Sep 19, 2022(updated Oct 18, 2023)
4.55 from 64 votes
by Becca Du
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Nuoc cham is the quintessential Vietnamese dipping sauce. It is used in a variety of Vietnamese dishes in many applications. Every family has their own variation of this sauce, and this is my family’s recipe! Included in this recipe are instructions on how to make different variations of this sauce and substitutions for ingredients.
![5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (1) 5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (1)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cooking-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Nem-Nuong-Guon-5.jpg)
If there is 1 thing that I use on a day-to-day basis when making Vietnamese dishes is fish sauce. Fish sauce is a smelly but tasty seasoning that Vietnamese people use in everything. (As a side note, it seems like most Vietnamese ingredients have a common theme: smelly but tasty lol) I remember watching a TV show once with Gordon Ramsey, and he said to a chef, “I’m surprised you’re putting fish sauce in that ground pork.” And the chef said, “If you don’t put fish sauce, then it’s not Vietnamese.” lol One of the most common uses of fish sauce is in Nuoc Cham (pronounced like nook-mam) or better known as Vietnamese dipping sauce.
![5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (2) 5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (2)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cooking-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Nem-Nuong-Guon-4.jpg)
What is nuoc cham and how is it used?
Of all the authentic Vietnamese dips and sauces out there, nuoc cham is probably the most common. It is a sauce that is used for dipping in dishes like cha gio and as a vinaigrette in vermicelli bowls or salads like bun thit nuong. The recipe does not change whether you’re using it for one or the other. As a kid, I would use it for flavoring a lot of different things. Sometimes my mom would just cut up fresh vegetables for me and I would dip them in nuoc cham for some extra flavor. It was one way she tried to get me to eat veggies. Because of its varied uses, we would always have a jar of this stuff in our fridge.
Even with its complex flavor, the sauce is made with a few simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store. Lime juice, garlic, sugar, water, fish sauce, and red garlic sauce. Mix all these together and pour into a jar for safe keeping. The sauce can keep up to a month. Two of my most recent recipes that use nuoc cham –nem nuong spring rolls and banh beo.
Nuoc Cham Video!
What is the difference between nuoc mam and nuoc cham?
There is no difference between them. They are 2 different names for the same sauce. Nuoc cham translates to “dipping sauce” while nuoc mam pha translates to “mixed fish sauce”.
![5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (3) 5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (3)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cooking-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Nem-Nuong-Guon-3.jpg)
![5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (4) 5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (4)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cooking-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Banh-Beo-3.jpg)
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce Variations
Everyone has their own version of this recipe. My aunt Huong (aka Hollywood) has a yummy version of this recipe using white vinegar instead of lime juice. Using white vinegar is common in Vietnamese restaurants because it’s cheaper and easier to make. To make this variation, substitute 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for the lime juice and 1 Thai chili for the red garlic sauce. You can use regular white vinegar or rice wine vinegar.
What kind of fish sauce should you use to make nuoc cham?
I typically use Three Crabs Fish Sauce for my nuoc cham. It is the one I grew up having, and it has amazing flavor. Another fish sauce brand I like is Red Boat Fish Sauce.
![5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (5) 5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (5)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cooking-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Vietnamese-dipping-sauce-scaled.jpg)
![5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (6) 5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (6)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cooking-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Vietnamese-dipping-sauce-2-scaled.jpg)
![5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (7) 5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) - Cooking Therapy (7)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cooking-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Vietnamese-dipping-sauce-3-scaled.jpg)
What can I eat with nuoc cham?
This sauce is a cornerstone of Vietnamese cuisine and can be found in a lot of Vietnamese dishes. It is used as a dipping sauce for Vietnamese spring rolls and com tam, a dressing for vermicelli bowls like bun cha gio, and even Vietnamese salads like goi ga. And Vietnamese families in general use it as an all purpose dipping sauce. For example, I typically use it as a dip for raw vegetables.
