How Long Does Evaporated Milk Last After Opening?

It's super easy to use evaporated milk before it goes bad

Once opened, evaporated milk has a relatively short shelf life, but it's quite simple to use it up before it spoils. For example, if you're craving something sweet, consider making a tres leches cake. This cake's name translates to "three milks," and it traditionally includes evaporated, condensed, and whole milk. (And just to clarify, evaporated milk and condensed milk are not the same!) Beyond this classic dessert, you can incorporate evaporated milk into nearly any sweet recipe you can imagine. It's also great for breakfast, enhancing pancake mixes, oatmeal, smoothies, and serving as a coffee creamer.

However, evaporated milk isn't limited to sweet dishes, and it would be a mistake to restrict its use to desserts alone. For instance, it creates an amazing mac and cheese, lending a rich creaminess to the cheese sauce. Additionally, it can add a luxurious, velvety texture to soups, rivaling that of whole milk. In fact, you can use it in virtually any application where you would use regular milk, and it can even be diluted if you prefer a thinner consistency.

The versatility of evaporated milk makes it a staple worth keeping in your pantry, as there are countless ways to utilize it. So, while it may not last long after opening, you might find yourself going through cans quickly once you start incorporating it into your cooking!