Use It Up Challenge: Recipes with Fish Sauce

In many parts of mainland Southeast Asia, fish sauce (made from the liquid of, yes, salted fermented fish) is a staple, used for seasoning instead of salt. It gives wonderful depth of flavor—what the Japanese call umami. But unless you're cooking Southeast Asian food every week, a big bottle (it's cheapest in big bottles) can sit in your cupboard unloved and unused for months—which is why we've rounded up our favorite ways to use it. Don't let the first whiff of fish sauce put you off; it's actually a lighter and more subtle seasoning than soy sauce.

Marjorie Meek-Bradley of Ripple relies on fish sauce to bring a new dimension to marinades and vinaigrettes. She finds that this salty pantry staple is especially appealing in crisp salads. "Fish sauce creates this exotic Thai flavor without being overpowering," she says.

"The flavors in our Blistered Snap Peas remind us of ceviche, with the smoky crispness of grill-blistered snap peas replacing seafood. The citrus is refreshingly acidic, while the umami flavor from the fish sauce balances it out, elevating the dish's depth and savoriness in an addictive way," says Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton of Ox Restaurant.

"When I cook at home, I use fish sauce in a lot of Italian food," says Quealy Watson of Hot Joy. "I took Latin for four years and read most of Apicius [a collection of ancient Roman recipes]. After seeing the prevalence of garum, a fermented fish sauce, in ancient Roman cooking, using fish sauce in Italian food just made sense. It's essentially anchovy juice." Look for crispy fried garlic at your local Asian market.

"Mushrooms have their own unique, earthy flavor that's enhanced by the brothy, meaty taste of umami found in the fish, Worcestershire, and soy sauces. The combination stimulates the senses with saltiness, bitterness, sourness, and a surprise touch of sweetness," says Chris Clime of PassionFish.

Since the food at Beaker & Gray combines playful new flavor profiles with ingredients from around the world, Brian Nasajon has the opportunity to pair all kinds of combinations with fish sauce to create fresh, unexpected results. His glass noodles are a Grade-A example. "This dish is very floral and bright, with lots of herbs, vinegars, and chiles; fish sauce brings the undertones and body." In a pinch, substitute Granny Smith apple for papaya, and zucchini for chayote.

"Brussels sprouts are best when caramelized," says Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable. "Tossing the roasted vegetables with rich, salty fish sauce enhances the sweet notes created by the cooking process.

Author Andrea Nguyen and husband Rory O'Brien use fish sauce nearly every day, in traditional Vietnamese and Thai dishes, and as a stealth ingredient in BBQ sauce. "When a Western dish such as chili or boeuf bourguignon needs extra gravitas," Nguyen says, nuoc mam is part of the remedy. Carp is the fish typically used in this traditional Vietnamese soups (known as rieu), but since it is not commonly available at regular markets, Nguyen switched to salmon.

Our grilled pork tenderloin yields enough for three Asian-inspired meals.

The addition of fish sauce makes for a flavor-packed patty in this irresistible sirloin burger.

Fish sauce, brown sugar, fresh ginger and minced garlic create the sticky-sweet glaze for these tasty chicken thighs.

There's nothing we love more than a side of crispy Brussels sprouts, and fish sauce adds a complexity that make these truly crave-worthy.

Fish sauce and lemon juice combine beautifully in this dressing, which will significantly spruce up a traditional Caesar salad.

This super simple recipe is for when you have perfectly ripe avocados—there's no need for tomato or other complications. You just want the avocados' richness to shine against the zip of lime and cilantro, their flavor deepened with fish sauce.

Inspired by the classic Vietnamese dish Cha Ca La Vong, these wraps are a fun way to serve up stir-fry. Swap black cod for tilapia if you prefer a heartier fish.

In just 20 minutes, this meaty dish pops with flavor.