How do you store nuoc cham?
Nuoc cham should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.
Did you make this Vietnamese Dipping Sauce?
If you made this Vietnamese staple, I would love to see!
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5-Minute Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)
Becca Du
This easy recipe for traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce combines fish sauce with chili garlic sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Ready within 5 minutes in one bowl.
4.55 from 64 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4 people
Calories 22 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Combine the garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, sugar, and water in a small bowl. Mix well.
Taste some of the sauce to ensure it's seasoned to your liking. If you want it to taste more sour, add more lime juice. If you want it to taste sweeter, add more sugar.
Video
Notes
- How to adjust the flavor of the sauce so it’s right for you. If the sauce tastes too sour, add more sugar. If the sauce is too sweet, add more lime juice. If the fish sauce flavor is too strong, add more water. You can also omit the red garlic sauce if you don’t want a spicy sauce.
- How do you store nuoc cham? Store this sauce in an airtight container for up to a month in the fridge.
- Substitutions
- The chili garlic sauce makes the sauce a little spicy. This can be substituted with Thai red chilis. Keep in mind that Thai chilis are a lot spicier than the chili garlic sauce, so be careful how many you add. You can add as many as you want.
- Some variations of this sauce use white vinegar instead of lime juice. This gives the sauce a different but still yummy flavor. Substitute 1 tbsp of white vinegar for every 2 tbsp of lime juice. But as I mentioned above, add more or less according to how sour you like your sauce.
- Another substitution for lime juice is lemon juice.
Nutrition
Calories: 22kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 739mgPotassium: 26mgSugar: 4gVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
Keyword nuoc cham, Vietnamese dipping sauce
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Comments
Esther says
Thank you for pointing out some handy substitutes in the dish. Often I’ll have a lime but necessarily enough and it’s good to know that white vinegar can be used with not too much of a difference in taste. I also want to try it with lemon juice one time to see the difference in flavor profile!
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Becca Du says
So glad you enjoyed the taste! There’s also another substitute that I didn’t mention, but I know that in Australia (which has a significant Vietnamese population) finger limes are used as a substitute. If you can find any, could be a fun experiment!
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Michèle Frentrop says
This fish sauce recipe is fantastic. I’ve been making it for years and it’d absolutely delicious! I love the Vietnamese cuisine!!!Reply
Becca Du says
Thank you so much! I’m so excited you like it!
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Bob S says
I bought some fish sauce from a really great Vietnamese supplier down in Westminster. It was very different than the kind. I usually buy at the Chinese markets close to home. It’s thicker and darker. You cannot see through it. Is it OK to use this kind of fish sauce?Reply
Becca Du says
Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience with thick fish sauce, so I’m not 100% sure. You could try it and add more water to thin it out and possibly more sugar and lime if the flavor is stronger. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
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Bob S says
Thanks for the reply. Funny, all the fish sauce they had (it was like a Vietnamese Costco on Bolsa Ave) was thick. Seemed more like what you might use for wok fry sauces. Looking forward to trying the curry dish you posted.
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Lizbeth says
Perfect, easy and delicious recipe for Vietnamese dipping sauce. Just back from a trip to Vietnam and have been craving the flavors that were on every table. Served this with fresh shrimp summer rolls.
So good.Reply
Becca Du says
Yumm that sounds amazing. You have me craving some summer rolls now! Thank you so much for trying the recipe 🙂
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Hannah says
Hi! Is the nutrition per the entire batch? Sounds so yummy!
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Becca Du says
The nutrition is for each serving which is about 2-3 tablespoons of the sauce!
