Canning, Freezing & More Preserving / Recipes / Sips & Syrups

Vietnamese Preserved Lemons (Chanh Muối) and Salty Lemonade

Vietnamese preserved lemons (chanh muoi) and salty lemonade

Growing up in an Asian family, I’ve seen my fair share of Eastern home remedies.

There was the hard-boiled egg that my mom would rub on my bruises to make them go away.

There was cạo gió, a method of scraping the skin with menthol oil and a coin to relieve aches and pains.

And then there were Vietnamese preserved lemons (also known as chanh muối), a drink that can be taken hot or cold for a variety of ailments from nausea to the common cold.

Chanh muối literally translates to “salt lemon.” It‘s a way of preserving lemons in salt for what seems like practically forever — I’ve heard of jars sitting on dusty shelves for decades! The preserved lemons and the home remedy drink go by the same name.

Whole lemons quartered and salted

And even though the term “home remedy” probably conjures up an unpleasant brew that you ingest because you have to, chanh muối actually makes a very refreshing summertime (or anytime) drink — especially if you’re more of a salt aficionado than a sweets person, like I am.

Because this recipe requires fermenting the lemons with their peels on, I recommend using the best organic lemons you can find. Choose small- to medium-sized lemons with blemish-free skins.

I like the tartness of Eureka lemons, but sweeter Meyer lemons also work; they’ll just give the chanh muối a slightly different, non-traditional flavor.

Four lemons washed and drying on a kitchen towel

Chanh Muối (Vietnamese Preserved Lemons)

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

1/4 cup kosher salt, plus more to sprinkle
1 1/2 cups water
3 to 5 organic lemons (more or less, depending on how many will fit in your jar)

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, dissolve the salt in water and then remove the brine from heat.

Wash and scrub your lemons thoroughly to remove any wax from store-bought lemons, or any dirt from homegrown lemons.

Slice off the top and bottom of the lemon so that a little flesh is showing.

Lemons on a cutting board with their tops and bottoms sliced off

Slice the lemon lengthwise into quarters, but do not slice all the way through.

A knife slicing a lemon into quarters
Whole lemons quartered three-fourths of the way through

Liberally salt the inside of your almost-quartered wedges and set aside while you slice and salt the other lemons.

Lemon liberally salted on the inside
Lemons salted on the inside

Pack the lemons into your jar and cover them completely with brine.

Salted lemons packed into an empty mason jar
Salted lemons in a jar covered in brine
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If you’re using a widemouth jar, or if your lemons won’t stay submerged, sink a glass weight in the jar (the kind used for mason jar fermenting — here’s what I use) to hold the lemons down.

Hand adding a glass fermenting weight to a jar of lemons
Mason jar full of salted lemons with a glass fermenting weight holding them down

Wipe any salt residue off the rim and seal the jar loosely with a lid, as you want to let the gases escape as your lemons ferment.

Leave the jar out at room temperature for at least three weeks. The lemons may turn darker and the brine may become cloudier during this time — that’s when you know they’re good and ready!

Jar full of lemons being preserved in brine

Always use a clean utensil to scoop the lemons out. Other than that, the jar will keep at room temperature indefinitely and does not need to be refrigerated.

Now for the drink…

Mashed lemon on the bottom of a glass

Chanh Muối (Vietnamese Salty Lemonade)

Makes 1 glass

Ingredients

1 chanh muối wedge
Soda water, still water, or Sprite
Sugar, to taste
Ice (optional)

Instructions

My favorite way to drink this is mixed with soda water (pumped from my SodaStream), but you can also use still water for a more traditional lemonade or Sprite for a refreshingly fizzy drink.

Separate and spoon a chanh muối wedge into a tall glass.

Vietnamese preserved lemon (chanh muoi) with a wedge removed

Muddle the lemon in your glass with a spoon to mash most of the juices out.

Wooden spoon muddling a Vietnamese preserved lemon in a glass

Add your choice of soda water, still water, or Sprite. If using soda or still water, stir in a few spoonfuls of sugar to taste. It should have a salty-sweet flavor that’s not too overpowering.

Add ice if desired, and serve!

Icy cold glass of chanh muoi (Vietnamese salty lemonade) with fizzy soda

For another variation that can help soothe your cold symptoms, simply steep a chanh muối wedge in a cup of hot water and stir in some honey. I swear this little home remedy works!

And if you liked this, you might also enjoy my Moroccan Preserved Lemons recipe!

Yield: 1 quart

Chanh Muoi (Vietnamese Preserved Lemons and Salty Lemonade)

Whole lemons quartered and salted

Chanh muoi (Vietnamese preserved lemons) is the secret home remedy used by families to soothe everything from nausea to common colds. Now you can make it yourself!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Additional Time 21 days
Total Time 21 days 18 minutes

Ingredients

For the Preserved Lemons

  • 1/4 cup kosher salt, plus more to sprinkle
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3 to 5 organic lemons (more or less, depending on how many will fit in your jar)

For the Salty Lemonade

  • 1 chanh muối wedge
  • Soda water, still water, or Sprite
  • Sugar, to taste
  • Ice (optional)

Instructions

To make the preserved lemons:

  1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, dissolve the salt in water and then remove the brine from heat.
  2. Wash and scrub your lemons thoroughly to remove any wax from store-bought lemons, or any dirt from homegrown lemons.
  3. Slice off the top and bottom of the lemon so that a little flesh is showing.
  4. Slice the lemon lengthwise into quarters, but do not slice all the way through.
  5. Liberally salt the inside of your almost-quartered wedges and set aside while you slice and salt the other lemons.
  6. Pack the lemons into your jar and cover them completely with brine.
  7. If you're using a widemouth jar, or if your lemons won't stay submerged, sink a glass weight in the jar (the kind used for mason jar fermenting — here's what I use) to hold the lemons down.
  8. Wipe any salt residue off the rim and seal the jar loosely with a lid, as you want to let the gases escape as your lemons ferment.
  9. Leave the jar out at room temperature for at least three weeks. The lemons may turn darker and the brine may become cloudier during this time — that's when you know they're good and ready!

To make the salty lemonade:

  1. My favorite way to drink this is mixed with soda water (pumped from my SodaStream), but you can also use still water for a more traditional lemonade or Sprite for a refreshingly fizzy drink.
  2. Separate and spoon a chanh muối wedge into a tall glass.
  3. Muddle the lemon in your glass with a spoon to mash most of the juices out.
  4. Add your choice of soda water, still water, or Sprite. If using soda or still water, stir in a few spoonfuls of sugar to taste. It should have a salty-sweet flavor that's not too overpowering.
  5. Add ice if desired, and serve!
  6. For another variation that can help soothe your cold symptoms, simply steep a chanh muối wedge in a cup of hot water and stir in some honey. I swear this little home remedy works!

Notes

Always use a clean utensil to scoop the lemons out. Other than that, the jar of preserved lemons will keep at room temperature indefinitely and does not need to be refrigerated.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1 glass

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 17Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1776mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

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This post updated from an article that originally appeared on February 22, 2012.

About Author

I'm a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose expert advice and bestselling books have been featured in TIME, Outside, HGTV, and Food & Wine. The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook is my latest book. Garden Betty is where I write about modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring—all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more »

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