Restaurant chicken satay just can't compete with our lighter and more flavorful version. Light coconut milk, lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, fresh ginger, and curry powder combine for a potent and highly flavorful marinade for the chicken pieces. The real magic is with the almond butter dipping sauce though. It's luxuriously creamy with a kick of garlicky heat from the Sriracha. Munch on cucumber slices to cool of your palate between dips in the sauce. To speed up prep time, add the chicken to the marinade and make the dipping sauce before you leave for work in the morning. You'll only need to skewer the chicken and grill when you get home.

No one can seem to agree on precisely what to call bok choy—you'll also find it labeled as pak choy and bok choi—but most agree it's the garden star of a stir-fry. It's tasty in its many growth stages: from tiny, tender micro-greens to slightly larger, crunchier baby bok choy and beyond.

Ready in just 15 minutes, this quick salad is full of fresh ingredients and bold flavors.

Serve with steamed, quartered baby bok choy and precooked jasmine rice.

Instead of making caramel from scratch, we use brown sugar, which is much quicker.

Fresh, ripe mango adds a refreshing, slightly sweet contrast to the spicy stir-fry. You can also substitute fresh pineapple chunks, if you like.

Crispy grilled chicken and lots of fresh veggies make this soul-warming noodle bowl a weeknight favorite.

A killer savory marinade of shallots, fish sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic, and turmeric permeates the fish and gives it a beautiful golden color. When you sear the fish in a hot-hot pan (go for stainless steel or cast iron here), it gets fantastically browned.

Give your vinaigrette an Asian infusion with a little south-of-the-border kick.

Add this Thai Shrimp Curry to your weekly rotation for a quick and tasty Asian dish the whole family will love. For a vegetarian version, swap in cubes of drained, pressed tofu for shrimp, and soy sauce in place of fish sauce.

If you can't find frozen pureed squash, you can cook this soup with 4 cups cubed butternut squash. Just add 5 extra minutes to the cooking time in step 2.

Boasting big, bold global flavors, these crunchy cakes are a fun alternative to salmon croquettes or crab cakes.

The national dish of Thailand, simple to make and delicious to eat. You'll find many inauthentic versions in the U.S., some that even use ketchup or are otherwise too sweet. There should be some sweetness to the dish, but it should be balanced by tangy, savory flavors.

Substitute Sriracha sauce or another chili paste if you can't find sambal oelek.

A mix of Thai basil and sweet basil makes for a satisfying aromatic salad with no lettuce "filler." Cucumber and shallots offer a bit of crunch. If you can't find Thai basil, use whichever variety you can find. Look for explosively hot Thai chiles at Asian markets, or use serranos.

Little bits of crisped pork belly offer chewy bites in the bowl, but easier-to-find ground pork is delicious, too. If you happen to have some leftover cooked pork shoulder, you can toss that in the soup as well.

This recipe is similar to our Garlic-Buffalo Drumettes but has a sweet-tangy flavor and a little more spice.

Lean and flavorful, this Asian-inspired beef salad is great for any night of the week and comes together in just 40 minutes.

To make this recipe a sustainable choice, buy Pacific white shrimp farmed in fully recirculating systems or inland ponds. For a milder dish, use only 1 teaspoon black pepper.

Filled with bold flavors, this Vietnamese-inspired soup is comforting and easy to make at home.

All of our favorite Asian flavors are here in this delicious bowl. Tender chicken cutlets are given a crunchy topping and served on a bed of savory, sweet, and spicy ingredients.

Serve with long-grain white rice to complete the meal. While the pork stands to allow its flavors to meld, chop the veggies for the ­lettuce cups and get the rice going. For a milder version, seed the serrano chile or simply omit it.

Expect the noodles to clump and stick after they're cooked. To prevent them from sticking too much, put an inverted small bowl in the bottom of the colander for the noodles to drape over.

This colorful chicken and veggie stir-fry features a sweet-spicy sauce and a topping of dry-roasted peanuts, which adds delicious crunch.

