Nước Chấm, or Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce, is considered liquid gold in Vietnamese cuisine! This flavorful dressing is used for everything from rice and noodle bowls to grilled meats, salads, and more. With just 5 minutes and 5 simple ingredients, you can whip up this addicting fish sauce dressing any time!
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🌶️ What is Nước chấm?
Nước chấm (pronounced "nook chum") is a dressing made from fish sauce (nước mắm), water, sugar, and vinegar or citrus. It has a strong fishy odor but don't let that deter you from enjoying its glory - it's wonderfully sweet, sour, salty, and full of umami flavor. It pairs well with literally everything, which is why you're guaranteed to find it at every Vietnamese restaurant, street food stall, and home kitchen.
What is the difference between nước mắm and nước chấm?
Nước mắm is a concentrated fish sauce made from fermented fish and salt, used primarily as a seasoning in Vietnamese cuisine. Meanwhile, nước chấm is a versatile dipping sauce created by mixing nước mắm with water, lime juice or vinegar, sugar, and often garlic and chili peppers.
While nước mắm is strong and salty, nước chấm has a balanced flavor profile with salty, sweet, sour, and spicy elements. Nước mắm is used during cooking for seasoning, while nước chấm is served as a condiment or dipping sauce.
In my family, we call both versions "nước mắm". However, the technically correct term would be nước mắm pha, which means "diluted or mixed fish sauce".
👵🏼 A Family Staple
Every family and restaurant has their own version of nước chấm. This authentic recipe is an adaptation of my grandma's, who was undoubtedly the best cook in my family!
The best part about Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce is that it's easily customizable to your taste. Add garlic and chile for extra flavor, or keep it pure and simple. Make it sweeter, saltier, or more sour - however you and your family prefer it!
Nước chấm is as versatile as it is ubiquitous. It can be used as a dipping sauce for egg rolls (Chả Giò) or as a dressing for vermicelli noodles (bún) with grilled pork or turmeric fish with dill. Don't forget to garnish it with pickled vegetables (Đồ Chua) for more tangy flavor!
Why You'll Love It
- Quick and easy: This healthy Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce only requires 5 pantry-staple ingredients and 5 minutes to come together. It's the perfect addition to any meal!
- Versatile: You may be used to enjoying nước chấm dressing in only Vietnamese cuisine, but don't limit yourself there! Jazz up any kind of roasted meats or veggies - from any cuisine - with this versatile vinaigrette.
- Customizable: Adjust the fish dipping sauce exactly to your taste. Each of the 5 ingredient has a purpose and it's easy to season it exactly how you like.
🧂 Ingredients
- Fish sauce: Made from fermented anchovies, nước mắm provides the base of flavor. Each brand varies in saltiness and flavor profile. My favorite brand is Red Boat, which is more concentrated than most brands I've tried so a little goes a long way.
- Sugar: Whisked with water to create a simple syrup. White sugar is easy and convenient, but you could use palm sugar for a more authentic taste.
- Lime: A little citrus is necessary to brighten the robust flavors in nước chấm dressing. Fresh lime juice is the best, but fresh or bottled lemon juice could also work in a pinch. Many restaurants use vinegar because it's affordable and allows the Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce to last longer. However, I find vinegar too strong and overpowering.
- Garlic: Some fresh minced garlic adds loads of flavor to nước chấm.
- Chili: Optional if you like a spicier dressing. Thai or bird's eye chilies are the traditional choice. You can often find these fresh or in the freezer aisle in Asian grocery stores.
👩🏻🍳 How To Make Nước Chấm
⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see full ingredient amounts and instructions.
STEP ONE: First, whisk the sugar into hot water until the liquid is completely clear.
STEP TWO: To the simple syrup, add the fish sauce.
STEP THREE: Then pour in the fresh lime juice and stir to combine.
STEP FOUR: These are optional add-ins, but they're a must for me and my family. Crush the garlic in a mortar and pestle, food processor, garlic press, or mince with a kitchen knife.
STEP FIVE: For a spicy nước chấm dressing, add a couple red chili peppers. First, remove the stems and seeds. Then crush or mince in a mortar and pestle, food processor, or with knife. Be careful to wear gloves and not touch bare skin or eyes afterwards.
I recommend crushing the garlic and chili separately so you have more control over how much to add to the final Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce.
Add all the garlic and a tiny portion of the crushed chili to the fish sauce. Stir to combine, and adjust the taste to your preference.
💭 Top Tips
- Juice a fresh lime: Nước chấm dressing is full of strong, deep flavors thanks to the fish sauce. Brighten it up with fresh lime juice. It lifts the dressing up to make it balanced and delicious. For more juice, use room temperature or warm lime. I will usually microwave it for just 10-20 seconds.
- Remove the chili seeds: Small chilis are extremely spicy. To prevent the spice from overpowering the nước chấm, remove the small seeds first and then crush the chili pepper. It'll still be plenty spicy, trust me. Also, be careful with handling the chili! I recommend wearing gloves but in general, avoid touching your eyes and face.
- Use a mortar and pestle: For a truly authentic and traditional Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce, crush the garlic and chili in a mortar and pestle. It gently breaks down the fibers of the garlic and chili more thoroughly, releasing more flavor while creating a finer mince. It also results in a more rustic and authentic "mince".
- Experiment with the taste: Each brand of fish sauce is different. Adjust the nước chấm with a little more or less fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice to your liking.
🥡 Storing & Make Ahead
Storing: Because this nước chấm recipe contains fresh lime, garlic, and chili, it'll last about 1-2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If the taste becomes overly sour, replace it with a new batch.
Make Ahead: For a longer shelf life, I recommend making a base version by combining the hot water, sugar, and fish sauce only. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for about 1 month. To serve, add fresh lime juice, garlic, and chili to taste.
🍽 Looking For More Vietnamese Recipes?
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📋 Recipe
Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce (Nước Chấm)
Ingredients
- 2 cups hot water
- ⅔ cup white granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice about ½ lime
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 thai or red chilies (optional)
Instructions
- In a large jar, whisk together hot water and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and garlic.
- If using chili, cut the stem off and squeeze as many seeds out as you can. Then finely slice or mince. Add just a tiny portion to the fish sauce to start.
- Stir to combine everything together. Taste and adjust as preferred.
Notes
- Fish sauce: Each brand varies in saltiness and flavor profile. My favorite brand is Red Boat, which is more concentrated than most others, so the nước chấm may look darker than expected as well.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice is the best, but fresh or bottled lemon juice could also work in a pinch. Many restaurants use vinegar because it's affordable and allows the nước chấm to last longer. However, I find vinegar too strong and overpowering.
- If using a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic and/or chili, crush them separately for more control over the amount added into the sauce.
- Storing: Because this recipe contains fresh ingredients, it'll last about 1-2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If the taste becomes overly sour, replace it with a new batch.
- Make Ahead: For a longer shelf life, I recommend making a base version by combining the hot water, sugar, and fish sauce only. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for about 1 month. To serve, add fresh lime juice, garlic, and chili to taste.
Nutrition
Recipe by Jessica (Balance with Jess) | Photography by Sharon Nge
Jessica