Name: Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Cafe Sua Da)
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 6 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Vietnamese ground coffee; 2 tbsp condensed milk; 1 pinch salt; hot water; ice

Vietnamese iced coffee is probably the most common and popular Vietnamese drink ever. Whether you are in need of a caffeine or sugar hit, or if you just need to cool down, this drink is the drink you will NEED and LOVE.

I learnt how to make Vietnamese iced coffee at my part-time job at a Vietnamese restaurant. To my surprise, I realised how easy it was to make this drink!

I hope you will like this recipe. 🙂

What does Vietnamese iced coffee taste like?

Oh, how do I even begin describing Vietnamese iced coffee? Well, it’s an aromatic, rich and strong coffee, with a hint of chocolate flavour. As you take your first sip, you will find that it is velvety smooth. It is sweetly indulgent, and so refreshing at the same time. Even if you are not a coffee lover, like me, you will love this drink!

Why I love this recipe

Super easy to make This recipe is so simple and quick to make! It makes for the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. I also make this drink to go with my Vietnamese or Cambodian food (my husband is Cambodian) that I cook for dinner.

Strong and refreshing As Vietnamese coffee is a very concentrated, it remains strong and does not taste diluted even when the ice melts down. This is a bonus, as I love to add lots of ice in my iced coffee to make it extra cold… perfect for a hot summer’s day.

Absolutely delicious I just love the flavours of Vietnamese coffee. With hints of a sweet chocolatey flavour, and velvety liquid, you cannot beat it.

What you will need

Condensed milk Apart from the actual coffee, condensed milk is a crucial ingredient in Vietnamese iced coffee. Unfortunately, there is no substitute. Condensed milk acts as a creamer and sweetener in Vietnamese iced coffee, and it gives this drink its signature taste.

Vietnamese coffee dripping from a Vietnamese coffee filter into a glass with condensed milk

Dark-roast ground coffee I like to use Trung Nguyen Premium Blend Coffee. Another brand that is commonly used for Vietnamese iced coffee is Café Du Monde with Chicory. However, if you do not have these readily available, any dark-roast ground coffee will do.

Salt In my part-time job at a Vietnamese restaurant, we added a small pinch of salt to every filtered iced coffee we made. It sounds weird, I know. Don’t worry, your coffee will not be salty. The salt makes this drink even more appetising, and you’ll find that you will keep going back for more!

Hot water The ideal water temperature to brew your coffee in is 95C. However, if you do not have an electric kettle with temperature settings, or can’t be bothered to test the temperature of your water when boiling, simply boil your water and let it cool for about 5 minutes and then pour it over your coffee grounds.

How to make this easy Vietnamese iced coffee?

Pour the condensed milk into a small glass or cup.

Place the coffee filter on top of the glass and remove the lid and filter press.

Add the ground coffee and salt into the coffee filter, drop the filter press on top of the coffee, and add in a small amount of water just enough to wet the ground coffee (about 1 tbsp). Lightly press down the filter press to compact the grounds.

Vietnamese coffee grounds and a pinch of salt in a Vietnamese coffee filter

Fill the coffee filter with hot water, and cover it with the lid. It should take about 5 minutes for the coffee to finish dripping.

While waiting for the coffee to brew, fill a tall glass with ice. The more ice you add, the weaker your coffee will be.

Remove the coffee filter from the glass, and stir the hot coffee and condensed milk well.

dripped vietnamese coffee and some condensed milk in the bottom of a glass, and a teaspoon in the glass. a vietnamese coffee filter is in the background

Pour over the ice in the tall glass. Enjoy immediately.

Vietnamese iced coffee vs That iced coffee

Vietnamese iced coffee is generally sweeter than Thai iced coffee. In Vietnamese iced coffee, sweetened condensed milk is used as the sweetener and creamer. On the other hand, in Thai iced coffee, the creamer is normally either evaporated milk or regular milk, and it is sweetened with sugar or a smaller amount of condensed milk.

hot vietnamese coffee in a glass, and a coffee filter on the side of the glass

With that said, Vietnamese and Thai iced coffees are quite similar to each other. They both have similar serving styles, strength, and taste.

Can I make this Vietnamese iced coffee in bulk?

This Vietnamese filtered ice coffee is one of my go-to drink I make when entertaining. This recipe is great as you can make as much as you’d like at once. I like to make a whole jug and serve it to my guests at dinner.

However, to make this drink in bulk, you will need a larger Vietnamese coffee maker. Alternatively, use a French coffee press to brew your coffee instead. Once brewed, pour the black coffee into a jug, add your condensed milk, and stir.

Can I make this drink in advance?

Another great thing about this recipe is that you can make this iced coffee in advance. After making this Vietnamese coffee, simply cling wrap your cup (or if you are making it in bulk, seal your jug with a lid or cling wrap) and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you are ready to drink it, pour it into a glass filled with ice and enjoy!