What To Use In Mac And Cheese Instead Of Milk

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Ingredients For Mac And Cheese Without Butter

How to Make 3-Ingredient Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

The ingredients youll be needing to make mac and cheese without butter are mentioned below

  • 450 g Macaroni
  • 3 cups milk
  • 4 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
15 Minutes 25 Minutes

You can make this delicious mac and cheese in less than 30 minutes. It is also easy to make. You just need arm strength for continuous whisking.

Why I Love This Vegan Mac And Cheese Recipe

I started making stovetop mac and cheese with the hopes of recreating my favorite Noodles & Company order, but it also serves as a quick substitute for my favorite baked mac and cheese.

Because sometimes, you just dont want to wait the 30+ minutes it takes to bake that mac and cheese in the oven, no matter how good the end results are. Sometimes, you just want your big bowl of cheesy goodness as soon as possible.

And when youre making mac and cheese on more-than-regular basis because youre pregnant and need a constant stream of carbs and cheese, you just have to keep things simple. So Ive mastered stovetop mac and cheese, and I never want to stop eating it.

Evaporated Milk Or Half

Evaporated milk and half-and-half are excellent substitutes for milk in macaroni and cheese. Because of its long shelf life, you can always rely on evaporated milk if you suddenly run out of regular milk or, lets sayyour refrigerated milk has gone bad. Evaporated milk is a bit sweeter than regular milk, so you might need to thin the liquid out by adding water. For half-and-half, which is a combination of whole milk and heavy cream, has a higher fat content than whole milk, but not as much as heavy cream. Its about the same consistency as evaporated milk and can replace regular milk in the same ratio.Instructions:

  • Replace 1 c of regular milk with ¾ c evaporated milk + 2 T water .

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The Only Type Of Milk You Should Use For Mac And Cheese

Once upon a time, if a recipe called for milk, if anyone were to ask the question “What kind of milk?” everyone else would think they’d lost their mind. What kind of milk? Duh, the kind that comes out of a cow, what other kind could there be? In latter years, as people became concerned about the amount of fat in their diets, store shelves began to feature a much wider array of milks and milk products: skim, 1%, 2%, whole milk, and half-and-half . Even more recently, plant-based “milk” sales have been soaring, something that CNBC says is taking quite a bite out of dairy industry revenue.

While it’s great to have such a variety of milks available for purchase, not every product works equally well for every purpose. Case in point: macaroni and cheese. While yes, you can make it with any milk you like, or even without milk altogether, if you’re looking to make a classic comfort food that tastes exactly as mac and cheese should, there’s only one type of milk you should be using.

My Favorite Cheeses For Macaroni And Cheese

Ça alors.. 48+ Vérités sur Campbell

Depending on your mood, the cheese you use in macaroni and cheese can vary. Cheddar, fontina, gruyere, parmesan, and pecorino are all excellent options, but the combination of cheeses I go back to over and over again is a hearty amount of extra sharp white cheddar and a smaller, but potent amount of pecorino-romano cheese. The cheddar turns creamy and smooth and the pecorino adds a pop of salty cheese flavor to the sauce.

Okay, now this is where I get on my soapbox for a second. No matter which cheese you use for this, if you can, grate the cheese yourself. A previously shredded bagged cheese just doesnt melt the same way as hand grated cheese. I wish that wasnt true, but for now, to make the best mac and cheese, its best to shred the cheese yourself.

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How Do You Use Heavy Cream As A Milk Substitute In Mac And Cheese

Heavy cream will leave your mac and cheese the thickest out of all of the other substitute options listed thus far. This ingredient, in most instances, still contains dairy. It is best if you want to experiment with the flavors that exist in your mac and cheese.

Heavy whipping cream contains much more fat than cow milk, however. The content produces a decadent cream that you will be unable to get enough of it. Typically, chefs use less heavy cream than the amount of milk required by the recipe.

You will add the heavy whipping cream to the pot slowly. While someone pours, you should constantly stir the contents in the dish, ensuring you will eventually reach the consistency you need. Some chefs also add a small amount of water to the heavy whipping cream before putting it in the pot.

When using a mac and cheese kit, such as those made by Kraft, you will have a cheese package to add. The heavy whipping cream will take away some of the orange colorations of the ingredient, however. The result will more closely resemble a white cheese sauce than the standard pre-boxed option.

Cooking Tips For Baked Mac And Cheese

  • Boiling the pasta cook the pasta less than you normally would. I like to boil my elbow pasta for between 4 and 5 minutes. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, and you dont want it to get mushy.
  • Use room temp liquids if you can cold liquids generally take longer to thicken than warmer ones. I usually set my milk and half and half out while the water for the pasta is coming up to a boil.
  • The cheeses use your favorites! Our personal favorites are the cheddar and gruyere used in this recipe, but you can be very creative with the cheese selection here. Mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, swiss, monterey jack, colby jack, colby. There are plenty of reader comments down below the recipe that talk about the cheeses they used!
  • Shred your own I know its a pain, and its SO tempting to use the pre-shredded cheese in the bags. But those bags of cheese contain a starchy substance that keeps the cheese from clumping which also prohibits it from melting as well as it should.

