Types Of Fish Sauce: A Regional Guide To The Best Fish Sauce Styles

CHIN-SU

Fish sauce is not one uniform condiment. The bottle you choose can change how salty, savory, concentrated, or aromatic a finished dish tastes.

Three factors create many of the differences between types of fish sauce:

Fish or protein source.
Fermentation length and production method.
Region of origin.

This Types of Fish Sauce guide from CHIN-SU compares six regional fish sauce traditions, explains ingredient-based varieties such as anchovy, salmon, lobster, and shrimp, and shows how to choose the right type for cooking, dipping, fermentation, or finishing.

Vietnamese Nước Mắm

Vietnamese fish sauce is called nước mắm.

It is traditionally made from anchovies and sea salt fermented for 6–18 months in wooden barrels or cement vats.

Two important production regions are:

Phú Quốc.
Phan Thiết.

Phú Quốc fish sauce is especially notable because its production carries European Union Protected Designation of Origin status.

What Does °N Mean In Vietnamese Fish Sauce?

Vietnamese fish sauce can be classified using °N, or nitrogen degree.

The measurement reflects nitrogen concentration, which relates to protein concentration and umami depth.

According to the source guide:

20–25°N: Lower grades suitable for cooking.
Around 30°N: Everyday cooking.
Around 40°N: Richer flavor and higher concentration.
60°N and above: Premium dipping and table use.

A high-grade nước mắm typically has a transparent golden-amber appearance.

Thai Nam Pla

Thai fish sauce is called nam pla.

It commonly ferments for 9–12 months and may use a mixture of small ocean fish rather than exclusively anchovies.

Compared with Vietnamese nước mắm, the source describes nam pla as:

Saltier.
Sharper.
Lighter in color.
More brine-forward.

These characteristics work especially well in Thai dishes such as stir-fries and Pad Thai.

When substituting nam pla for Vietnamese fish sauce, the source recommends reducing the amount by approximately 10–15% because of the stronger salinity.

Filipino Patis

Filipino fish sauce is known as patis.

It can be produced from round scad and may also develop as the liquid byproduct of making bagoong.

Patis has an important dual role in Filipino cuisine because it functions as both:

A cooking seasoning.
A table condiment.

Common applications include:

Sinigang.
Arroz caldo.
Steamed fish.
Boiled pork.

Patis is also commonly combined with calamansi to create a salty, citrus-forward dipping sauce.

Korean Aekjeot

Korean fish sauce is known as aekjeot.

Unlike regional fish sauces based mainly on anchovies, aekjeot includes several distinct varieties:

Myeolchi-aekjeot: Anchovy.
Kkanari-aekjeot: Sand lance.
Saeujeot: Shrimp.

Aekjeot is particularly important in kimchi production.

Its concentrated salty and savory character remains present during fermentation with cabbage, garlic, and gochugaru.

Because of its intensity, Korean aekjeot should not automatically replace Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce at a 1:1 ratio.

Italian Colatura Di Alici

Colatura di alici is an Italian fermented anchovy condiment associated with Cetara on the Amalfi Coast.

It differs from many Asian fish sauces because it is commonly used as a finishing condiment rather than primarily as a cooking seasoning.

Typical uses include:

Pasta.
Roasted vegetables.
Seafood.

Traditional colatura is fermented in chestnut-wood barrels and develops a deep amber appearance.

When purchasing it, the source recommends looking for the DOP designation associated with Cetara production.

Ancient Roman Garum

Garum was one of the major fermented fish condiments of the ancient Mediterranean.

It was produced from small fish fermented with salt and herbs such as coriander, dill, and fennel.

Archaeological evidence of garum production has been discovered across the former Roman world.

Modern chefs have revived garum-style fermentation using other protein sources, although these contemporary products are different from traditional Southeast Asian fish sauce.

Garum demonstrates that fermented fish seasoning has deep historical roots outside Asia as well.

Fish Sauce Types Can Also Be Classified By Ingredient

Regional origin is only one way to distinguish fish sauces.

The protein used during fermentation also changes the final aroma, color, sweetness, and umami intensity.

