Evaporated Milk Mac & Cheese (3 Easy Ingredients)
Buy our air fryer e-cookbooks today You might already have an 3 ingredient mac and cheese recipe but are you using evaporated milk? If not, you must try our super easy evaporated milk mac and cheese. It’s super duper easy to make using 3 main ingredients and the results are a fantastic stove top creamy cheesy mac and cheese the whole family will love.
Video: Evaporated Milk Mac & Cheese Recipe (only 3 ingredients)
Why use Evaporated Milk for Stove top Mac and Cheese?
Using canned and shelf stable Evaporated milk as a base keeps the cheese sauce creamy and smooth even when it’s not hot. Sometimes regular milk mac and cheese starts to become thick and pasty when it starts to cool. Using evaporated milk is more stable and will stay creamier for longer. The flavor is still great!
- Warning: do not confuse evaporated milk with sweetened condensed milk!! Both cans look very similar but are totally different in taste and flavor. Sweetened condensed milk is super concentrated and sweet and used for desserts. Do not accidentally use sweetened condensed milk.
Fresh Grated Cheese is better than Pre-shredded Cheese
Grating the cheese from block of cheese will give a better texture than using store bought pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents, which do help keep the cheese from clumping in the bag, but it will also interfere with the cheese melting and not give as smooth of a texture. If you want that super creamy delicious mac & cheese, grate it fresh from a block of cheddar.
Warning: Do not BAKE this evaporated milk mac and cheese
Why? because we tried to bake it and the cheese becomes hard and dry. This is a stove top recipe that’s quick and simple and creamy. You don’t need to bake it because it’s meant to be super easy. Just make the cheesy sauce using evaporated milk and add the cooked macaroni. You’ll be loving how quick this recipe is without having to bake or turn on the oven. You save a step for those days you need a quick mac and cheese dinner for the family.
Evaporated Milk Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz (227 g) elbow macaroni pasta , cooked to package instructions
- 12 oz. (340 g) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)
- 12 oz (340 g) grated cheddar cheese (about 3 cups), grated from block (not pre-shredded)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt , or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder , optional but it tastes better with garlic powder
- 4 Tablespoons (56 g) butter , optional
Instructions
- Cook macaroni to package instructions, drain and set aside.
- In a pan bring the 12 ounces of evaporated milk to a simmer, then stir in the 12 oz. (3 cups) of grated cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to preference), and optional 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Gently stir to melt all the cheese.
- Add the cooked macaroni to the pot of cheese.
- Continue stirring until the macaroni is heated through.
- Taste a little bit and if needed, add more salt. If you want, add some butter and let it melt in the cheese sauce. Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition Information per Serving
Best Stove Top Mac and Cheese Recipes
Like we mentioned already, this is a stove top recipe and not a baked recipe. We’ve made this so many times and the homemade cheese sauce is what makes this so good. We didn’t know the difference that this was not baked and just simply cooked on the stove top. Check out our other awesome mac and cheese style recipes
- Everyday creamy mac and cheese that you can bake with bread crumbs on top
- Easy one pot chili mac and cheese
- chili mac and cheese
- skillet cheeseburger mac and cheese
