Vietnamese Salt Coffee (Ca Phe Muoi): Easy Recipe with a Phin

September 28, 2026

If you've been to Vietnam lately — or scrolled past it online — you've probably met cà phê muối: strong iced coffee topped with a cloud of lightly salted cream. It comes from the central city of Huế, and it tastes better than it sounds. The pinch of salt softens the bitterness and makes the coffee taste rounder: sweet, salty and rich all at once.

Here's how to make it at home with a phin in about ten minutes.

What you need (serves 1)

2–3 tbsp ground coffee, medium-coarse (a dark roast or Robusta blend is traditional)
1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk, for the coffee
3–4 oz hot water, about 200°F
Ice

For the salted cream:

3 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
1 pinch (about ⅛ tsp) fine sea salt

Step by step

Brew the coffee. Spoon 1 tbsp condensed milk into a heatproof glass. Warm the phin with hot water, add the coffee, level it, set the press, bloom for 30–45 seconds, then fill and let it drip for 4–6 minutes. Stir.
Make the salted cream. Whisk or froth the heavy cream, condensed milk and salt until it's thick but still pourable — like melted ice cream, not stiff peaks.
Taste the cream. Sea salt varies a lot by brand. It should taste gently salty, not like the ocean.
Build the drink. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the coffee, then slowly float the salted cream on top.
Sip through the cream. Don't stir right away — the fun is getting a little cream and a little coffee in every sip.

Tips

No frother? Shake the cream mixture hard in a small jar with the lid on for about 30 seconds.
Want it hot? Skip the ice, brew into a preheated cup, and spoon the salted cream on top.
Coffee tastes weak under the cream? Use 3 tbsp of coffee and make sure your phin isn't dripping too fast — see 7 easy fixes.
Less sweet: leave the condensed milk out of the coffee and keep it only in the cream.