This classic Vietnamese dipping sauce known as Nước Chấm is so easy to put together. The sauce is flavorful with sweet, salty, and tangy flavors. It is very refreshing and addictive!
If you've been to a Vietnamese restaurant before, you might be familiar with Nuoc Cham. Today I want to show you how to make the classic Vietnamese dipping sauce in quick and simple steps.
This fish sauce pairs well with Vietnamese Turmeric Fish , or Vietnamese Pork Chops.
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Why You'll Love This Nước Chấm Recipe
· Simple Ingredients This Nuoc Cham recipe doesn't require a long list of ingredients.
· Easy to make. It can be ready in 5 minutes.
· Versatile. You can serve this Vietnamese dipping sauce with egg rolls, spring rolls, Cơm tấm (broken rice with BBQ meat), and vermicelli dishes. It goes well with any seafood, meat, vegetables, or even tofu! You can also use the Nuoc Cham as a salad dressing.
· Delicious. The sauce is loaded with umami flavor. It has just the right balance of sweetness, saltiness, and tanginess, coming from the fish sauce, sugar, and fresh lime juice.
Ingredients
Fish sauce. This liquid condiment is made of fermented fish. The sauce is salty and briny. It has a strong pungent smell that can be unpleasant for some (but trust me, this versatile sauce makes everything tastes better)!
Sugar. I used white sugar to add sweetness and to balance out the acidity and saltiness of the sauce.
Lime juice. It adds a tangy flavor and refreshing aroma to the sauce. It also helps to neutralize the fishy taste of the fish sauce.
Water. It's used to dilute the sugar and create the perfect balance of flavor. This keeps the sauce from being too fishy salty or sugary.
Garlic. You just need to use a small amount of garlic to create more depth of flavor. Don't use too much or the sauce will become too garlicky or mustardy.
Thai red chili pepper. Use a small amount to add flavor and heat to the sauce.
How to Make Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
1. In a bowl or salad dressing jar add warm water and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chopped chili pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Taste the sauce. Add more ingredients in small increments if needed.
Tips and Variations
· Customizable. Use this recipe as a starting point. You can always adjust the amount of lime, sugar, fish sauce, and chili to fit your own taste buds.
· Use more water or less. You can start with a smaller amount of water in the sauce for a sweeter and thicker sauce. Then, slowly add more water if you need to make the sauce lighter and thinner. Remember you can always add more but it’s not so easy to reduce it.
· Fish sauce. Please keep in mind that not all fish sauces are created equal, and the sodium content may vary from brand to brand. For that reason, don't be afraid to do small tweaks to the amounts as necessary.
· Fresh lime is a must. Don't use bottled lime juice and stay away from old limes.
FAQ
I highly recommend using Vietnamese fish sauce instead of Filipino or Thai fish sauce, as we really want the authentic Vietnamese flavor. My favorite brand is the Three Crabs brand, but others should also work just fine.
You can store the leftover Nước Chấm in an airtight container. Put it in the fridge for up to a week.
Nước Mắm is a Vietnamese fish sauce while Nước Chấm refers to any dipping sauce that is served as a condiment.
Check Out More Easy Vietnamese Recipes
- Bo Lu Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
- Vietnamese Pork Chops
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Stir Fry
- Vietnamese Caramelized Pork
- Cha Ca La Vong (Vietnamese Turmeric Fish with Dill)
I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Chấm)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 10 tablespooons warm water, (see note #2)
- ½ teaspoon freshly minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon sliced Thai red chili pepper, (or as needed)
Optional:
- shredded carrots, (for serving)
Instructions
- In a bowl, add warm water and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chopped chili pepper. Stir to combine. Taste the sauce. Add more ingredients in small increments if needed to fit your taste. Add shredded carrots before serving (optional).
Notes
- Fish sauce. I highly recommend using Vietnamese fish sauce instead of Filipino or Thai fish sauce, as we really want the authentic Vietnamese flavor. My favorite brand is the Three Crabs brand, but others should also work just fine. Please keep in mind that not all fish sauces are created equal, and the sodium content may vary from brand to brand. For that reason, don't be afraid to do small tweaks to the amounts as necessary.
- Water. You can start with a smaller amount of water (7 tablespoons) in the sauce for a sweeter and thicker sauce. Then, slowly add more water if you need to make the sauce lighter and thinner. Remember you can always add more but it’s not so easy to reduce it. I personally used 10 tablespoons, and I think it was perfect.
- Lime. Don't use bottled lime juice and stay away from old limes.
- Red chili pepper. You can remove the seeds from the chili pepper to reduce the heat.
- Storing the leftover. You can store the leftover Nước Chấm in an airtight container. Put it in the fridge for up to a week.
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