Mac and cheese is one easy recipe most of us love to devour. A good plate of mac and cheese has a creamy texture, enriched flavor, and a presentable look, which collectively makes it a go-to meal every time we’re in a hurry.
One perk of making mac and cheese is that it follows an easy recipe; you won’t be sweating while making it, even if you’re a newbie.
A major ingredient needed for making mac and cheese is milk which you use while making the sauce. But what if you run out of milk or want to play with mac and cheese’s regular flavor?
Luckily, doing so is also possible.
You can substitute milk with several other ingredients without compromising the meal’s taste and consistency. No worries if you don’t know what can replace milk in mac and cheese, we have listed the top 7 milk substitutes you can try right now and whip up a great meal!
Sour Cream
Sour cream is an excellent substitute for milk in mac and cheese. Since it has a tangy flavor, it will enhance your meal’s taste and give it a creamy texture; both are plus points of using sour cream.
If you want to enjoy an enhanced mac and cheese taste, replace milk with sour cream, and it will dash in some tanginess to your food.
Sour cream is a lot thicker than milk, so you’ll have to use some extra water while preparing the sauce. Slowly pour in water while stirring sour cream and butter to ensure there are no lumps.
Buttermilk
If you prepare butter at home, you’ll surely have some buttermilk lying around, which doesn’t seem to fit anywhere. Luckily, your mac and cheese craving will solve this problem too. You can add the thick and sour buttermilk to the sauce and give a unique touch to your recipe.
Buttermilk is also thicker than whole milk, so don’t put too much of it and keep stirring the sauce to maintain its smoothness. Don’t overcook the sauce because it might cause buttermilk to smell.
Whipped Cream
In the mood for something goofy but don’t have enough cheese in the kitchen? Whipped cream will do the trick. Although whipped cream doesn’t bring a new flavor to your meal, it sure enhances its texture.
You can also skip the butter if you decide to use whipped cream since it’s pretty heavy, and pairing it with butter might not suit your taste buds.
But if you want both buttery and creamy flavors, add a minimal amount of whipped cream to the dish and thoroughly cook it before adding boiled macaroni.
Almond Milk
If you’re interested in non-dairy milk alternatives, almond milk is a good option. Although a lot thinner and quite sweeter than whole milk, almond milk still results in a delicious sauce.
If you’re using almond milk in cooking for the first time, be noted that you’ll have to use extra butter and cook it longer to attain the desired consistency.
To overcome almond milk’s natural sweetness, use some more spices, and the dish will turn out pretty great. Almond milk is an excellent dairy substitute for lactose intolerant people; if you’re one of them, stop right here because your problem is solved.
Other non-dairy milk substitutes for mac and cheese are cashew, soy, rice, and oat milk. Since all of these options have thinner consistencies than whole milk, you should cook them for a longer time to overcome their rawness.
Plain Yogurt
Using plain yogurt is a smart move if you’re out of milk and cannot compromise the original mac and cheese flavor. Plain yogurt doesn’t add a new taste to your meal but improves its drippiness.
If a plate full of mac and cheese is your comfort food, using plain yogurt instead of whole milk will ensure you don’t flinch because of a changed taste.
While using yogurt in mac and cheese, continuously mix the sauce to prevent lumps and that weird uncooked taste. Another tip for using yogurt in mac and cheese is to avoid high temperatures because it might leave a charred flavor in your food.
Water
Did you get anything to substitute milk in your kitchen?
You can still put together a yummy mac and cheese! All you have to do is add some extra butter to the pan, and once it melts, pour in some water to reduce its thickness. Keep the flame low to medium, and make sure water and butter are perfectly mixed before adding macaroni into this sauce.
Although not adding milk (or any other dairy product) means your macaroni and cheese won’t be gooey, it will still taste just fine. If you use water for the lack of another option, compensate for the lost creaminess by layering the dish with cheese shreds, and you’re good to go.
Cream Cheese
There’s no such thing as too much cheese. So, say goodbye to milk, and say hello to some cream cheese to double your meal’s texture. Adding cream cheese to melted butter will enhance its richness and add a slightly tangy taste to your mac and cheese recipe.
You can skip butter while using cream cheese because its thick consistency makes up for butter. However, if you’re on a diet, cream cheese won’t suit you much as it contains a high percentage of fats.
That’s A Cheese Wrap!
Cooking macaroni and cheese is one of the easiest kitchen tasks. You don’t have to put together several herbs, veggies, and spices – simply boil some elbow macaroni, prepare butter & milk (or any of the above substitutes) sauce, mix the two, and you’re done.
If you want to add more drippiness to the dish, shift the freshly cooked mac and cheese to a baking tray and layer it with shredded cheese for the final touch.
The above-listed milk substitutes are great options for the days when you want to experience a new flavor of mac and cheese. Use any of them and dig into a plate of divine taste!