If you’ve tasted Bún Chả or Nem Rán (fried spring rolls) in Hanoi, you know the secret is the sauce—loaded with shredded carrots and green papaya.
Here’s the authentic Bun Cha Sauce (Nước Chấm Bún Chả), perfect for spring rolls too!
What’s Inside
Nước Chấm: North vs. South
In Vietnam, Nước Chấm just means “dipping sauce”—it doesn’t always have to include fish sauce.
But outside Vietnam, when people hear Nuoc Cham, they usually think of the sweet-and-tangy fish sauce kind. That’s the version I’ll stick with here.
Nuoc Cham is all about balance—sweet, sour, salty, and sometimes a touch of spice.
In the South, it tends to be on the sweeter side, and we almost always add pickled carrots and daikon (Do Chua) for a bit of crunch and a pop of color.
You’ll find Southern Nuoc Cham paired with everything from rice noodle salads like Bun Bo Xao, Bun Cha Gio, and Bun Thit Nuong to Banh Xeo, Banh Khot, or Com Tam.
In the North, it’s a different vibe. Northern Nuoc Cham is lighter, less sweet, and more brothy. Instead of carrots and daikon, they usually go with pickled green papaya or kohlrabi.
It’s what you’ll find on the table with Hanoi classics like Bun Cha or Nem Ran (Northern Vietnamese fried spring rolls).
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(Mắm Tôm)
(Muối Ớt Xanh)
(Nước Mắm Gừng)
Ingredients
Quick Pickle
- Carrots – add crunch and a hint of natural sweetness.
- Kohlrabi (or green papaya or cucumber) – gives a refreshing, crisp texture and balances the flavors.
- A pinch of salt – enhances all the flavors and helps draw out moisture from the veggies.
- Sugar – adds sweetness to balance the tangy and salty notes.
- Rice vinegar – gives that bright, tangy kick that makes the pickle lively.
Dipping Sauce
- Fish sauce – the salty, umami base that gives Nước Chấm its signature flavor.
- Rice vinegar (or lemon/lime juice) – adds a bright, tangy note to balance the saltiness.
- Sugar – sweetens the sauce and rounds out the tang and salt for perfect harmony.
- Minced garlic – gives a punch of aroma and depth to every bite.
- Chili – adds a gentle heat and a little kick.
- A pinch of black pepper – enhances the overall flavor and adds subtle warmth.
Instructions
Step 1: Pickle the Veggies
- Thinly slice carrots and kohlrabi (or green papaya). If you’re using green papaya, soak the slices in salted water for a few minutes to remove the milky sap, then rinse and drain.
- Toss with sugar, salt, and rice vinegar (or lemon/lime juice). Let sit 15 minutes.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
- Mix fish sauce, vinegar/lemon juice, sugar, water, garlic, chili, and black pepper. Add the pickled veggies (without brine) and stir. Your Hanoi-style Nước Chấm is ready!
Tip: A good ratio is 1 part sugar : 1 part fish sauce : 3/4 part vinegar/lemon juice : 5 parts water.
Expert Tips
Veggie swaps: Green papaya isn’t your only option—kohlrabi or cucumber work beautifully too, each adding its own crisp texture.
Control the salt: Fish sauce saltiness varies by brand, and everyone’s taste is different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all ratio.
My trick: start by mixing sugar, lemon (or lime) juice, and water to make a little “lemonade,” then slowly add fish sauce until it tastes just right. This keeps you in full control of the balance.
Garlic & chili: In Vietnam, people love Nuoc Cham with floating garlic and chili—it looks vibrant and boosts flavor. I like to finely mince them, toss with a pinch of sugar, then stir into the sauce for an even, aromatic kick.
Serving ideas: Beyond classics like Bun Cha or spring rolls, it’s amazing with many Hanoi dishes like Pho Ap Chao, Pho Tron or Pho Cuon.
If you’re serving it with Bun Cha, a gentle warm-up just before serving makes it extra inviting.
Pro tip: Want to master your sauce even further? Learn the difference between Nuoc Cham and Nuoc Mam—it makes balancing flavors so much easier.
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Authentic Dipping Sauce for Bun Cha (Hanoi-style)
Equipment
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 2 bowls
Ingredients
- 0.4 pound kohlrabi (200g or 1 bulb)
- 0.2 pound medium-sized carrots (100g)
- 1 tsp salt (for the pickle)
- 2 tbsp sugar (for the pickle)
- 2 tbsp vinegar (for the pickle)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 10 tbsp water
- 1½ tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- minced garlic (to your taste)
- minced chili (to your taste)
- black pepper powder (to your taste)
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the kohlrabi and carrot.
- Toss the vegetables with salt and sugar, then allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, chili, garlic, and black pepper.
- Add the carrot and kohlrabi (without the brine) into the fish sauce bowl. Your dipping sauce is ready.
