This Vietnamese pennywort drink (nước rau má) is light, refreshing, and super easy to make with only 5 ingredients. Once you learn this pennywort juice recipe, you’ll never want to buy pennywort juice again!

What Is Pennywort Juice?

Pennywort juice, also known as Vietnamese pennywort drink (Nước rau má), is a popular Vietnamese juice beverage that you’ll typically see being sold in Vietnam.

The drink is known for its mild refreshing taste and is perfect to cool off in Vietnam’s hot tropical climate.

Pennywort juice usually consists of fresh pennywort (rau má), a plant that grows in swampy areas in tropical regions such as Southeast Asia.

In Vietnam, in particular, this plant is typically blended raw with water to make fresh Vietnamese pennywort juice. Sugar or other sweeteners, such as condensed milk, are further added to sweeten the pennywort smoothie, as it is quite bland right out of the blender.

It’s also relatively cheap!

The last time I was in Vietnam, a few years back, I remember street vendors selling the rau má drink for less than a dollar!

However, the same cannot be said overseas.

I just looked up the price of pennywort juice being sold near my house, and they are charging $6.5 a cup + tax. And I’m pretty sure they are going to fill half of the cup with ice and potentially water the pennywort juice down to increase profits as well!

At these prices, you might as well make your own 🤦‍♂️

And don’t worry, my pennywort juice recipe tastes exactly the same, if not better than the pennywort drinks that you’ll find being sold at stores.

What Does Pennywort Taste Like?

Pennywort juice has a mild, grassy, slightly bitter taste to it, sort of like a toned-down version of celery. Once you add in the sugar or condensed milk, though, most of this bitter grassy smell evaporates though and you’re just left with a mild tasting juice.

Basically, it has a green grassy vegetable taste to it.

Where to Buy Pennywort

You can find fresh pennywort at most Asian grocery stores in the fresh vegetables and herbs section.

They are a bit pricey, though, but still a lot cheaper than buying the pennywort leaf drink from a juice shop.

How to Select Pennywort at the Grocery Store

When selecting pennywort at the grocery store, look for pennywort that has a nice, vibrant green color to it. Avoid any pennywort that looks brownish.

The stems should be nice and firm, while the leaves should not be wilted. If you notice the pennywort is very soft or mushy when touching the leaves or stems, then the plant is nearing expiration.

Pennywort Drink Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for this fresh pennywort drink recipe:

Pennywort: Make sure to get fresh pennywort and not the frozen kind if possible for the best taste. The leaves should be free of any blemishes and should not feel soft and mushy. If it does, then it’s nearly its expiration date!

Distilled water: We’re using distilled water here since we’re going to drink the pennywort juice immediately after it is done, and there is no cooking involved. I don’t recommend using tap water unless it has already been filtered.

Condensed milk: Condensed milk will add an extra layer of creaminess to the pennywort juice. If you just use sugar, then you won’t get the same creamy taste.

White granulated sugar: used mainly to sweeten the drink. I don’t recommend using something like brown sugar in place of white granulated sugar since brown sugar has molasses.

Table salt: The table salt acts as a slight flavor enhancer and helps to balance out all of the sweetness in the drink.

Substitutions

Table salt: You can use another type if you don’t have any table salt at home, such as sea salt. Just make sure that you only add a tiny amount, at least at first. You can always adjust and add more later on.
Condensed milk: You can substitute condensed milk creamer in place of condensed milk.
White granulated sugar: You can use something like stevia or maybe honey to sweeten the drink. Don’t go overboard with the honey though, otherwise you will taste a lot of honey in the drink!
Fresh pennywort: If you really can’t find fresh pennywort, then you can substitute it with frozen pennywort.

How to Make Pennywort Juice

Wash the pennywort in cold water. Make sure to wash thoroughly as sand and dirt are sometimes hidden in the stems. After washing it, let it dry on a strainer.

Next, add your pennywort into a blender along with the distilled water. I recommend using some scissors and cutting the pennywort into smaller pieces to make it easier to blend the ingredients together. If you’re using a small blender, then you might need to blend everything in several batches.

After blending, pour out the liquid through a sieve to strain out the pennywort juice.

Pouring out pennywort juice into a sieve

Skim off the foam on top of the pennywort juice if you have any foam.

Add the condensed milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt to the juice.

Mix everything well together, then add in some ice and serve cold.

Tips

Make sure to thoroughly wash the pennywort leaves and stems. A lot of dirt gets trapped in the stems.
Use some scissors or a knife and cut up the pennywort into smaller pieces. This will make blending the pennywort a lot easier.
If you own a small blender or a less powerful one like me, then I recommend dividing up the blending into batches, otherwise, your blender might stop working lol.
Try to use up all of the pennywort shortly after buying it as they have a very short shelf life. My pennywort started to become soft and dull-looking after only 2 days.
If you would like to make your pennywort juice more concentrated, then just increase the amount of pennywort in the recipe. Pennywort is quite expensive in my area, unlike in Vietnam, so I try to use a little more water in my juice 😥 Likewise, if pennywort is also expensive in your neighbourhood, then you can dilute the juice with more water to save some money.
Adjust the amount of condensed milk and sugar to your own taste.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

Not thoroughly washing the pennywort leaves and stems leads to an extra secret ingredient being added to your pennywort juice 😈

Storage Tips

The pennywort juice can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. I recommend finishing the drink within 2 days, as the juice will start to discolor.

Side Dishes:

You may also consider pairing the pennywort drink with some Vietnamese corn pudding or some sago taro coconut milk dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I Freeze the Leftover Pennywort Juice?

Yes! Place the pennywort juice in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, just thaw the drink.

Can I Combine the Pennywort Drink With Something Else?

Yes, you can. Some common combinations you might find in Vietnamese beverages include pennywort with mung bean, coconut milk, and durian. Some other fruit combinations include apple and pineapple.

I’m Lactose Intolerant. Can I Substitute the Condensed Milk With Something Else?

You can substitute the condensed milk with a vegetarian version, such as coconut condensed milk or oat condensed milk.

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