Authentic Vietnamese yogurt coffee recipe (Sua Chua Ca Phe)

Sữa Chua Cà Phê (Vietnamese Yogurt Coffee) sounds like a weird experiment. It’s not. It’s one of the most refreshing drinks I’ve ever had, and once you try it, the combo makes complete sense.

The tang of the yogurt cuts through the bitterness of the coffee. The condensed milk ties everything together. Over ice, it’s cold, creamy, slightly acidic, and deeply satisfying.

What Is Vietnamese Yogurt Coffee?

Sữa Chua Cà Phê is exactly what it sounds like: yogurt blended with condensed milk, poured over ice, and topped with strong Vietnamese coffee.

It’s not a smoothie. It’s not a dessert drink. It’s a proper coffee drink that happens to have a tangy base instead of a purely milky one. The yogurt adds body and a subtle sourness that makes the whole thing taste more complex than it has any right to be.

You’ll find versions of this at street cafés and small shops across Vietnam. It’s simple, cheap to make, and honestly one of the most underrated drinks in Vietnamese coffee culture.

Ingredients

This recipe makes 1 glass.

• 1 teaspoon Nescafé Clásico (dark roast instant coffee), or strong brewed phin coffee
• 1 cup plain sweetened yogurt
• 20ml sweetened condensed milk (about 1 tablespoon, I use Ông Thọ)
• 35ml hot water
• Ice, enough to fill your glass

Equipment

• One glass
• A small mixing bowl

How to Make Vietnamese Yogurt Coffee

1. Brew the coffee.

Add the Nescafé Clásico to a cup. Pour in 35ml of hot water. Stir hard until the coffee fully dissolves and a light foam forms on top. Set it aside to cool completely. Warm coffee poured on cold yogurt will break the texture, so don’t rush this step.

2. Make the yogurt base.

In a separate bowl or cup, combine the yogurt and condensed milk. Stir until smooth and fully mixed. Taste it here. If you want it sweeter, add a little more condensed milk. If you want it less sweet, use unsweetened yogurt and skip the extra condensed milk.

3. Assemble the glass.

Fill your glass with ice all the way to the top. Pour the yogurt mixture in.

4. Pour the coffee.

Slowly pour the cooled coffee over the top. It’ll settle into the yogurt as you drink, or you can stir it in yourself.

That’s it. Two ingredients, five minutes, done.

Tips From Someone Who’s Made This a Hundred Times

Use sweetened yogurt. Unsweetened works if you’re cutting sugar, but the sweetened version gives you that classic Vietnamese taste. If you can make homemade yogurt, even better. Homemade has a richer texture and a cleaner tang.

Skip the lime juice. Some recipes suggest adding a squeeze of lime for extra sourness. I’ve tried it. It fights with the yogurt’s natural tang and makes the coffee taste sour in an unpleasant way. Leave it out.

Cold coffee is non-negotiable. I cannot stress this enough. Hot or warm coffee will cause the yogurt to curdle slightly and the texture goes wrong. Make the coffee first, let it cool, then build the drink.

Try a blender or shaker. If you want a smoother, more milkshake-like texture, add the yogurt, condensed milk, and a handful of ice to a blender and blitz for 30 seconds. Or throw everything in a cocktail shaker and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds. Both methods give you a slightly frothier, more uniform drink.

On the coffee choice. I use Nescafé Clásico because it’s strong, dissolves instantly, and gives a clean, bold coffee flavor that holds up against the yogurt. You can find it at most US grocery stores or on Amazon. Strong phin-brewed coffee works just as well, maybe better if you prefer a more traditional roast. Vietnamese iced coffee is built on the same logic: strong coffee, dairy, ice. This is just a tangier version.

FAQ

Make It

Sữa Chua Cà Phê is one of those drinks that sounds like a recipe accident and tastes like someone planned it perfectly. It’s worth making at least once, and it’s the kind of thing you’ll find yourself making again the next weekend.

Give it a shot. You probably already have everything you need.