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Fish sauce

Sauces, pastes & condiments · Soy & fermented sauces

Fish sauce

Thin amber sauce of salted, fermented fish (usually anchovies); the essential salty-savoury seasoning of South-East Asia.

Also called: nam pla, nuoc mam, nước mắm, patis, colatura

77 recipes with it

Photo: Assassas77, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Made by layering small fish, usually anchovies, with salt and leaving them to ferment for months, then drawing off the clear liquid. It smells strongly fishy straight from the bottle but turns into rounded, savoury depth once mixed into food. Italian colatura di alici is a similar anchovy extract.

How it’s used

  • Seasoning Thai curries, soups and stir-fries
  • Base of dipping sauces like nuoc cham and nam pla prik
  • Dressings for green papaya and noodle salads
  • Marinades for grilled meats
  • A few drops to deepen stews and tomato sauces

Characteristics

Taste
Intensely salty with deep umami and a faint sweetness.
Aroma
Pungent and fishy in the bottle; mellows completely in cooking.
Appearance
Clear, thin, amber to reddish-brown liquid.
When cooked
Add towards the end of cooking or in dressings; long boiling can sharpen the smell.
Sold as
liquid, fermented
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Commonly cooked, Usually eaten raw

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Pantry-stable. Keep tightly capped in a cool, dark place; refrigerating after opening slows darkening. Salt crystals at the bottom are normal.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Fish. May contain Crustaceans — check the label.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains fish; some brands also contain shrimp or crustacean. Not suitable for vegetarians.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
35 kcal
Protein
5.06 g
Carbohydrate
3.64 g
Fat
0.01 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
3.64 g

USDA FoodData Central: Sauce, fish, ready-to-serve.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Soy sauce — Use the same amount for salt and umami; flavour is less funky. Add a little crushed anchovy if allowed.
  • Vegan fish sauce (seaweed- or mushroom-based) — Works in dressings and curries; flavour is milder.

Related ingredients

Recipes with fish sauce

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