Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm Chấm)

Mama always said, “You’re not truly Vietnamese until you know how to make Nuoc Cham.”

What is Nuoc Cham?

Nước Chấm, also known as Nước Mắm Chấm, is an essential and versatile sauce in Vietnamese cuisine.

Made from just a few simple ingredients—fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, chili peppers, and water—this sauce offers the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and salty flavors that completes a variety of Vietnamese dishes.

While you can find pre-made versions in stores, the best Nước Chấm is always made fresh at home.

In fact, no Vietnamese fridge is complete without a jar or two of homemade Nước Chấm.

Nuoc Mam vs. Nuoc Cham

For those new to Vietnamese cooking, these two terms can be confusing, as they’re sometimes used interchangeably. Rest assured, they refer to two different things.

Nước Mắm refers to fish sauce straight from the bottle. It’s strong and potent. While a quick and lazy dipping sauce can be made by using it as is—sometimes with a few sliced red chili peppers—this is different from what we call Nước Mắm Chấm or more simply, Nước Chấm.

Nước Mắm Chấm is the prepared version of fish sauce, where sugar, lime juice, and water are added to mellow out the strong flavor of bottled fish sauce.

What You Will Need to Make Nuoc Cham

To make this popular Vietnamese dipping sauce, gather the following ingredients:

• Fish sauce — The salt of the east. This is the key ingredient in making Nước Chấm. It’s a pungent and savory liquid made from fermented fish that is widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine. My favorite brand is Three Crabs. 
• Sugar — This balances out the saltiness of the fish sauce. I’m using granulated white sugar in the recipe below.
• Lime juice — Lime juice adds a bright, tangy flavor.
• Garlic — Mince the garlic finely by hand and add to the sauce. You can also use a garlic press or mortar and pestle to extract the most flavor. 
• Red chili peppers — Thai red chili peppers add the spicy kick and vibrant red color to the sauce. Remove the seeds if you prefer a milder sauce. Just like the garlic, finely chop the chili peppers by hand or use a mortar and pestle to extract the most flavor. Some restaurant versions leave out the spicy chili peppers in the sauce but provide it on the side. Diners can choose to have it spicy or not and adjust to their liking.
• Water — Water is used to dilute the sauce and balance out the strong flavors. Use hot water so that it can quickly melt the sugar. In addition to water, I like to use coconut soda or any coconut juice. This tweak to the traditional Nước Chấm adds a subtle coconutty sweetness to the sauce that makes it my family favorite.

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce Variations and Substitutions

Every Vietnamese household have their own take on this dipping sauce, using what they have or preferred. Some variations include the following:

• Sweeteners — Instead of granulated sugar, you can substitute with palm sugar. Palm sugar comes in various shapes and sizes. Slice or shave it into smaller pieces so it melts faster into the sauce.
• Acidity — If you have don’t fresh lime juice, substitute with lemon juice or vinegar for the needed acidity. 
• Water — As mentioned earlier, I’m replacing some of the water with coconut soda to make it my own.

How to Make Nuoc Cham?

Step 1: Start by mixing the sugar with hot water so that the sugar fully dissolves.

Step 2: Add fish sauce, lime juice, coconut soda and aromatics last (garlic and chili peppers).

Step 3: Mix well to combine. It’s now ready to serve.

Taste Test and Adjustments

Give it a taste test to see if it hits the right note. You shouldn’t be able to pick out each flavor individually—it should come together as a perfectly balanced medley.

Keep in mind that personal taste preferences can vary, and even the brand of fish sauce or type of sugar can impact the final flavor.

If you prefer a sweeter taste, add a little more sugar. Want it saltier? A dash more fish sauce. Missing something but can’t figure it out? Throw in a splash of lime juice.

Just be careful—you might end up doubling your batch. But hey, that’s all part of the rite of passage when making Nước Chấm.

Tweak the recipe until you find the balance that you like.

I included the specific brands I used below, so you can hopefully avoid too much trial and error.

How to Store Nuoc Cham?

Transfer the dipping sauce to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It’s best used within a month.

If you’re planning to make a large batch or storing it for longer than a month, consider leaving out the garlic and chili peppers until just before serving. This ensures the freshest taste and a more appealing presentation, as the fresh aromatics will float beautifully in the sauce.

Dishes that Use Nuoc Cham

• Cha gio (egg rolls)
• Vermicelli Bowls with Grilled Pork (bun thit nuong)
• Vermicelli Noodles with Grilled Pork Meatballs (Bun Cha Hanoi)
• Goi cuon (spring rolls)
• Banh xeo (Vietnamese crepes)
• Banh cuon (Vietnamese rice rolls)
• Vietnamese mini pancakes (banh khot)
• Grilled meats
• Vietnamese Summer Salad with Banana Blossom (Gỏi Bắp Chuối)
• and many, many more.

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