This homemade Yum Yum Sauce Recipe is a delectable savory easy seven-ingredient Japanese Hibachi sauce that comes together in less than five minutes. This delicious sauce is just as tasty as the one you get at those expensive Japanese Hibachi Restaurants at a fraction of the cost.
One of our favorite restaurants is a Japanese Steakhouse about twenty minutes from the house. We love the whole experience, from the chef cooking and entertaining us to the delectable fried rice, seafood, crispy cooked vegetables, and tender, juicy chicken. My family has a particular fondness for this addictive, famous Japanese Steakhouse sauce. We love to dip our shrimp and fried rice in this yummy sauce.
We can’t always go to the hibachi grills as much as we would like to. Sometimes, it is the weather, but most of the time; we must be frugal and watch our budget. You can make this delicious recipe right in your kitchen at a fraction of the price of dinner at the Japanese Steakhouse. I love dipping my Sweet Pork Dumplings and Easy Basic Chicken Stir Fry in it! So delicious! You are going to love it! This sauce is best after one to two days, so a little advance preparation is in order.
What is Yum Yum Sauce?
Also known as White Sauce, Sakura Sauce, Seafood Sauce, or pale pink sauce, this dipping sauce is commonly found in Japanese steak houses. It takes about five minutes to prepare, and its main ingredient is Japanese mayonnaise, but if that is not available, you can make it with mayo from your local grocery store. I have had success with the taste of both Hellmann’s and Duke’s mayonnaise. It is so yummy that we enjoy dunking our hibachi vegetables like broccoli and zucchini in it. We also like to dip French fries in it. Use it as a condiment on grilled hamburgers, wraps, sandwiches, and even as a salad dressing.
How do you make this sauce?
As I said, this is a five-minute fry sauce and shrimp sauce recipe. Grab a bowl and whisk together the mayo, ketchup, rice vinegar, mirin, garlic powder, paprika, and water. It takes a few minutes to whisk it all together and get it smooth. Just keep going because it will pull together. Now here is the important part cover and let it sit for a day or two. You can eat it right after you mix it; however, if you want the flavor to really pop, then hold back.
Recipe tips
- As a substitute for mirin, mix 1 tablespoon white wine, dry sherry, or vermouth with 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Tomato paste can be substituted, but you may want to include 1-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar to sweeten it a little.
- Add a couple pinches of cayenne pepper for a little extra kick.
- If the sauce is too thick to your liking, add 1 teaspoon cold water until desired consistency.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
What to eat yum yum sauce with
- Sushi
- Shrimp
- Grilled Chicken
- Wontons
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Onion Rings
- Stir Fry Vegetables
- Sushi and Rice Balls
- Steak
- Stir-Fried Rice
- Fried Potatoes
- Veggies
- Noodles
- Potstickers
More Asian recipes to try
Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
Now you can make your favorite Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse Sauce at home in less than five minutes. Use this mayo-based sauce for dipping stir fry, pot stickers, fried rice, and lo mein dishes.
- Prep Time: 5
- Total Time: 5
- Yield: 1 cup sauce
- Category: sauce
- Method: stir
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise (preferably Japanese mayo like Kewpie)
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons cool water
Instructions
Whisk together mayo, ketchup, rice vinegar, mirin, garlic powder, paprika, and water. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Notes
- As a substitute for mirin, mix 1 tablespoon white wine, dry sherry, or vermouth with 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Tomato paste can be substituted, but you may want to include 1-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar to sweeten it a little.
- Add a couple pinches of cayenne pepper for a little extra kick.
- If the sauce is too thick to your liking, add 1 teaspoon cold water until desired consistency.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Keywords: how to make yum yum sauce, what is yum yum sauce, homemade yum yum sauce, yum yum sauce ingredients
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Frank
This is the best recipe for this sauce. It tastes just like my neighborhood Japanese steak house. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
★★★★★
Jen
This seems so simple! I never thought about making my own sauces before. I usually just get them with takeout but this is perfect for all my homemade fried rice recipes.
Emily
The best sauce for chicken and shrimp fried rice. We loved it. We will make it again and again.
