Learn how to make authentic Vietnamese coffee at home with us. But before we go through the Vietnamese coffee recipe, we will introduce you to Vietnamese coffee and its uniqueness. The drink has a rich, bittersweet, creamy and smooth flavor and texture. 

A traditional Vietnamese coffee or viet coffee is made with Robusta beans, which have a higher amount of caffeine content and a strong & intense flavor. Some people like to use Arabica beans due to their smooth and mouthful flavor but for an Authentic Vietnamese drink, you must use Robusta beans.

The most tasteful aspect of this amazing drink is using sweetened condensed milk for a creamy texture and balanced bitterness of Robusta beans. It is served in both hot and cold (Cà Phê Sữa Đá) forms as per the consumer’s preference. It is more than a drink, as it represents the rich and creative Vietnamese culture through the brewing method and ingredients.

The Secret Weapon: What Is a Phin Filter?

The uniqueness of this drink is enhanced with the relevant tools for its brewing method. Phin filter is actually a Vietnamese coffee press used for making Vietnamese coffee, you can call it Vietnamese drip coffee. Phin filter is simple and easy to use. It makes a smooth cup of perfect cold or hot Vietnamese coffee.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Vietnamese Coffee with a Phin Filter

Follow this step-by-step guide to make a brilliant recipe for Vietnamese coffee.

Essential Ingredients for The Best Vietnamese Coffee

• Coffee grounds* 3 tbsp (18 g)
• Condensed Milk** 2 tbsp
• Water 4 cups
• Ice cubes 16 

*  Dark roast

** Sweetened

Prepare the Perfect Vietnamese Coffee

1. Gather all the Vietnamese coffee ingredients.
2. Add coffee grounds in the phin filter after removing the lid and screen from it. Spread coffee grounds evenly in the filter and place the screen with some push until it resists. Place the lid so we can proceed to the next step.
3. Place a filter on a plate to avoid spills on the table. Place the lid and add 60 ml of hot water for steeping. Let steep for 4-5 minutes. (be careful with steeping time, over steeping may affect the taste)
4. Add condensed milk in a big coffee cup. And place a phin filter over the cup. All coffee drips all in the cup over condensed milk. It may take about 8-10 minutes.
5. Stir coffee and condensed milk well until fully combined. Add some ice if you want to make it a Vietnamese iced coffee and serve immediately.

Health Conscious? Here are the Nutrition Facts

Calories: 62 kcal

Protein: 2 g

Caffeine: 440 mg

Fat: 2 g

Carbohydrates: 11 g

These are approximate nutrition values according to the ingredients mentioned above for the cafe vietnamese coffee. Using different ingredients will have an impact on nutrition accordingly.

Pro Tips for the Perfect Vietnamese Coffee

• Too Hot Water: Avoid adding too hot water over coffee grounds. It will burn the taste and aroma of the coffee beans. The ideal temperature is 95ºC. It will also take time to cool down if you want to make an iced Vietnamese coffee.
• Steeping Time: A standard steeping time of Robusta coffee beans for this recipe is 4-5 minutes. Over-steeping will make it more bitter than usual and ruin the taste.
• Water: Always use filtered water for purity and a perfect taste.

Creative Variations for Vietnamese Coffee

We have already mentioned the recipe for hot and iced Vietnamese coffee with milk (ca phe nau) . There are more options to customize your viet coffee. You can get the following variety of coffee by some additional ingredients:

• Salted coffee
• Vietnamese egg coffee
• Coconut Coffee

Vietnamese Salted Coffee

One famous Vietnamese coffee recipe is Vietnamese salted coffee. The recipe is also called Ca Phe Muoi in vietnamese. The main ingredients of the recipe are: Brewed coffee, heavy whipped cream, salt and sugar.
Whipped cream, salt and sugar is whipped in a big coffee cup. Pour brewed coffee over this mixture and enjoy.

Vietnamese Egg Coffee

In this recipe egg yolk is whipped in condensed milk until the volume more than doubles and it has soft peaks. Pour espresso in the cup and top it with the whipped egg & condensed milk. Your Vietnamese coffee with egg is ready.

Coconut Coffee

The Vietnamese coconut coffee is another amazing flavored drink with maintained tradition. This recipe contains sweetened condensed milk, coconut cream or coconut coffee creamer and strong brewed coffee.

The recipe is simple to make. Mix condensed milk and coconut cream together and pour brewed coffee into it while stirring gently during the process. The traditional coconut coffee is ready to serve.

The Best Coffee Beans for Vietnamese Coffee

A lot of people prefer Arabica coffee beans for their Vietnamese coffee. The arabica beans are more sweet and aromatic. That’s why it enhances the sweetness of coffee drinks. Although it has less caffeine content in it. But it makes the texture more creamy.
The Robusta coffee beans have a bold flavor that increases the tasteful bitterness of the drink. However, it is a secondary choice for most of the people but it makes Vietnamese much better. It has an intense taste which is the best for Vietnamese coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Vietnamese Coffee

What is vietnamese coffee
It is a traditional coffee made with Vietnamese robusta coffee beans. Another special thing about it is the phin filter. The phin filter is a traditional tool to brew coffee for this recipe.

How to make vietnamese coffee
You need coffee grounds, condensed milk, water and ice cubes. Add coffee grounds to the phin filter, add some water for steeping. After steeping for 4-5 minutes, brew coffee in a coffee cup. Add condensed milk and stir until mixed. 

What makes Vietnamese coffee different from regular coffee?
The special vietnamese robusta coffee beans and the traditional phin filter makes vietnamese coffee different from a regular coffee.

What is the best condensed milk for Vietnamese coffee?
Sweetened condensed milk is the best milk for Vietnamese coffee. If you use unsweetened condensed milk you might need to add sugar.