Whether you are a coffee connoisseur or not, chances are you’re probably intrigued by how the hype surrounding Vietnamese coffee started. To add more fuel to the fire, they use different types of coffee beans and ingredients which make them different from your usual cup. We spent the better half of the past 6 years trying to perfect the ultimate Vietnamese coffee recipe. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Hence, their most famous type is the iced milk coffee, but there is a range of coffee recipes that you must try! Don’t worry, they are very easy to make and ingredients are readily available.

What is Vietnamese coffee?

For starters, Vietnamese coffee is very easy to make and what separates it from other coffee types is that it uses a Vietnamese mixer and then they usually add condensed milk then hot water, or ice.

Plus it uses either Robusta or Arabica coffee beans. Both of which are high in caffeine, however, Robusta is cheaper and has a higher caffeine level of 2.7% in comparison to Arabica 1.7%. Robusta coffee bean is said to be 60% higher in lipid fat and has lower sugar levels than the Arabica coffee bean.

Different Types of Vietnamese Coffee

There are tons of Vietnamese coffee recipes out there but it is safe to say that these recipes are the most popular and well-liked recipes as of date, but of course, we’re going a Bad Vegan twist to it!

Cà Phê Sua is the basic Vietnamese coffee that is made of robusta coffee bean. It is sweetened with condensed milk. But, when you’re ordering out you can say “ca phe sua da” for iced coffee, and “ca phe sua nong” for hot coffee.

Cà Phê Den is a Vietnamese black coffee. FYI, Den means black in Vietnamese. This coffee is usually made of black coffee and sugar instead of condensed milk.

Cà Phê Trứng is short for egg coffee in Vietnamese, and it’s actually quite delicious even if at first it’s quite bizarre and icky. It has this velvety and creamy texture, with a hint of sweetness which makes it perfect for dessert. In my own opinion, it’s like an uncooked flan with coffee which is very delicious.

Cà Phê Muối is Vietnamese salt coffee, but no, it doesn’t taste like Salted Caramel Macchiato rather it has this rich dark chocolate taste with sea salt. It reminds me of those fancy boxed artisanal chocolates. It’s very unique because the salt brings a smokier flavor while balancing out the sweetness of condensed milk.

This drink gives me a fancy vacation in cabin vibes in the Swiss Alps.

Cà Phê Sữa is coffee mixed with yogurt. I mean, I’ve always ordered a cappuccino or coffee-flavored frozen yogurt, but never have I tried yogurt mixed into coffee.

I mean it’s probably delicious and nutritious! To me, it’s like a coffee-flavored milkshake but instead, the base is coffee.

Cà Phê dừa or Vietnamese coconut coffee consists of coffee and coconut milk.  And this is by far, the most popular type of Vietnamese coffee. It is the perfect vacation drink because Vietnam is a tropical country and the coconut gives more of an island vibe.

What are the things you need?

Essentially you do not have to spend a lot of money, time, or effort when making it. Because you will only need the following:

•    High-quality coffee beans / Exotic coffee beans / French dark roast coffee
•    Ice or Hot water
•    Condensed milk / Coconut Milk

However, if you want to be fancy, you can also add ingredients or spices that tickle your taste buds the best:

•    Honey
•    Almond milk
•    Soy milk
•    Cinnamon
•    Salt
•    Coconut Water
•    Eggs
•    Whipping cream
•    Yogurt
•    Fruit

And if you want to be even fancier and partially ratchet, you can add these:

• Rum
• Vodka
• Kahlua

The tools you will need to make your Vietnamese coffee are:

•    Vietnamese coffee press / French press
•    Bottle mixer (optional)
•    A tall glass or ceramic mug

Procedure:

• Prepare your ingredients namely coffee, creamer (milk or yogurt) hot water, and other optional ingredients
•    Add about 4 tablespoons of coffee into the phin
•    Then add your creamer (milk or yogurt) at the bottom of the cup
•    Add your other ingredients (optional)
•    Place the phin on top of the lid
•    Pour just enough amount of hot water to wet the grounds, but do not soak it
•    Stir it then press the coffee grounds to level
•    Then wait 3 minutes to bloom
•    Place the phin on top of the lid then pour at least 20 ml of hot water
•    Then wait 3 minutes to brew
•    Once the water has filtered through the phin, stir it up, or add some ice.
•    Enjoy the drink!