Last Updated on July 27, 2023 by Toya
Check out the best keto substitute for evaporated milk plus 4 other tried and true keto alternatives for evaporated milk in a pinch!
Evaporated milk, also known as “unsweetened condensed milk” is a shelf-stable concentrated milk product made of cow’s milk that has been reduced until at least 60 percent of its water content has evaporated. It’s usually a creamy caramel-like colored unsweetened milk product used for cooking.
Is evaporated milk Keto?
While evaporated milk adds a delicious richness and thickness to many recipes, unfortunately for keto eaters, 1 cup of evaporated milk has 26 grams of carbs.
This is a definite no-no on keto, so if you want to enjoy a keto mac and cheese made with evaporated milk or a delicious keto-friendly pie with the same or similar texture as regular pie, you have to find a low-carb alternative to evaporated milk in order to do so.
This list is perfect for you if you have no idea what you can use as a substitute for evaporated milk on keto.
If you’re just starting keto, or maybe you’ve already started but you don’t know all the best keto food substitutions for all your favorite foods, then this Keto Substitutions Guide is for you! It includes over 300 amazing keto food swaps that actually work and taste good!
I’ve come up with 5 of the best ways you substitute for evaporated milk in a pinch if you’re doing keto.
Best keto evaporated milk substitutes
Almond milk evaporated milk
One of the easiest ways to replace evaporated milk is by making a simple homemade almond milk evaporated milk substitute.
To make it, pour 3 cups of unsweetened almond milk into a non-stick heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Next, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 30-40 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally to make sure there’s no scorching at the bottom of the pan.
Once it looks like half of the almond milk has been reduced turn off the heat and set it aside to cool.
Once cooled, strain through a sieve to remove any skin that may have formed while cooking.
You can use it immediately or store it for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Coconut evaporated milk
Like almond milk, you can use coconut milk to make keto evaporated milk too.
To make it, pour 3 cups of unsweetened coconut milk into a heavy-bottom nonstick saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes.
Once reduced remove the evaporated coconut milk from the heat and cool. If there’s any skin after it’s cooled down, strain it through a sieve.
What remains is delicious dairy-free evaporated milk that can be used to make all sorts of delicious keto or low-carb recipes.
Evaporated flax milk
As with the almond milk and coconut milk above, flax milk is another great low-carb, dairy-free milk that can be used to make a simple low-carb evaporated milk substitute.
The instructions are pretty much the same as above. Pour 3 cups of unsweetened flax milk into a heavy-bottom saucepan and simmer, occasionally stirring to prevent any scorching.
Once reduced, cool, then strain, then enjoy!
Evaporated hemp milk
Got unsweetened hemp milk? Reduce 3 cups by half by simmering gently over medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes. The milk can burn at the bottom, so make sure to stir occasionally to avoid this.
Set the unsweetened evaporated cashew milk aside to cool, then strain with a sieve and use.
Evaporated cashew milk is a great keto substitute for evaporated milk
Pour 3 cups of unsweetened cashew milk into a heavy bottom saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 30 – 40 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to avoid burning at the bottom of the saucepan.
When the time is up, about 1 ½ cups of evaporated cashew milk should be left in the saucepan. Set it aside to cool, then pass it through a fine mesh sieve to remove any skin that may be left over from cooking.
You can use this evaporated keto cashew milk immediately or reserve it in a sealed container for up to 5 days inside your fridge.
Final thoughts
There is nothing better than knowing you can enjoy many of the foods you used to eat before keto with a few small adjustments. Finding carb-free or low-carb substitutes for these foods has become one of my missions to help you do just that.
With these 5 easy keto evaporated milk options, you can easily enjoy evaporated milking your faux keto mac and cheese, poured into your coffee, sauces, or pies with zero guilt!