Alternatives for cream on pasta night (2024)

FAQs

Alternatives for cream on pasta night? ›

But milk won't whip like heavy cream. Can I use milk instead of heavy cream in pasta? Yes. Use whole milk and stir in a flour-butter mixture to thicken and enrich pasta dishes instead of heavy cream.

But milk won't whip like heavy cream. Can I use milk instead of heavy cream in pasta? Yes. Use whole milk and stir in a flour-butter mixture to thicken and enrich pasta dishes instead of heavy cream.

Condensed milk is evaporated milk that has been sweetened with sugar. Evaporated milk can be used in place of heavy cream in most recipes, whereas condensed milk is best reserved for desserts. Some health food stores may sell evaporated coconut milk, which is also a good substitute.

Whisk together three-quarters of a cup of whole milk with a quarter cup of melted and slightly cooled butter until smooth, and you will have a cup of heavy cream(ish). Or, for creamy texture and flavor — again for non-whipping uses — half and half can be substituted in equal measure for cream.

How do I thicken pasta sauce? Starch: Cornflour/Potato starch/Pasta starch/Flour. Mix the starch in water if it's powder form, let it dissolve in the water then add that to the sauce;If you add powder to hot sauce it can make it difficult to mix, it forms small clumps.

Yogurt can be a really good replacement for milk in recipes. As with sour cream, it'll add moisture and flavor, but also a bit of tang. You can stick to a one-to-one replacement, but try to steer clear of flavored yogurt.

Alfredo sauce is one of those things that can seem intimidating, but it's actually really easy to make! My classic recipe cuts way down on the fat content by using milk instead of heavy whipping cream like in a traditional Alfredo sauce. But you still get a silky smooth creamy consistency.

The Tools You Need to Cream Butter and Sugar

Stand mixers are ideal for creaming butter and sugar, but hand mixers work well, too. Should you not have either, you can gently mash sugar into your softened butter with the tines of a fork. Next, grab a wooden spoon and stir the mixture until light and fluffy.

Use Cornstarch

Finally, Arturo says that you can make a cornstarch slurry, which is a mixture of cornstarch and water that should resemble the consistency of heavy cream. "Always make more than you need and use less than you think," he says.

Mix together equal parts milk and Greek yogurt to substitute for heavy cream in sauces and savory recipes. Protein-rich Greek yogurt will add richness and texture without as much fat as heavy cream—but heads up: it's not ideal for baking.

What does adding milk to pasta do? ›

It sounds unconventional to use milk in a meaty red sauce, but upon further investigation, it makes total sense why Italians swear by it. According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”.

Whole milk is an excellent substitute for heavy cream. It adds richness to your pasta sauce without the excess fat. Simply simmer your favourite pasta sauce with whole milk until it thickens to your desired consistency. The result is a velvety and indulgent sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta.

Milk and Butter

Similarly to half-and-half, milk makes a good heavy cream substitute when it's combined with melted butter. Combine 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup melted butter for every cup of heavy cream. This mixture is not suitable for whipping. Best for: cooking and baking.

Milk and cornstarch

To replace 1 cup (237 mL) of heavy cream in your recipe, add 2 tablespoons (19 grams) of cornstarch to 1 cup (237 mL) of milk and stir, allowing the mixture to thicken. You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe.

Thanks to all of its wonderful qualities, butter is the perfect addition to any pasta sauce, especially as a replacement for cream. The reason is that the fat in butter helps to calm the acidity of tomatoes, onions, and any other ingredients you've added.