Traditional Vietnamese Iced Coffee & a Modern Style with Espresso
If you walk into our house or work with us in our studio, you’ll end up sipping one of our favorite coffee drinks. It’s a Vietnamese Iced Coffee or Cafe Sua Da. For the morning, a manual pressed espresso or cappuccino will start the day. In the afternoon when we start feeling sluggish, a Vietnamese iced coffee is the perfect “pick-me-up”. This popular Vietnamese Iced Coffee is acombination of strong coffee and a hit of sweetened condensed milk with ice. Our Vietnamese iced coffee recipe is simple and can be made by various methods.
How to Make Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Coffee Grinds
Vietnamese iced coffee can be made in an number of ways, so have fun in exploring the different methods. We’re here to show you how we make it:
Many Vietnamese cafes or restaurants in America often first used Cafe Du Monde grounds and often now they will grind their own coffee. Vietnam mostly grows robusta beans, which are know for their strong flavor and high caffeine. Cafe Du Monde may be thought of as classic and follows that footprint, however most of the better coffee shops around in Little Saigon here in Orange County and the shops Diane’s cousins took us to in Vietnam use a much better bean. We personally use our favorite coffee beans for our morning cappuccinos which lately have been either from Red Bay Coffee or La Barba Coffee (roasters we discovered on our travels).
How to Make Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Traditional Vietnamese Coffee Filters
Traditional Vietnamese Coffee Filters: For the method of brewing the coffee there are usually two schools. One which does it the slow and poetic way with the Vietnamese coffee filters. If you want to customize each glass and have time to brew it the old fashioned way, this Vietnamese iced coffee filter is a cool to be able to watch the coffee drip into each glass.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Espresso
Using Espresso: For the other Vietnamese coffee shops, you’ll often see espresso shots being used for each glass. Either the slow traditional filter or being made with espresso, they both make a great Vietnamese Iced coffee. For the classic coffee filter method, there is something beautiful and relaxing in having to wait for 5 minutes while the coffee brews one drip at a time. There is also something quite beautiful in quickly pulling a luscious shot of espresso and then flicking the tip of the spoon to stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Fire up the espresso machine , pull a crema laden shot of espresso and then convert it to a beautiful Vietnamese iced coffee.
Quick Espresso Method for Viet Iced Coffee
The quicker, espresso method also gives the added convenience for when you want to make Vietnamese iced coffee in bigger batches. Pull a bunch of shots then stir in the sweetened condensed milk to taste. You can even do this ahead of time if needed. Then when you are ready serve; ice, pour, and enjoy. Now you have a couple options to make Vietnamese iced coffee for one or for a big party. Quick or slow and meditative. Have fun and drink up lots of iced coffee!
Video: Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe (Cafe Sua Da):
Vietnamese Iced Coffee Traditional Style Filters (cafe sua da)
We tend to be a bit obsessive over coffee. Here’s some of our favorites for traditional Vietnamese Iced Coffee:
We love the style and function of this phin. French style matte finish with solid construction. This is our personal favorite at home.
A good traditional filter with a press down screen instead of a screw down screen. Multiple sizes available.
Stylish stovetop pour-over kettle. Multiple color options. Built in thermometer. Love this kettle! Or if you want to get fancy, get their electric kettle.
Vietnamese grown coffee, robusta beans are the traditional coffee varietals of Vietnamese coffee. Famous for its strong flavor and high caffeine.
A New Orleans staple, this dark roasted coffee was often the base for Vietnamese coffee in banh mi shops in America.
An all in one kit for Vietnamese Coffee. Filter, Coffee, Sweetened Condensed milk. Awesome for on the go.
Different Types of Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Vietnamese coffee doesn’t just come sweetened and iced. Here’s a quick summary of common options found in Vietnamese Coffee Shops and restaurants.
- Cà Phê Sữa Đá (literally – Coffee Milk Ice) This is the most popular Vietnamese Iced Coffee recipe. A base of sweetened condensed milk, over which about 2 oz of potent coffee is brewed using a individual serving size filter. The coffee itself is syrupy and strong, similar to an espresso. Add ice and enjoy. The combination of the caramel sweetness of the milk, the potent brew of the coffee, and the cool refreshing addition of the ice is heavenly.
- Cà Phê Sữa Nóng (literally – Coffee Milk Hot) Same concept as above, except omit the ice and in Việtnam they often warm the whole glass in a cup of hot water. Again, the taste is wonderfully rich and sweet, especially when enjoyed over a casual morning taken in small sips at a time. Here’s our recipe for Vietnamese hot coffee that we love making during camping.
- Cà Phê Đen (Coffee Black) Just the coffee this time, no sweetened condensed milk. Not for the weak.
- Cà Phê Đen Đá (Coffee Black Ice) I think you can figure this one out.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe (Cà Phê Sữa Đá)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Sweetened Condensed Milk *See Note 1
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons (22.5 ml) coarse ground Coffee (use a roast suitable for espresso, the grind the same as for a french press)
- Hot Water (almost to a boil)
- Ice
Equipment
Instructions
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk into an 8-10 oz glass.
- Remove the top screen from the coffee filter. Put the ground coffee in the filter, screw screen back on, compacting the grounds.
- Place filter on the glass with the sweetened condensed milk. Pour just enough hot water to cover the grounds and let sit for 30 seconds.
- Loosen the filter screen screw at least 2 full rotations. Pour hot water to top of filter, cover and let sit until water has gone all the way through filter (should be @ 5 min. at a rate of 3-4 drips/sec. If it is faster, coffee's grind is too coarse. If slower, coffee's grind is too fine.)