Lettuce wraps make for a fresh burst of crunch and flavor, or spoon the stir-fry over rice. Look for fish sauce in your grocery store's Asian foods section.

Vibrant flavors are brought to the plate with this delicious shrimp cake recipe. Serve with a lime wedge for a splash of bright citrus flavor.

Serve with spicy Sriracha sauce or sweet red chili sauce. You can assemble spring rolls and freeze them in advance. Then cook and serve.

Lots of veggies and herbs pack this flavorful salad. It’s quick to prepare and would be delicious with grilled chicken or lamb, if you prefer.

Coconut milk tames the heat and combines deliciously with shredded chicken breast in this spicy soup.

The perfect pairing to a bowl of sticky rice, this savory, garlicky paste gets toasty flavor from roasted eggplant and blackened garlic and peppers. In more traditional versions, you grill ingredients over charcoal for deeper flavor.

In Thailand, the spicy ground beef mixture is called larb. Serve with lime wedges.

Fresh mint and cilantro balance out the spicy red pepper in this Asian-fusion salad.

This dish is a Thai-restaurant standby, but worth making at home, especially if you can put your hands on some excellent shrimp. To avoid mushy noodles, undercook them a bit—they continue to absorb liquid from the sauce during the stir-fry action. Heat lovers will want to lace the bowl with bit of extra Sriracha.

These flavorful meatballs make fantastic appetizers, and they also add a great touch to your weeknight pasta.

Spice up that leftover rotisserie chicken with this fresh and light noodle dish. To ensure the noodles get soft, soak them in the hottest water you can get from your tap. The salad is moderately spicy; reduce the chile paste by 1 teaspoon or omit it for a milder dish.

This refreshing salad gets its flavor from an oil-free, boldly seasoned dressing. Thai basil has a purple hue on its stems and a licorice flavor.

A beautiful and delicious starter, this Asian-influenced noodle dish offers a different interpretation of shrimp on the barbie.

Fresh scallops taste great with citrusy herbs, like the lemongrass, in this recipe. Try serving this as an appetizer to an Asian entrée.

Marinating shrimp in lemongrass and garlic before grilling gives it a zesty, exciting taste. If you're in a pinch, you can substitute 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind for the lemongrass.

Get restaurant-quality cuisine right in your own kitchen with this shrimp recipe that is packed with Thai flavors.

Fresh veggies coated in traditional Vietnamese flavors give this roast beef sandwich crunch. The signature crusty baguette that envelopes the filling offers the perfect contrast in texture.

Get an authentic taste of Asian fried rice with ground fresh chili paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Garnish with lime wedges.

Introduce your taste buds to Vietnamese cuisine with this quick and easy soup. The rich broth, aromatic herbs, and tender steak will leave you wanting more.

Cool, crisp napa cabbage leaves cradle a hot and spicy herbed filling in this quick dish.

Pork cooks quickly in the broiler, making this meal a clear choice for busy weeknight dinners.

Fill crisp lettuce leaves with sliced flank steak topped with a zesty sauce made from lime juice, brown sugar, and minced pepper. Soba noodle salad complements the meaty wraps and brings another texture to the plate.

Try this simple, elegant recipe for date night at home. Scallops cook quickly and are packed with delicious flavor. This dish serves well with wide rice noodles and sugar snap peas.

This elegant seafood dish goes perfectly paired with spinach and scallion rice. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s the perfect mid-week romantic meal for two.

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The star ingredient here is madras curry powder, which delivers more heat and intensity than regular curry powder. It quickly loses its pungency, so store it in an airtight container, and use it within two months.

For less heat, leave the chiles whole when you add them to the wok with the curry powder.

Look for Kaffir lime leaves and galangal—also known as Thai ginger—at ethnic markets and gourmet grocers. If you can't find them, use an extra 1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh lemongrass to flavor the broth. You can use regular ginger in place of galangal.