Spanish Flan
An easy vegetarian built around eggs, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk — roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 8 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and pan. At medium difficulty across 8 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 175 C / 350 F and bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath.
- Spoon the caramel ice cream topping evenly into the bottom of a 20 cm / 8 inch round baking dish or divide it among four ramekins, tilting to coat the base.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs gently until just blended, then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth, trying not to create too much foam.
- Pour the custard through a fine sieve over the caramel layer to catch any stray bits of egg and ensure a silky texture.
- Set the dish inside a larger roasting pan and pour boiling water into the outer pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the custard dish.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes (or 35 to 40 minutes for ramekins) until the flan is set around the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the center and a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean.
- Lift the dish from the water bath, let it cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To serve, run a thin knife around the edge, invert a rimmed plate over the dish, and flip so the caramel flows over the top.
You'll use: Oven · Pan · Saucepan · Blender · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Spanish Flan take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 8 steps and 6 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Spanish Flan vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Spanish Flan is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Flan - Donostia.jpg by Javier Leiva from Manlleu, Barcelona, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.