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Is Butter Really Necessary For Mac And Cheese

Another frequent question about mac and cheese is that is butter really necessary to make mac and cheese?

Actually, no. Butter isnt really necessary. The only reason butter is added to mac and cheese is to make it creamier and thicker. It adds flavor to the dish. But, if you are not using butter, you should at least use a substitute for it. Otherwise, your mac and cheese will become thinner, less dense, and overall less delicious.

If you like your mac and cheese to be thick and creamy but dont want to add better, using substitutes is a good option. You can also use them according to your taste palette and preference.

Some of the substitutes that you can use are mentioned below:

1. Margarine

You also dont have to worry about proportions when using margarine. You can use margarine in a 1:1 ratio with butter.

2. Sour Cream

Sour cream is another great alternative to butter in mac and cheese. It checks of not one but two boxes. You can substitute sour cream for milk and butter. It gives a great depth and texture to the dish. If you like tanginess in your dish, sour cream will be the perfect alternative to butter.

I would suggest using less sour cream. It has a high fat and calorie content, so dont use too much. Also, using a lot of sour creams may make the mac and cheese too tangy.

3. Plain Yogurt

4. Cream Cheese

5. Olive Oil

6. Mayonnaise

The Cream Cheese Option

How to Make Mac and Cheese WITHOUT Milk!

As a substitute for milk, cream cheese works pretty well with Macn Cheese.

How it works:

  • It will give you that lovely rich texture youre looking for, and it also lends the right flavor alongside the other ingredients.
  • If you chase up a few different recipes, youll find that many of them specify using cream cheese in the first place. It works really well.

The only thing to be aware of, which you probably already know if you are a calorie counter, is that cream cheese is quite heavy when it comes to fat and calorie content.

Credit:Bodhi PeaceCC License

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Whats In This Creamy Stovetop Mac And Cheese

The list of ingredients in this mac and cheese is basic, but there are two ingredients that really lend the most to its creamy success: Evaporated milk and American cheese. Yep, adding those two processed but real foods make this meal the cheesiest, and creamy even as it cools to room temperature.

  • Small macaroni noodles such as elbow, spiral, shells
  • Butter
  • Mild cheddar cheese

Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read

I got this idea from The School Night Vegan blog! I had literally never heard of anyone making vegan mac and cheese by making a dry cheeze powder until I came across his blog post. Its such a smart idea! His cheeze powder used a few ingredients that I dont normally stock, so I just made it a little more pantry-friendly for what I normally have on hand. But the cheeze powder method is his genius idea and he has a super fun website with lots of vegan recipes that is worth some perusing if you like plant-based recipes!

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How To Make Kraft Macaroni And Cheese Without Milk

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is a favorite, addictive, warm, and cheesy comfort food for millions of people.

The internet is covered with recipes for it, but milk isnt always something that agrees with everyone.

The milk aisle is full of many different kinds of milk and milk substitutes to suit nearly everyones needs.

Here, youll learn how to make Kraft macaroni and cheese without milk step by step.

Mac And Cheese Basics

Can I Use Vegetable Oil Instead Of Butter For Mac And ...

Baked mac and cheese begins with a roux of flour, butter and milk that you then turn into a white sauce with more milk and plenty of shredded cheese. Add the sauce and cooked macaroni to an oven-proof pan, stir it thoroughly and layer buttered breadcrumbs on top to balance the pasta’s creaminess. Bake the mixture in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 30 minutes until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown.

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Start Cooking Mac And Cheese

Mac and cheese is a beloved dish worldwide, no matter the ingredients you use to make it. Many individuals want to stay away from dairy, or they are lactose intolerant. For that reason, you need to use one of the dairy-free alternatives in the list above.

Many of the ingredients will add a unique taste to your mac and cheese too. Even if there are no allergies in your family, you can experiment with the taste differentials in each of the above foods. You are sure to find a recipe that you love and want to hold onto for special occasions.

Can You Use Oat Milk As A Substitute For Regular Milk In Mac And Cheese

Oat milk is one of the most popular dairy-free options. It has a natural level of sweetness. If you are allergic to gluten, however, you cannot use this ingredient.

When you use oat milk in mac and cheese, you will want to use the unsweetened variety. Again, as mentioned, the product is naturally sweet. The pairing of the oat milk with the pasta will impress you and your loved ones who eat the mac and cheese.

Oat milk has about the same creaminess as you can expect to achieve with cow milk. To make the mac and cheese sauce thicker, you can add a thickener, including those listed above. If you want to keep on the trend of products with gluten, consider adding a small portion of flour, for instance.

