Use Canned Evaporated Milk For Even Richer Mashed Potatoes

Canned evaporated milk is a long-lasting staple that comes in handy in many different recipes. We've already compiled a list of the best uses for evaporated milk, from a whipped cream substitute to acting as a thickening agent in casseroles and soups. Mashed potatoes are yet another classic dish that evaporated milk will upgrade with caramelized richness.

Unlike sweetened condensed milk, canned evaporated milk is a concentrated milk product that doesn't have added sugar. This makes it a more versatile ingredient that you can take in sweet or savory directions. Many liken the taste and viscosity of canned evaporated milk to half and half. The process of evaporating the water out of milk and heating it during canning effectively intensifies the milk flavor and caramelizes its natural sugars. It will bring a very slightly caramelized sweetness and pleasing dairy richness to your next batch of mashed potatoes. Since most mashed potato recipes use a blend of butter and milk or cream, evaporated canned milk isn't too far of a stretch.

You can thus swap the milk or cream for a cup of canned evaporated milk to blend or mash into drained cooked potatoes with a half-stick of butter. With its thicker consistency, the canned evaporated milk will make for especially creamy and smooth mashed potatoes. The swap will also work with sweet potatoes, but you should add less. Try exchanging the tablespoon of milk in this garlic-mashed sweet potatoes recipe with the same amount of evaporated milk, for extra sweet and comforting results.

Evaporated milk gives earthy potatoes a decadent textural upgrade and a unique slightly caramelized-tasting finish. While all you need for a delicious pot of mashed potatoes are potatoes, butter, and evaporated milk, other ingredients and seasonings can further enhance their sweet and savory profile. You can add extra caramelized ingredients, to lean into that almost-sweet flavor, for example, roasted garlic, which endows the tatties with a sweet aromatic boost. We even have a hack to roast garlic inside a potato before mashing the two together.

For equal parts earthy and sweet, you could add evaporated milk instead of sour cream and broth to this roasted garlic and spinach mashed potatoes recipe. The dairy rich flavor of evaporated milk would also pair well with a salty, nutty cheese like parmesan or a sharp savory cheese like cheddar. Even if you're making a simple mashed potatoes recipe, you can add texture and flavor with garnishes and gravies. This recipe for vegetarian meatballs and mushroom gravy packs a powerful umami punch and a meaty chew to contrast some smooth, creamy evaporated milk mashed potatoes. Or for a super-simple pairing, just top evaporated milk mashed potatoes with a package of store-bought crispy fried onions for a pop of sweet, aromatic crunch.