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You are here: Home / 5 Ingredients or Less / DIY Vietnamese Fresh Lemon Soda Chanh

DIY Vietnamese Fresh Lemon Soda Chanh

Published: Oct 21, 2018 · Updated: Jan 20, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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vietnamese lemon soda muddled with fresh stawberries
fresh lemon soda pinterest image
DIY Vietnamese Fresh Lemon Soda Chanh

DIY Vietnamese lemon soda means that each person stirs their own drink, not you.  Less work is always a good thing.

vietnamese lemon soda with strawberries

Serve this tasty beverage with Vietnamese “Fried” fish, braised beef shank, 0r everyone’s favorite garlic noodles!

Traditional Vietnamese beverage

This drink is found in many Vietnamese restaurants.  Some will serve it to you all mixed up and ready to drink.

Others will just pile in the ingredients over ice and make you do the stirring.  This is that recipe.

This differs of course from salty lemon soda, where the lemons are salted and preserved, then chopped and served in a glass with sparkling water.

That one is salty.  This one is sweet and much easier.

Why this works

vietnamese lemon soda with club soda

You don’t have to do much.  

Set up the ingredients. 

People mix their own drink at the table. 

You don’t even have to open the can of sparkling water.  

In fact, maybe they can squeeze their own lemons too. 

(While they’re at it, they might as well help make dinner too.)

Leave a bottle of rum or vodka nearby, if you’re having that kind of dinner party.  It mixes in really well too. 

Sparkling water vs. Club soda

vietnamese lemon soda stirred with a spoon

Either sparkling water or club soda will work.

Both are fizzy but club soda has extra minerals and additives to enhance the flavor of the water.

Fresh citrus beverage of choice

Other citrus fruits you could make this with are:

  • limes
  • grapefruit
  • oranges
  • calamansi
  • yuzu

Optional fruits and herbs that could be muddled into the glass along with the citrus are:

  • strawberries
  • blackberries
  • raspberries
  • blueberries
  • cherries
  • plums
  • peaches
  • basil
  • rosemary
  • thyme
  • Thai basil

How to make Vietnamese Lemon Soda

Step 1: Fill glass with ice

If you don’t have ice, just make sure your bottle or can of sparkling water is cold.

Step 2: Squeeze

Squeeze in juice of 1/2 lemon.

Top with a pinch of salt and 2 tsp sugar or sweetener of choice.

It is traditional to add salt to many Southeast Asian desserts, and it will bring out the sweetness of the drink.

Step 3: Serve

vietnamese lemon soda muddled with fresh stawberries

Serve with a can/bottle of sparkling water/club soda and a utensil to stir. 

You and anyone else who’s drinking this can pour in the can/bottle of sparkling water and mix it all together.

If the glass does not hold the whole can/bottle of the sparkling water, then you just keep adding to the glass as you’re drinking.  Yes, it will be diluted on the 2nd consecutive pour and not have as much lemon sweetness, but that’s ok.

Tips to make it better @home

  • Add in rum, vodka, or other spirit of choice.
  • Similarly, you can muddle in other fresh fruit and herbs of your choice.
  • A pinch of salt brings out the sweetness and flavors of the lemon.
  • If you don’t have ice, just make sure your sparkling water is cold.
  • For a more traditional version, find Vietnamese salted lemons instead of regular lemons.

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vietnamese lemon soda muddled with fresh stawberries
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DIY Vietnamese Fresh Lemon Soda

Course Drinks
Cuisine Vietnamese
Keyword lemon
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Servings 1
Calories 32kcal
Author Agile Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 can or bottle sparkling water
  • 1/2 ea lemon squeezed
  • 2 tsp cane sugar or sweetener of choice
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ice

Instructions

  • Fill glass with ice.  Ad squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and salt. 
  • Add spoon or stir stick to glass for stirring at the table with a can of sparkling water.

Notes

  • Add in rum, vodka, or other spirit of choice.
  • Similarly, you can muddle in other fresh fruit and herbs of your choice.
  • A pinch of salt brings out the sweetness and flavors of the lemon.
  • If you don't have ice, just make sure your sparkling water is cold.
  • For a more traditional version, find Vietnamese salted lemons instead of regular lemons.

Nutrition

Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Sodium: 138mg | Sugar: 8g | Calcium: 24mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @agiletestkitchen or tag #agiletestkitchen!

Do you like the sound of DIY drinks?  Please spread the Asian ♥ and share!

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