Since oat milk does have a natural sweetness, you will need the same amount of ingredients for your mac and cheese. The recipe will list how much milk you need, and you will add however much of this substitute it says.

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How To Make Stovetop Mac And Cheese

  • Prepare the Pasta: Boil the macaroni according to package instructions, for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.
  • Combine the ingredients for the sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the evaporated milk, eggs, dry mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
  • Combine the pasta with everything else: Drain the pasta and return to pot. Melt in the butter, then stir in the egg/milk mixture. Turn the heat down to low, then stir in the cheese and cook for another 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.
  • How To Make Creamy Mac And Cheese

    Creamy, vegan oat milk mac and cheese

    Its incredibly easy to make creamy stovetop mac and cheese, provided you use the right ingredients and ratios. Here are the basic steps for cooking the noodles and making the homemade mac and cheese sauce:

  • Cook the noodles to al dente, drain and set aside.
  • Now comes the fun part, making the creamy cheese sauce. Melt some butter in a large pot and then whisk in some flour, salt, and pepper.
  • Slowly add in some heavy cream and milk, cooking until it bubbles. Were going for rich and creamy macaroni and cheese, so the heavy cream is necessary!
  • Then reduce the heat to low and add in some shredded sharp cheddar cheese and shredded mozarella cheese.
  • Stir until melted and then add the cavatappi noodles to pot. Stir until the noodles are coated and then let sit for 5 minutes to thicken up.
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    Okay But Does It Really Taste Like Mac And Cheese

    All vegan mac and cheese has its own flavor based on what you use for the sauce, but this one is pretty straightforward.

    Texture-wise, its super, super similar to just a regular box of mac and cheese, which is just a wonderful gift from the mac and cheese angels

    Flavor-wise, the nutritional yeast drives the bus with a nutty, umami-ish, salty cheeze vibe, and the taste of the sauce will vary slightly with the type of milk you use. But the best news of all is that I find that this truly tastes buttery in the best way with the addition of a little knob of vegan butter melted in at the end.

    Obviously we are no strangers to true cheesy goodness combined with noodles over here at Pinch of Yum , and I personally eat mostly everything, including real cheese, but I love having a good plant-based option in my back pocket and this one is just glorious.

    What Kind Of Cheese Is Best For Mac And Cheese

    In this recipe, were cooking from scratch to match the flavor and taste of the boxed version of macaroni and cheese so choosing milder cheeses works best.

    I use two cheeses for this recipe, with each contributing its own merits to make a mac and cheese that is smooth and lush but not overly cloying.

    • Cheddar cheese. Choose a block of mild or medium cheddar cheese for flavor and be sure to shred it yourself for the best meltability factor.
    • American cheese. American cheese is what gives this mac and cheese the extra creamy factor. I get it from the Smiths Grocery deli counter where six slices works just right.

    But is American cheese even real?

    American cheese is a 100 year old way of cheesemaking that preserves the protein of milk longer than in traditional cheeses. Its made from milk, rennet, and salt, just like every other cheese, and shouldnt be confused with the single slices of processed cheese sold in packages.

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    Milk Substitutes In Mac And Cheese

    Here is our ultimate list of the best alternatives for milk when preparing macaroni and cheese.

    We have included the basic info and the proper proportions to use.

    There is also information regarding the expected changes to the taste and texture of the dish when you use each one as a replacement for regular milk.

    A Versatile Recipe Makes It Even Easier

    How to improve boxed mac and cheese: use alfredo sauce ...

    With this recipe, you can use whole milk, 2% or skim, and non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt, if thats what you have on hand. Get ready to dig in and watch it quickly disappear!

    8 ounces elbow macaroni

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 cup Blue Plate® Mayonnaise

    1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt*

    1 pound freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

    ½ cup fresh bread crumbs**

    1 tablespoon butter

    BRING a gallon of water and salt to a boil over high heat in a large pot. Add macaroni and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or for the time on the package directions, until pasta is al dente. Drain and rinse.

    COMBINE mayonnaise, yogurt and cheese in the bottom of a very large bowl. Mix thoroughly.

    PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 11- by 7-inch or 12- by 12-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

    POUR drained macaroni into the bowl. Mix thoroughly, until pasta is evenly coated. Turn into prepared baking dish and smooth top with the back of a spoon.

    HEAT butter in a large mug or small bowl for 30 seconds in microwave on HIGH, just until melted. Add bread crumbs and stir thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over macaroni.

    BAKE 30 to 35 minutes, until the mixture does not slosh from side to side when the dish is gently shaken, and bread crumbs are golden brown. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

    COVER leftovers, if there are any, and refrigerate up to two days.

    *This recipe will work with 2 percent low-fat or 0 percent non-fat Greek yogurt, but results are best with full-fat Greek yogurt.

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