Fish sauce is a salty, savoury liquid made from fermented fish, most often anchovies, used across Southeast Asian cooking the way soy sauce is used in China. It smells sharp straight from the bottle but mellows once cooked into a dish, adding a deep savoury base note rather than a fishy flavour.
How to use it
FAQ
Does fish sauce taste fishy in the finished dish?
Not strongly, once cooked or balanced with other flavours it reads as savoury depth rather than fish.
Is there a vegetarian alternative to fish sauce?
Yes, a soy sauce and seaweed-based substitute gets partway there, sold as vegan fish sauce in some shops. See our fish sauce buying guide for brand options.
Shop this
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
- Fish sauce. The savoury base for Southeast Asian dressings and soups.