- When water has passed though filter, remove filter from glass. Stir coffee and sweetened condensed milk together.
- Add ice and enjoy.
Notes
Video
Nutrition Information per Serving
Best Asian Coffee and Tea Drinks
We love good caffeinated drinks that can be made at home. We’ve traveled the world exploring Asian style coffee in Vietnam and Coffee in Japan. Now we love taking those experiences and making them at home and customizing them to our personal flavors. Try our popular Sea salt cream iced coffee and homemade Thai tea are two of our reader favorites.
More Easy Recipes:
- Here’s some great Vietnamese recipes.
- Orange Marmalade Cookies
- Stuffed cucumbers
- Jaune Flamme Tomatoes with Quinoa
- Vietnamese Style Pickles
This was originally published in 2013 and was re-pulished with new photos, video, and recipe format in 2021. Hope you enjoy our Vietnamese iced coffee recipe (cafe sua da) and here’s More Beverage and Cocktail Recipes Here.
Great post! As a lover of Vietnamese coffee and culture I always get excited when I see others sharing the great things Vietnam has to offer.
Being a fella born and raised in Saigon who lives for coffee it drove me absolutely crazy that I couldn’t get Vietnamese coffee beans in the States. Most brands from Vietnam are sold as ground coffee, often with filler and I much prefer whole beans for quality and freshness.
When I would travel to Vietnam I started bringing Vietnamese coffee beans back to the US. At first for my own consumption but then the more people I shared it with the more people wanted it. The next thing that I know, we launched a business called ChestBrew, where we harvest and roast the best Vietnamese coffee beans and distribute it on Amazon.
I recognize the brands you mentioned in your post but wanted to share this with you because, well the coffee is just too good not too and you sound like people who appreciate good Vietnamese coffee.
I look forward to following your work!
http://www.chestbrew.com/
Looks refreshing ! And easy to make 🙂
Delurking here! My mom lovingly (even after a vehement fight!) has made coffee for my dad every day for the past 36 yrs the old fashioned way with a drip filter. My dad likes Trung Nguyen for the added arabica and cocoa flavor where as my mom like’s Gavina (that comes in the brown paper bags often sold up at the register at Vietnamese super markets). Since moving from the great mecca of Little Saigon in OC, it’s hard to find good Asian coffee even at the little Vietnamese markets in suburban Detroit.
We now make a big batch of Cafe du Monde using Pioneer Woman’s cold-pressed method. I loved introducing my fiance to Vietnamese Coffee but we work different hours for me to make him coffee (and coffee machines? Gasp! euww!) every morning. Stir in some condensed milk and top it off w/ a bit of heavy cream/half and half (my mom’s new technique). And we’re perky!
If you want to get a real taste of real Vietnamese coffee do not choose coffee with chicory. I have been staying in Vietnam for several years, professional in coffee industry and very surprised reading about chicory as component of Vietnamese coffee at western forums.What they use really here in Vietnam is 100% coffee, robusta or robusta/arabika blend, dark roast. No chicory.
Love coffee anytime of the day and the Vietnamese version looks interesting. I might have to get my hand on the coffee filter, it’s for coffee parties..love it.
Yeah, some vietnamse iced coffee never too much. I always drink that without so many ice cubes.
I love vietnamese iced coffee! If I see it on a menu, I definitely get it. Never thought about making my own though! Going to pin to save later 🙂
I remember sipping Vietnamese iced coffee in a San Diego restaurant with both my mom and grandmother, during my grandma’s only visit here. My absolute favorite coffee drink. Say, you want to fix that typo in your title, right?
Thanks for the heads up Liz! That’s what we get for finishing up a post at midnight.
I love Vietnamese coffee, either iced or hot. You must have read my mind… I had an open tin of condensed milk, so for the last couple of days, it’s been Vietnamese coffee, all the time! So far, I’ve been drinking it hot, so I really should try it on ice. 🙂
I could never get the Vietnamese coffee filter to work properly. I always end up with grounds in my coffee. How course do the grinds need to be?
BTW – longtime fan of your blog!
The grind will depend on your filter but usually it is somewhere between medium to coarse. We have 3 different brands at home and they each need a slightly different grind. There is usually a touch of grinds which passes through w the individual filters.
Just my $.02. I got grinds in my coffee when I used a course grind. When I switched to a finer grind (not quite espresso fine, but I have used that too), I get less. What I do is pack the grinds by squishing them between the two pieces – not too firmly or it will clog – and then dripping about a tablespoon of boiling water on first. Once the initial tablespoon has soaked in, I fill the coffee chamber. No grinds will seep through.
When I do pack the coffee too tightly, I’ll remove the top filter, and use a fork to poke to the bottom to let the steeped coffee through. Works.
This looks excellent! I love iced coffee, and I am digging the Thai, now the Vietnamese, and I wonder what’s next. I pinned your Thai to a group board, and it got really popular and I get email notifications on it when people leave comments because I was the original pinner and don’t know if you get those or not, but seriously, people are LOVING that one 🙂
Thai coffee and tea are always on the menu at my place. I think my love for condensed milk draws me to this! Think of the icy desserts your could make with this, stunning.
Love this! What a treat this is.
I think I need to start drinking coffee! Your ice coffee have been making me drool lately!
Dang, this IS easy!! Lovely way to start the day!
hahaha, I’ve just made a Thai tee for my blog. But I will try your recipe for a vietnamese coffee as well. I loooove coffee.