Substitutions
Milk with roughly 60% of its water gently boiled off, canned and shelf-stable, with a faintly caramelised flavour from the heat.
What it does in a recipe: Concentrated milk solids and body without the fat of cream. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Unsweetened condensed milk
Quick answer
Reduced whole milk
1 cup evaporated milk = 2 1/4 cups whole milk, simmered down to 1 cupAll substitutes, best first
1 cup evaporated milk = 2 1/4 cups whole milk, simmered down to 1 cupThis is exactly how evaporated milk is made, so the result is essentially the same product.
MethodSimmer gently and stir often — milk scorches on the bottom of the pan without warning.
1 cup evaporated milk = 1 cup half-and-halfSimilar richness on the tongue, arrived at through fat rather than concentrated solids.
Trade-offHigher in fat and without the cooked-milk note.
1 cup evaporated milk = 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milkA comparable thickness and fat level, which is what most recipes are actually asking evaporated milk for.
Trade-offUnmistakably coconut. Fine in a curry or a tropical dessert, wrong in a pumpkin pie.
Allergen checkCoconut is classified as a tree nut for US labelling. Check with anyone who has a nut allergy before relying on it.
At a glance
| Category | Dairy & milks |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | Concentrated milk solids and body without the fat of cream |
| Suits | Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg-free, Soy-free |
| Swaps available for | Dairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 3 |
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.