This Trader Joe’s Fish Sauce Recipe is a tangy and savory-sweet recipe, which is made with fish sauce and fresh lime juice. It’s a classic dipping sauce, ready in about 5 minutes.
Jump to RecipeTrader Joe’s Fish Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- 6 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1.5 tbsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
Optional Ingredients:
- 1/2 clove minced garlic
- 1/2 minced bird’s eye or Thai chile
How To Make Trader Joe’s Fish Sauce Recipe
- Dissolve the Sugar: In a small bowl, combine the water and sugar. Stir vigorously until the sugar is completely dissolved. For easier dissolving, you can use warm water.
- Add Acidity: Stir in the fresh lime or lemon juice. The mixture should taste similar to a balanced limeade at this point.
- Add Savory Flavor: Add the fish sauce in small increments, tasting as you go, until you reach your desired flavor. It should be a little strong, as it will be paired with unseasoned foods.
- Garnish and Serve: If using, top with the minced garlic and minced chile, then serve.
Recipe Tips
- How to easily dissolve the sugar? As the recipe suggests, using warm water (or gently heating a portion of the water with the sugar) will help the sugar dissolve much faster and more completely than using cold water.
- How to balance the flavors? This sauce is all about balance. The key is to add the lime juice and fish sauce incrementally, tasting after each addition. Adjust the sweet, sour, and salty elements until it tastes perfect to you.
- Can I make this sauce spicier? Yes, the recipe calls for an optional bird’s eye or Thai chile. For more heat, leave the seeds in the chile. For a milder spice, remove them before mincing.
- What is fish sauce? Fish sauce (Nước Mắm in Vietnamese) is a staple liquid condiment in Southeast Asian cuisine, made from fish that have been fermented with salt. It adds a deep, savory, umami flavor to dishes.
What To Serve With This Fish Sauce
This is the classic Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nước Chấm) and is incredibly versatile. It’s traditionally served with:
- Vietnamese fried spring rolls (Chả Giò)
- Fresh summer rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)
- Vermicelli noodle bowls (Bún Thịt Nướng)
- Vietnamese savory crepes (Bánh Xèo)
- Grilled pork or chicken
How To Store Fish Sauce
- Refrigerate: Store the prepared dipping sauce in an airtight container or glass jar in the refrigerator. Without the fresh garlic or chili, it can last for a month. With the fresh additions, it’s best consumed within a week.
Trader Joe’s Fish Sauce Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 43 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Protein: 1g
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Sodium: 775mg
- Sugar: 10g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
No, they are very different. Fish sauce is thin, watery, and salty-savory. Oyster sauce is a thick, dark, and sweet-savory sauce made from oyster extracts.
Freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice is strongly recommended for this recipe, as it provides a much brighter and more authentic flavor than the bottled variety.
On its own, Nước Chấm is meant to have a potent flavor. Its purpose is to season and balance other, milder components of a dish, like plain rice noodles, fresh lettuce, and herbs. When eaten with these items, the flavors will be perfectly balanced.
Try More Recipes:
- Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Apple Sauce Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Peri-Peri Sauce Recipe
Trader Joe’s Fish Sauce Recipe
Course: SauceCuisine: VietnameseDifficulty: Easy6
servings5
minutes43
kcalA classic Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nước Chấm) with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
Ingredients
6 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
1.5 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
Optional: 1/2 clove minced garlic, 1/2 minced Thai chile
Directions
- Dissolve sugar completely in the water in a small bowl.
- Stir in the fresh lime juice.
- Add the fish sauce gradually, tasting until the desired balance is reached.
- Top with optional minced garlic and chili before serving.
Notes
- The key to this sauce is tasting and adjusting the core flavors (sweet, sour, salty) to your personal preference.
- For best results, use a high-quality brand of fish sauce.
- The sauce can be made in a larger batch and stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for several weeks (without the fresh garlic/chili).
- This sauce is the heart of many Vietnamese dishes, so it’s a great recipe to master.
