• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Asian Caucasian Food Blog
  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dips and Sauces

    Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

    April 18, 2022 · Published: July 27, 2020 By: Asian Caucasian 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    nuoc cham dipping sauce in a glass bowl and a white bowl

    Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce is a staple at most Vietnamese tables. This flavorful sauce compliments so many Asian dishes, and here I've prepared my own version of this versatile sauce. It's sweet, sour, salty, savory, and spicy!

    nuoc cham dipping sauce in a small white bowl with a white spoon along side

    This "magic sauce" goes so well with seafood, but also with steak, spring rolls, you name it!

    What's in this Vietnamese sauce?

    Simple ingredients bring loads of flavor. Here's what you'll need:

    • extra-virgin olive oil
    • Asian fish sauce
    • lime
    • sambal oelek (red chili paste)
    • fresh cilantro and mint
    • shallots
    • garlic cloves
    • brown sugar
    • Kosher salt

    [*See recipe card for exact quantities.]

    nuoc cham dipping sauce in a clear glass bowl with a whisk

    Vietnamese Nuoc Cham dipping sauce is so colorful and flavorful! You'll want to use this versatile sauce with so many Asian dishes.

    How do you use nuoc cham?

    Serve it up with chicken, spring rolls, dumplings, salads, steaks, noodle dishes... the uses are endless!

    Check out these delicious recipes using nuoc cham

    Grilled Flank Steak Lettuce Cups with Nuoc Cham: These Grilled Flank Steak Lettuce Cups are the perfect lettuce wrapped meal and are a cinch to make. They are incredibly flavorful and oh, so healthy!

    grilled flank steak cups with nuoc cham

    Pan Seared Halibut with Nuoc Cham Slaw: Flaky Pan Seared Halibut is topped with a tangy, spicy slaw with Nuoc Cham dressing for an impressive, healthy dish!

    pan seared halibut on top of a bed of quinoa and topped with a spicy nuoc cham slaw

    Grilled Baby Octopus with Nuoc Cham: Tender Grilled Baby Octopus combined with a Vietnamese Nuoc Cham dipping sauce make this appetizer dish a winner!

    grilled baby octopus on a plate with nuoc cham dipping sauce on the side and chopsticks

    Asian Slaw with Nuoc Cham Dressing: Tangy, sweet and spicy, this Asian Slaw with Nuoc Cham Dressing is perfect as a side dish or on top of any protein like fish, burgers, or chicken!

    Fresh ingredients for Nuoc Cham Slaw

    Recipe notes

    • Most major grocery stores carry sambal oelek in the Asian section. Or you can find it at most Asian markets. You can use Thai chili peppers as a substitute.
    • Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, or freeze it for up to six months.

    Update Notes: This post was originally published on November 19, 2017, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like step by step instructions and tips in July 2020.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce in a bowl with a white spoon

    Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce is a staple at most Vietnamese tables. Easy to prepare, you can whip this up in about 10 minutes! It's sweet, sour, salty, savory, and spicy!

    • Total Time: 10 min
    • Yield: ⅓ cup 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
    • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus juice from 1 lime
    • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (red chili paste)
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
    • ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
    • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
    • Pinch Kosher salt

    Instructions

    1. In a medium glass mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients together and taste for seasoning (ie. more salt).
    2. Serve with your favorite protein, salads, noodle dish, or spring rolls!
    3. Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, or freeze for up to six months.

    Notes

    • Most major grocery stores carry sambal oelek in the Asian section. Or you can find it at most Asian markets. You can use Thai chili peppers as a substitute.
    • Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, or freeze it for up to six months.
    • Author: Asian Caucasian
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Category: Sauces
    • Method: No Cook
    • Cuisine: Vietnamese

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 143
    • Sugar: 2.9 g
    • Sodium: 457.6 mg
    • Fat: 14.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 5.8 g
    • Protein: 0.8 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: Vietnamese, sauce, spicy sauce, dips

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @AsianCaucasianBlog on Instagram and hashtag  #AsianCaucasianEats

     

    More Dips and Sauces

    • A picture collage of pumpkin recipes for a roundup of 20 Delicious Pumpkin Recipes.
      20 Crazy-Delicious Pumpkin Recipes (For Fall and Beyond!)
    • roasted thai butternut squash dip in a gray bowl on top of a gray serving platter with tortilla chips on the side on top of a marble surface
      Roasted Thai Butternut Squash Dip
    • A clear glass bowl of cilantro, mint, basil sauce with a small wooden spoon on the side, and bunch of fresh cilantro and basil leaves, and ginger root, all on top of a white wooden board.
      Cilantro Mint Basil Sauce
    • A woman's hand holding a spoon over a white bowl of homemade miso dressing with a bowl of greens and a blue napkin in the background on a white board.
      Easy Miso Dressing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. KayB

      August 27, 2022 at 10:03 am

      Happened on this recipe in search of Vietnamese dipping sauce. It was incredible! The taste was complex and very satisfying. I made this along with the simple nuoc cham, and this was the favorite by far. It is so full of flavor and complemented the lemongrass chicken over rice sticks. I am definitely excited to try the rest of your recipes. Thank you for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        August 28, 2022 at 2:49 pm

        I am so happy you enjoyed the Nuoc Cham recipe, Kay! I use this sauce on so many things. I was obsessed with this when I was in South Asia and wanted to make sure I posted a recipe on my blog for others to enjoy. Thanks so much for your kind feedback! 🥰

        Reply
    2. Diane Johnson

      July 27, 2020 at 8:36 am

      This sauce sounds amazing! I had nuoc cham on my visit to Vietnam a few years ago and am so excited to make this at home! Thx for the recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        July 27, 2020 at 8:45 am

        You're going to love this sauce! It goes so well with just about every protein. We are in love with this sauce and use it quite often!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Lesli Schwartz.

    Hi, I'm Lesli! Welcome to Asian Caucasian, a healthy-ish food blog born out of a passion for home-cooked, Asian-inspired cuisine. I always cook with market-fresh ingredients and prepare simplistic, healthy Asian recipes so you can throw away those take-out menus! Come share my culinary love of beautiful Asian-fusion food, and get cooking in the kitchen! READ MORE!

    Let's Connect

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Reader Favorites!

    18 Easy Asian Fried Rice Recipes

    Cauliflower fried rice with crab topped with a runny egg in a round dark gray bowl with wooden chopsticks on top on a white wooden board.

    Easy Miso Glazed Salmon

    A filet of broiled miso glazed salmon on top of white rice on a plate with silver chopsticks and blistered green beans and a baking tray with broiled miso glazed salmon filets and a blue napkin on the side.

    Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

    Beef and broccoli stir fry and white rice in a round blue bowl with a pair of wooden chopsticks on top and a wok filled with stir fry, and a small glass bowl with sliced green onions, and a linen napkin on the side, on top of a white wooden board.

    Chinese Garlic Green Beans

    Chinese Garlic Green Beans on a round white plate with a pair of brown chopsticks and green beans in a frying pan on the side with a napkin.

    Sushi Waffles with Salmon and Tuna

    Sushi waffles with salmon and tuna on two round plates with a side of chopsticks on top of a white surface with a napkin on the side.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact Us
    • Work with Us
    • Featured In

    © 2016-2022 Asian Caucasian

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission.
    If you want to share this recipe, please provide a link back to this post for the original recipe.