This nước chấm or Vietnamese dipping sauce is a staple component to Vietnamese cuisine. It is made with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic and chili paste for a bright and umami flavor explosion that instantly elevates any meal.
Prepare the ingredients. Mince the garlic and freshly squeeze the lime or lemon juice.
Mix the ingredients together. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, garlic and garlic chili paste until the sugar is dissolved. If you want added heat, add in chopped Thai chilis.
Serve or Store. You can serve this nuoc cham immediately or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Notes
This recipe makes a small batch. You can easily double or triple the recipe for a larger batch for meal prepping.
You can alter this recipe based on your preferences. If you prefer a more tart fish sauce, then you can add more lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time. If you want a less pungent fish sauce then you can add more water 1 tablespoon at a time to taste.
Storage Instructions. You can store this Vietnamese dipping sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.