Anchovy Fish Sauce

Anchovy is the standard fish across Vietnamese, Thai, and Italian traditions.

The source characterizes anchovy fish sauce as having:

Strong umami.
Deep amber color.
Long fermentation potential.
Broad cooking and dipping applications.

It is the most common fish sauce type found on store shelves.

Salmon Fish Sauce

Salmon fish sauce has a milder profile than traditional anchovy fish sauce.

According to the source, it provides:

Lighter color.
Softer fermented aroma.
Lower umami intensity.

This can make salmon fish sauce an accessible option for people who find anchovy-based fish sauce too assertive.

Lobster And Shrimp Fish Sauce

Crustacean-based specialty sauces can have a more noticeable sweetness.

They work particularly well for:

Seafood dishes.
Dipping.
Finishing.

CHIN-SU's fish sauce range includes Anchovy, Phú Quốc, Salmon, and Lobster varieties.

What Is The Best Fish Sauce For Vietnamese Food?

Vietnamese anchovy nước mắm is the most relevant choice for Vietnamese dishes because its flavor profile and concentration system developed alongside Vietnamese cooking.

For dishes such as phở and bún bò Huế, the source guide recommends Vietnamese anchovy fish sauce with sufficient concentration to provide depth.

For nước chấm, a premium Phú Quốc fish sauce can work particularly well because the fish sauce is consumed more directly, making aroma, clarity, sweetness, and concentration more noticeable.

What Is The Best Fish Sauce For Thai Food?

Nam pla is the natural choice for Thai dishes.

Its sharper, brine-forward profile works well in:

Pad Thai.
Thai stir-fries.
Other dishes where fish sauce needs to dissolve quickly into the overall seasoning.

Using Vietnamese nước mắm instead can still work, but it produces a rounder flavor profile.

What Is The Best Fish Sauce For Kimchi?

Korean myeolchi-aekjeot is suited to kimchi fermentation.

Its concentration allows the savory character to remain present as the vegetables ferment with garlic, gochugaru, and other seasonings.

Using a milder Southeast Asian fish sauce can produce a different result.

What Is The Best Fish Sauce For Pasta?

Colatura di alici is suited to Italian pasta because it functions as a concentrated finishing condiment.

Rather than cooking it aggressively, colatura is commonly added to finished dishes where its anchovy character remains noticeable.

How To Choose The Right Fish Sauce

The best fish sauce depends on three practical questions.

What Cuisine Are You Cooking?

Match the sauce to the culinary tradition when possible:

Vietnamese food → Nước mắm.
Thai food → Nam pla.
Filipino food → Patis.
Korean fermentation → Aekjeot.
Italian finishing → Colatura di alici.

Are You Cooking Or Dipping?

Cooking integrates fish sauce into other ingredients and softens some differences between varieties.

Dipping exposes the sauce directly, making aroma, concentration, clarity, and sweetness more important.

How Much Salt Can The Dish Handle?

Regional fish sauces vary in salinity.

Add stronger varieties gradually rather than assuming every fish sauce can replace another at equal volume.

Are Different Types Of Fish Sauce Interchangeable?

Different fish sauces can substitute for one another in some recipes, but they are not completely interchangeable.

Vietnamese nước mắm in a Thai recipe creates a rounder result.

Thai nam pla in a Vietnamese dish produces a sharper, saltier profile.

Korean aekjeot can overwhelm a dish when used at the same volume as a milder Southeast Asian sauce.

Matching the sauce to the cuisine and cooking method gives you greater control over the final flavor.

Final Thoughts

The major types of fish sauce differ because of fish species, fermentation period, extraction method, regional tradition, and intended culinary use.

Vietnamese nước mắm emphasizes anchovy depth and °N grading. Thai nam pla delivers sharper salinity. Filipino patis works both as a cooking seasoning and table condiment. Korean aekjeot supports fermentation. Italian colatura di alici functions as a concentrated finishing sauce, while ancient garum connects modern fermented fish condiments to Mediterranean history.

There is therefore no universal best fish sauce for every dish. The best bottle is the one that matches the cuisine, cooking method, desired intensity, and way you plan to serve it.

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