Nước Chấm – Vietnamese Dipping Sauce with Fish Sauce

Nước chấm is the dip you get in Vietnam with spring rolls, rice noodles and grilled food. The base is fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and water. As a starting point, use the four ingredients at a ratio of 1:1:1:4. Chopped garlic and bird's eye chili float on top.

By Laura Chen · November 4, 2026

15 Mintotal

6servings

45kcal

VietnameseCuisine ›

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Dissolve the sugar in the warm water first and then add the lime juice and fish sauce. The garlic and chili then stay on the surface and don't sink. For dipping spring rolls, stir a stronger version with 3 parts water. For pouring over rice noodle bowls, use the milder one with 4 to 5 parts. With grated ginger, you make nước mắm gừng for chicken and duck. In southern Vietnam, many cooks replace part of the water with coconut water.

The sauce belongs with Gỏi Cuốn, Chả Giò and Bún Chả. A related dip from Cambodia is under Teuk Trey.

Image: AI-generated.

Nước Chấm – Vietnamese Dipping Sauce with Fish Sauce

Name: Nước Chấm – Vietnamese Dipping Sauce with Fish Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 4 tbsp fish sauce (60 ml); 4 tbsp sugar (50 g); 4 tbsp lime juice (60 ml, from 2 to 3 limes); 240 ml warm water; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 red bird's eye chili, finely chopped

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

10 minutes

Cook time

5 minutes

Calories

Cuisine

Vietnamese

Ingredients

4 tbsp fish sauce (60 ml)
4 tbsp sugar (50 g)
4 tbsp lime juice (60 ml, from 2 to 3 limes)
240 ml warm water
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bird's eye chili, finely chopped

Instructions

Warm the water to about 50 °C. Set aside 1 tsp of the sugar and stir the rest into the water until all the crystals dissolve.
Pour in the lime juice and fish sauce and stir.
Taste the sauce and adjust with sugar, lime juice or fish sauce until salt, sweetness and acidity are in balance.
Pound the garlic and chili in a mortar with the reserved sugar into a coarse paste.
Stir the paste into the sauce. The garlic and chili rise to the top.
Let the sauce sit for 10 minutes and pour it into small dishes.

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