Give Any Pasta Sauce A Savory Kick With This Asian Condiment

Your go-to pasta sauce might already be perfect as it is, but what if we told you that you can give it a savory kick with just a little splash of an Asian condiment? Fish sauce is pretty versatile, and there are many delicious ways to use it. It's basically fermented anchovies with salt and water, left to sit there for at least four months. Southeast Asian cuisines tend to use it a lot to give dishes depth and savoriness, sometimes even adding it instead of salt. Its umami-rich quality makes it a secret weapon that's responsible for the complexity of many savory meals. Add it to your pasta sauce and you will have a whole new world of flavor. It pairs perfectly with red sauces like marinara, giving them that bold edge that introduces a memorable quality, along with hints of sweetness. Its salty, robust nature complements the acidity of such sauces, which makes the flavors more pronounced. 

It can also work with light pasta dishes, taking inspiration from how Italians do it. They have colatura, which is an Italian fish sauce that's typically fermented for three years, and it's sometimes used as the star of a spaghetti dish with a few aromatics and a splash of olive oil. It tastes lighter than Asian fish sauce, so go easy if you're swapping it with the Asian condiment. White and buttery pasta dishes that feature anchovy can also benefit from the fish sauce, giving them a briny depth that can be easily spread evenly. You might even want to substitute the anchovy entirely with fish sauce, as the condiment is bold enough to carry the dish. 

The thing about cooking with fish sauce is that a little goes a long way. Accidentally pour too much into your dish and it might end up in an irreversible salty disaster. A teaspoon should be enough, building it up as you taste to make sure you don't go overboard. You want to introduce it to your pasta sauce at the end, as exposure to high heat for long periods can change how you experience the fish sauce. 

Here's a tip you might not hear often: whatever you do, don't try to get a whiff of the fish sauce. It isn't really known for having a pleasant aromatic quality, as you can tell from its name, and some people might be averse to the idea of adding it to dishes because of the sharp fishy smell. But surprisingly, this pungent-smelling condiment can do wonders without contributing a fishy taste. With the right amount (which is usually just a light drizzle), its savoriness and complexity will enhance your pasta sauce exponentially. 

That said, it might be best to keep it away from pasta sauces that are about minimalism and simplicity, like a three-ingredient aglio e olio, cacio e pepe, or garlic butter — unless you want to transform the dish into something else entirely. Finally, while it's not the same, you can opt for soy sauce if you want a vegetarian fish sauce alternative, or even something less pungent. It's still a great umami booster even though it has a different character from the fish sauce.