If you are looking for a substitute for evaporated milk, there are plenty of viable options, many of which you may already have in your kitchen.
Substitute for Evaporated Milk
Make your own DIY evaporated milk by simply adding some whole milk to a saucepan and boil it till reduces to a half. Evaporated milk substitutes also include half and half, regular milk, almond milk, and soy milk, among others. [1]
Milk
Since evaporated milk is simply a concentrated form of regular milk, with no additional sugar, you can replace it with whole milk. For every cup of evaporated milk, you can use 1.5 cups of whole milk and largely maintain the same consistency and flavor of the dish.
Milk in many flavors. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Half and Half
You can use a combination of half and half, along with whole milk, to replace evaporated milk in most recipes. Use 3/4 cups of whole milk and 1/4 cup of half and half to accurately substitute for evaporated milk.
Almond Milk
One of the most popular alternatives for evaporated milk, particularly for vegetarians and people who avoid animal-derived milk. You can reduce 2 cups of almond milk down to 1 cup of evaporated almond milk; however, almond milk is sweeter, by definition, than normal evaporated milk.
Soy Milk
Thanks to the lack of sweetness in some varieties of soy milk, this is an excellent substitute for evaporated milk. Cook 2 cups of soy milk until it reduces by half, which will give it the consistency of cream (or evaporated milk).
DIY Evaporated Milk
You can also make your own evaporated milk, provided you have regular whole milk on hand. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of evaporated milk, simply add 2.5 cups of whole milk to a saucepan or small pot and bring up to a simmer. Continue heating the milk until it decreases to 1 cup; this is approximately the concentration of evaporated milk.
