Mom's Nuoc Mam Recipe (Vietnamese Fish Sauce) (2024)

Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce) is a staple in every Vietnamese household. The sweet, savory, umami-rich flavor is the heart and soul of Vietnamese cuisine.

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Nước Mắm Chấm (Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce) is by far the most common condiment in Vietnam. Served as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, seasoning, or sauce over rice and noodles.

Its versatility is unmatched in the condiment world (sorry ketchup lovers). Having this classic recipe in your repertoire is a must if you enjoy Vietnamese food.

Luckily, it's an easy recipe to make with only a few ingredients and zero cook time. Just mix all the ingredients together. Store it in a mason jar and enjoy anytime you're making Vietnamese food.

Nuoc Mam vs Nuoc Cham, What's the Difference?

Nuoc Mam means "fish sauce," the dark amber colored, concentrated, salty fish sauce you find in a bottle.

However, Nuoc Mam also refers to a prepared dipping fish sauce that uses Nuoc Mam as its primary flavoring, diluted with water, sugar and something acidic, such as vinegar or lime juice.

It can be confusing for the word to have double meaning but generally when you're asking for Nuoc Mam, people know which version you're asking for depending on the application.

Nuoc Cham directly translated means "dipping sauce." However, Nuoc Cham could refer to a variety of dipping sauces. Asking for Nuoc Cham would require clarification as to the type of dipping sauce.

So for this recipe, one way we could call it is Nuoc Mam Cham so that we are specifying the type of dipping sauce.

Ways to Use Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce

Vietnamese food is often accompanied with a side of Nuoc Mam Cham. What do you do with it?

BBQ Rice Dishes: A light drizzle over the meat and rice and it instantly turns your steamed or broken rice into something special.

Vietnamese Egg Rolls: Use it as a dipping sauce. Ask the server for your own little dish of Nuoc Mam Cham so you can double dip your egg rolls!

Bun (Vietnamese Cold Rice Noodles): Give a generous drizzle of Nuoc Mam over the entire bowl, mix it well and enjoy.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad: Use it as a dressing for a cool summer salad loaded with fresh aromatics. It is so refreshing!

How To Make Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce

I like to mix the ingredients directly in a small mason jar. Having a lid makes it easy to store in the fridge and also makes mixing a cinch.

Start by combining fish sauce, water, sugar and white vinegar (or lime juice). Mix well (or give the jar a good shake) until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add minced garlic and sliced chilis and give it a quick stir to combine.

The Vietnamese Dipping Sauce is ready to use as soon as the sugar has dissolved, although I find it tastes better when it has a chance to rest. This allows the garlic and chilis to infuse their flavors into the dipping fish sauce. An hour is usually sufficient, but overnight is even better.

If you like it extra spicy, pour out a portion of Nuoc Mam Cham in a small bowl and add extra sliced chilis and/or a spoonful of Sambal Oelek Chili Paste. You will often find a jar of Sambal on each table at Vietnamese restaurants.

Sambal Oelek is an Indonesian chili sauce that is widely used in Asian cuisine. It's got heat with a little bit of tang, which works perfectly in Nuoc Mam Cham.

How Long Can You Store Nuoc Mam Cham?

I like to double or triple this recipe for large gatherings or to always have on hand at my disposal. Nuoc Mam Cham can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for about a month when made with vinegar.

I tend to make this recipe with vinegar for this reason and also because I always have vinegar in my pantry. If you're using lime juice, it'll last about a week in the fridge.

If you would like to extend the shelf life of your Vietnamese Dipping Sauce even further, omit the fresh ingredients like garlic and chilis and add them when you're ready to use it.