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Andrew Waite says
I seriously don’t understand why so many people from Vietnam use cheap Thailand 3 crab sauce when Vietnam produce the absolute best fish sauce that is 100% real, just anchovies and salt the way it is best. Thailand will put anything in it if it comes from the sea, just wrong. And also MSG sugar flavours. If you want to experience the true flavour of fish sauce you need to try the authentic Phu Quoc fish sauce. But not the fish sauce that just say Phu Quoc on the label because most are still from Thailand, they cheat. Please try the real fish sauce, Love you all
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kylie jacobs says
I love making this sauce in many different ways as I feel Nuoc Cham has many variations, using all the ingredients listed I tend to add roasted ground glutinous rice powder and fresh coriander roots for a really authentic Thai style dip. I also roast and ground the chilli, garlic and galanagal for another variation that goes well with grilled rump steak, for my rice rolls I also love adding crunchy peanuts or peanut butter to the sauce .
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Becca Du says
Wow that is so interesting! I am definitely going to try using some Thai ingredients. Thank you for sharing!
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Roberta Thomas says
Loved this sauce!! Light and refreshing. I added cilantro to it for extra freshness. Perfect balance of sweet, savory and spice.
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Becca Du says
Hi Roberta! I’m so excited you loved the sauce! 🙂 Thank you for making it!
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Trixie says
Your response to the person who hosted Vietnamese families was lovely and restrained. If someone tried to school me on the ‘proper’ way to pronounce something from my culture (which UNDOUBTEDLY) has various pronunciations and colloquialisms, I would not be as kind. Peace.Reply
Becca Du says
lol thanks for the kind words!
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Abbie says
Hi Becca,
Do you keep the sauce in the fridge for up to a month? Or store in a cupboard?
Thanks!Reply
Becca says
Hi Abbie. Yes keep it in the fridge!
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Crystal Helton says
Excited to discover this recipe. Delicious and goes with so much.Reply
Melissa says
This Nuoc Cham recipe was so tasty with your Vietnamese Turmeric Fish recipe! The Nuoc Cham had a little bit of heat to it which was lovely with the refreshing mint leaves, lettuce, and rice noodles. I look forward to trying this vietnamese dipping sauce with your spring rolls sometime soon!Reply
Becca says
Thank you so much Melissa!!!
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Lynn says
You state that Nuoc Cham is pronounced like nuoc mam. Actually, nuoc mam is the “fish sauce” that comes in bottles and is made from fermented anchovies (hence the strong odor). Nuoc mam is the main ingredient in Nuoc Cham. Nuoc Cham is pronounced like it is spelled. Beginning in 1979 we had a number of Vietnamese refugees living with us. They taught me to make Nuoc Cham, which I loved, especially when dipping cha gio in it (and no, that is NOT pronounced the way it is spelled!) It’s the Vietnamese name for spring rolls. And Banh Xeo, another favorite. (Also not pronounced as it is spelled.)
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Becca says
Thank you for sharing!
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Clodine Bonar says
My husband and I made this sauce all the time. We were taught how to make Vietnamese egg rolls. But my husband ate it with meat of all kinds. As Americans we value our Vietnamese friends. They have so much to offer, and are truly special.
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Becca says
Hi Clodine. Thank you so much for sharing that!
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LaVonne says
Would Sambal Oelek work for the chili garlic sauce?Reply
Becca says
Yes it should work!
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Gina says
I like your recipe! I adore Vietnamese food – delicious. What are you Netflixing lately?
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Becca says
Thank you so much Gina! I am currently watching Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with David Chang! He’s one of my favorite chefs. Have a great week.
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lila young says
what is the red garlic sauce? Thanks!!
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Becca says
Hi Lila! The red garlic sauce is an ingredient that makes the sauce spicy. I use Huy Fong Foods Chili Garlic Sauce. It has chili, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar, potassium sorbate and sodium bisulfate as preservatives, and xanthan gum. You can find it at Asian grocery stories or even big American grocery chains might have it. If don’t like the sauce spicy, you can also omit it from the recipe. The sauce will still taste good! Let me know if you have any other questions!
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ROSANNE MORRIS says
3 tsp of sugar is 1 Tablespoon!
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Becca says
Thank you for the feedback! I have adjusted the recipe.
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