Yum Yum Sauce

Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe perfect for dipping. Make your favorite Japanese hibachi restaurant sauce at home in less than 5 minutes. So easy and tastes amazing.

Yum Yum Sauce

This sauce is the perfect combination of sweet with a bit of tang.

Every Japanese hibachi steakhouse restaurant has their own version. You can use this recipe as a base recipe and change the ratios to get your perfect flavor.

I love how many ways you can use Yum Yum Sauce. We wrote a whole list of the ways we use it below.

When our nephew was here working with us this summer the first recipe he asked to learn to make was Yum Yum Sauce. He had been buying store bought sauce all the time and wanted to see if he could make it himself and save money. We ended up making a huge batch that he enjoyed for an entire week.

Yum Yum Sauce is also known as hibachi sauce, yummy sauce, shrimp sauce, or white sauce (even though it isn't white). Japanese Steakhouse Mayo, pink sauce, steakhouse sauce, Japanese vegetable sauce, Japanese seafood sauce, Sakura Sauce, and/or Japanese steakhouse sauce.

Wow! So many names for this epic sauce. While it has many names that can be a bit all over the place the one thing I can tell you is this sauce takes less than 5 minutes to make and works on so many things.

We keep finding more and more things to put this sauce on. It is a weekly recipe on my menu planning since we love it so much. Between this and fry sauce I am stocking the fridge full of epic dipping sauces right now. Especially with the sheer number of air fryer recipes we have been working on.

What's in Yum Yum Sauce?

• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Sugar
• Paprika
• Apple Cider Vinegar or Rice Vinegar
• Garlic Powder
• Water

Ketchup - If you want a less sweet sauce you can use tomato paste and add in a tiny bit of sugar.

Mayonnaise - You can use any mayonnaise including Japanese Mayonnaise which has a slightly richer flavor.

Optional

To add a bit of heat - add hot sauce or cayenne pepper.

For a smokier version - add smoked paprika

For a bit of zing - use sweet chili sauce

For more flavor - add in a splash of mirin or sherry.

Equipment Needed

Large Mixing Bowl - We are big fans of this glass batter bowl that has a handle. It makes it easy to mix ingredients and keeps the mixing bowl steady on the counter.

Whisk

How to make Yum Yum Sauce

Print recipe at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 - Whisk ingredients minus the water together until smooth in a medium  bowl. Slowly add in more water as needed until you reach your desired consistency.

We like to keep it thick so it really coats what we are dipping in it.

Step 2 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour so flavors can meld together. The longer it sits the more the flavors develop.

 

Recipe Tips

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Try to make this ahead of when you need it by at least a day. This will give the flavors the time to really blend together.

We do not suggest freezing this recipe. It will not be the same when it is thawed.

Be prepared that this may not taste the exact same as your local Japanese hibachi  grill restaurant. They will most likely have their own version that is unique to them.

You can add this hibachi sauce to a squeeze bottle if you want to get fancy spreading it over a dish.

What do you put Yum Yum Sauce on?

This sauce is perfect for

• grilled meats
• grilled chicken
• seafood
• vegetables
• fried rice and noodles
• sushi
• potstickers
• smeared on hamburgers
• dipping sauce for wontons
• on baked potatoes
• for dipping French fries
• Vegetable Dip
• In pasta salads
• In potato salads
• with rice balls
• Tempura
• Chicken nuggets
• Spring rolls
• as a salad dressing

Is Yum Yum Sauce Gluten Free?

This recipe should be gluten free but you will want to check the individual ingredients to make sure.

Is Yum Yum Sauce vegan?

Yes, you can use a vegan mayonnaise.

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