, cooked-milk note; not sweet.
Texture
Smooth and slightly thicker than whole milk.
When cooked
More heat-stable than fresh milk, so it curdles less in sauces. Chilled thoroughly, it can be whipped to a light, short-lived foam.
Sold as
canned
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for baking

Storage

Pantry-stable. Unopened cans keep in the cupboard; avoid dented or bulging cans. Once opened, transfer to a covered container in the fridge and use within a few days.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Milk.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains milk (allergen).

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
134 kcal
Protein
6.81 g
Carbohydrate
10.04 g
Fat
7.56 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
10.04 g

USDA FoodData Central: Milk, canned, evaporated, with added vitamin D and without added vitamin A.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Milk — Simmer 2 parts milk down to 1 part, or use half milk, half cream; flavour is fresher.

Related ingredients

Recipes with evaporated milk

See all 21

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