Mac and Cheese With Evaporated Milk

This Mac and Cheese made with evaporated milk is the ultimate comforting and flavorful crowd-pleaser dish. Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner or a comforting side dish, this recipe will become a favorite in your household. It is an easy and delicious casserole that is perfect for any ocassions. No matter if is a regular day or a special holiday like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.

This mac and cheese is made with a combination of creamy evaporated milk, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, tender macaroni, flour, and butter.

I love this recipe because it adds an extra layer of creaminess and richness to this classic mac and cheese recipe, making it even more indulgent and delicious.

The combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese creates the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

The mozzarella adds a smooth and creamy texture to the sauce, while the cheddar cheese provides a sharp and tangy nutty flavor.

The butter and flour make a roux that helps to thicken the sauce, making it even creamier.

Even if this mac and cheese with evaporated milk may look sophisiticated, in the reality, it is very easy to make as you need to follow only a few simple and easy steps.

With its cheesy and creamy goodness, this Mac and Cheese with Evaporated Milk recipe is sure to become a family favorite that everyone will love.

Let’s get started!

🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?

• As I said, it is very easy to make as it only requires a few simple ingredients that are likely already in your pantry. So, it’s a perfect recipe for a quick and easy dinner or lunch.
• Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, and this recipe takes it to the next level with the addition of evaporated milk, creating a creamy and indulgent dish that is sure to satisfy your cravings.
• This recipe is versatile and can be customized to your liking by adding additional ingredients like bacon, ham, vegetables, or spices. You can also adjust the cheese blend to create your own unique flavor.
• This recipe makes a large batch, making it perfect for serving a crowd, whether it’s for a family gathering, potluck, or a party.
• Children love cheese things, and this recipe is no exception. With its creamy and cheesy goodness, this recipe is sure to become a favorite among kids and adults alike.

🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes

• Pasta. I used Macaroni pasta, but you can use any other type of pasta that you prefer to use for mac and cheese.
• Cheeses. I used a mix of Cheddar, and Mozzarella cheese. I picked cheddar cheese for its sweet taste and to provide a nutty nuance, and mozzarella for its texture when it melts.
• Evaporated Milk. I used evaporated milk to accentuate the creamy and sweet taste of the milk. You can use plain milk, preferably with a high-fat content, or replace it with a mix of low cream and milk using a ratio of 1:1.
• All-purpose flour. I used flour to thicken the sauce. If you don’t have it at hand, you could replace it with starch.
• Butter. We need the butter to fry the flour and accentuate its flavor. If you don’t have the butter at hand, you could replace it with oil.
• Salt. Be careful with the amount of salt because it depends on the cheese time you will use. For this reason, we advise you to add the salt at the end after tasting the sauce.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

Let’s start with making the roux.

Take a pan with a thick bottom and put flour and butter in it. Set the heat to medium to melt the butter.

When the butter melts, continuously stir the contents of the pan to avoid forming lumps and sticking this composition to the bottom of the pan.

Fry on medium heat until you feel a light aroma of nuts from the flour.

Quick Note: This should take about 3-4 minutes.

Gradually add the evaporated milk.

Start with small amounts, and mix continuously. In this way, you minimize the risk of forming lumps.

Repeat the procedure until you use all the evaporated milk.

In my case, I repeated it three times.

Stir continuously until the sauce starts to boil.

After boiling, turn off the heat and add freshly shredded cheddar cheese.

Mix the composition well until you homogenize the sauce.

After the sauce is ready, boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than indicated in the instructions on the package.

Quick Note: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

After this, put the boiled pasta in a casserole where you plan to bake the mac and cheese in the oven.

Add the creamy sauce that we made previously over the boiled pasta.

Mix well until the pasta is evenly covered with the creamy, cheesy sauce.

Add freshly shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the pasta.

Bake the casserole in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese melts, and you will get a rich golden color.

Mac and cheese with evaporated milk is ready to be served.

I recommend you serve it while it is still hot so that the mozzarella cheese spreads and you have a creamier texture of the sauce.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

• Serve this mac and cheese with evaporated milk as a main dish as it is already hearty and filling enough for a main dish.
• You can go an extra mile and to serve the mac and cheese as a side dish alongside some grilled chicken, steak, BBQ pork, meatloaf, or fish for a complete satisfying meal.

🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?

• Don’t fully cook the pasta. Cook it for less than 2 minutes that is was indicated on the package as we will put the macaroni pasta in the oven where it will continue to cook.
• Bring the evaporated milk to the room temperature to be easier for you to blend it more smothly and evenly into the cheese sauce.
• Consider using freshly shredded cheese instead of buying it already shredded. You will get a more flavorful taste in the end.
• When making the roux, take your time and be patient. This step is crucial in creating a thick and creamy sauce.

♻️ Make Ahead, Storage, and Heating:

📋 Recipe Card: