--- title: "Fish sauce: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Fish sauce is a salty, savory liquid made from fermented anchovies. It seasons Thai and Vietnamese food and adds depth to dressings and stews." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fish-sauce" --- # Fish sauce Fish sauce is a salty, savory liquid made from fermented anchovies. It seasons Thai and Vietnamese food and adds depth to dressings and stews. Also called Nam pla, Nuoc mam, Fisksås. Fish sauce is a thin, amber liquid made by layering [anchovies](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/anchovy) with salt and leaving them to ferment, often for a year or more. The fish breaks down and the liquid is drawn off. It is the main salty seasoning in Thai (_nam pla_) and Vietnamese (_nuoc mam_) cooking, much like soy sauce is in Chinese and Japanese food. ## How to use it * Add it during cooking to curries, soups, stir-fries and braises, a teaspoon or two at a time. It seasons and adds [umami](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/umami) at once. * Mix a dipping sauce: 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons sugar and 4 tablespoons water, with chopped garlic and chili. This is close to Vietnamese _nuoc cham_. * Use a few drops in Western dishes too, such as tomato sauce, meat stews or Caesar dressing. Fish sauce smells strong in the bottle. Cooked or mixed with sugar and acid, the fishy smell fades and leaves a rich savory taste. ## Substitutes * [Soy sauce](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soy-sauce) is the easiest swap. Use the same amount, or a little more, and add a squeeze of lime. The color will be darker and the taste less funky. * Mashed anchovy fillets with a little water, about one fillet per ½ teaspoon of fish sauce. * For a vegan version, mix soy sauce with a little seaweed soaking water or a pinch of salt and lime. ## How to store it An opened bottle keeps for a long time in a cool cupboard, but it darkens and gets stronger over the months. Keeping it in the fridge slows this down. Salt crystals at the bottom of the bottle are harmless. ## Common mistakes * Adding it like salt without tasting. Brands vary a lot in saltiness. Add a little, taste, then add more. * Pouring it into a very hot dry wok, where it scorches and smells harsh. Add it with other liquids. Fish sauce is made from fish, so it is not suitable for anyone with a [fish allergy](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fish-allergy), and it is not vegetarian. Check the label of curry pastes, which often contain it. ## Recipes that use it 48 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Green-Curry-Noodles-9-scaled.jpg)Green Curry Noodleswww.skinnytaste.com · 40 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/green-curry-noodles/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/Thai-Fried-Rice-10-scaled.jpg)Thai Fried Rice Recipewww.skinnytaste.com · 15 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/thai-fried-rice-575-pts/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Thai-Chicken-and-Pineapple-Stir-Fry-14.jpg)Pineapple Chicken Stir Frywww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/thai-chicken-and-pineapple-stir-fry/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Broiled-Tilapia-with-Thai-Coconut-Curry-6.jpg)Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut Curry Saucewww.skinnytaste.com · 25 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/broiled-tilapia-with-thai-coconut-curry/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Shrimp-Pad-Thai-on-the-Lighter-Side-13.jpg)Pad Thaiwww.skinnytaste.com · 25 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/shrimp-pad-thai-on-lighter-side/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Pineapple-Shrimp-Fried-Rice-10.jpg)Pineapple Shrimp Fried Ricewww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/pineapple-shrimp-fried-rice/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Spicy-Shrimp-Fried-Rice-3.jpg)Spicy Shrimp Fried Ricewww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/spicy-shrimp-fried-rice/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Grilled-Chicken-Satay-with-Spicy-Peanut-Sauce-7.jpg)Grilled Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Saucewww.skinnytaste.com · 40 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/grilled-chicken-satay-with-spicy-peanut-sauce/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2025/09/Indonesian-Fried-Rice-7.jpg)Chicken Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)www.onceuponachef.com · 45 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chicken-nasi-goreng-indonesian-fried-rice.html) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Thai-Coconut-Curry-Shrimp-7.jpg)Red Thai Coconut Curry Shrimpwww.skinnytaste.com · 15 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/thai-coconut-curry-shrimp/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2020/01/thai-red-curry-chicken-1-1200x878.jpg)Thai Red Curry Chickenwww.onceuponachef.com · 30 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/thai-red-curry-chicken.html) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2016/03/pad-thai.jpg)Pad Thaiwww.onceuponachef.com · 45 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/pad-thai.html) ## Related terms * [AnchovyAnchovies are small salt-cured fish that melt into sauces and add deep savory flavor without tasting fishy. How to use, swap and store them.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/anchovy) * [UmamiUmami is the savory, meaty taste found in Parmesan, soy sauce, tomatoes, mushrooms and broth. It is one of the five basic tastes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/umami) * [Soy sauceSoy sauce is a salty, savory sauce brewed from soybeans, wheat and salt. Light, dark and tamari explained, plus how to use it, swap it and store it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soy-sauce) * [FermentationFermentation is when yeasts or bacteria break down sugars and change food. It raises bread, sours sauerkraut and yogurt, and makes wine and miso.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fermentation) * [Fish allergyA fish allergy is a reaction to proteins in finned fish such as salmon, cod and tuna. It is separate from shellfish allergy and labeled in the EU and US.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fish-allergy) [More in pantry ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/pantry-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)