Cathy
This yum-yum sauce is perfect for snacks or for fried dishes. I’ll definitely make this again. So ceamy and delicious.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Cathy! So glad that you liked it.
Jack
Great yum yum sauce recipe. It really tasted delicious with my spring rolls and chapatti. Thanks for sharing.
Natalie
Ouh this was amazing! It is delicious with potstickers and egg rolls. So yummy!
Mary
I have always wondered how to make this. Now I can enjoy it with all of homemade fried rice recipes. Thank you!
Barbie
I absolutely love this yum, yum sauce! My boyfriend has made it a few times, and we use it quite a bit. It is really easy to make and we use it on a lot of different foods
★★★★★
Melanie E
It was very tasty and easy to make. Just as good as the Japanese steak house down the street. Thanks for the recipe, Beth.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Melanie! I am so glad that you liked it.
Melissa
So much better than that bottled stuff from Walmart. I have tried several recipes but I think I like yours best. I will definately make it again.
Ramil
Your detailed recipe and clear instructions were fantastic. It’s great to see how you break down the process step by step, making it accessible even for someone like me who isn’t a professional chef. I served it with your shrimp fried rice recipe and it was the perfect combination of flavors.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ramil. I am glad that you liked it.
Stephanie
I’ve made a very similar sauce at home before when we have chicken fried rice. I’ve never used mirin in mine before, though, so I will have to try that next time!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! Enjoy!
Maureen
Great sauce! We not only use it with our Asian food but we like it with French fries, fried shrimp, hamburgers, and wraps. Thanks for the recipe.
Deb
When I visited Biloxi a gentleman at the Japanese Steakhouse made his homemade and it was delicious. So I decided this was a must try. It was just as delicious and now I can make it anytime I want without having to travel to Biloxi.
★★★★★
Asia
Didn’t have rice vinegar on hand, so I substituted apple cider and it was still delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Btw how long does this last in the fridge before needing to be discarded?
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it! About 5-7 days in an airtight container.
Brad Beverlin
What about bottling it, will it last longer?
Beth Pierce
No. It has all fresh ingredients so it definately has a refrigerator life of at the most 10 days.
Bernadette Walsh
Best recipe out there for yum yum sauce.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Bernadette! So glad that you like it!
Alison
I could put this Yum Yum sauce on everything! So good and easy to make with simple ingredients!
★★★★★
Eden
After whisking all of the ingredients together, I couldn’t help but dip my finger to see the results…I screamed!!! Taste exactly like the shrimp sauce at the hibachi steak house restaurants! I used some that same night, I couldn’t wait 24-hrs then I refrigerated the rest! Lol Thank you soo much!!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you like it. We think it is yummy too!
Rosemary
I never knew just how easy it was to make yum yum sauce. Thanks for spilling the beans with this recipe. I’m so excited to make it. Thanks for sharing it!!
Cathleen
Can you believe that I have never tried yum yum sauce before?? This needs to change because I have heard so many good things about it! Adding it to my to-do list, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
★★★★★
Jacq
This sauce is so good! I have prepared it several times now for a dip for crispy tofu and crispy cauliflower. My kids love the name yum-yum!
★★★★★
Zeke B.
With a name like Yum Yum, how can you go wrong? This seems like a delectable recipe – and I can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
Jamie
I love how I have all the ingredients in my pantry and how simple this sauce is to whip up!
★★★★★
Jill
Yum Yum sauce is the best. So glad to have this recipe so I can make it at home!
★★★★★
Colleen
This sauce was perfect on our chicken for dinner last night and I will be making it again and again. Thank you!
★★★★★
Jac
Made this with vegan mayonnaise and dipped some crispy tofu in the yum yum sauce and it was amazing. I love how easy the sauce is to prepare 🙂
★★★★★
Judy
I wonder how this would work as the sauce for a pizza…….instead of tomato sauce ?
Comments welcome
Alison
This is such a simple sauce to make, and super delicious!! I had no idea it was so easy to make at home!
★★★★★
Kara
I love this sauce. So versatile and good on EVERYTHING!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Kara! So glad that you like it!!
Claudia
Every time we go to the Japanese steakhouse we always wish we knew how to make this and now finding this recipe is a win win cant wait to make it!
★★★★★
Bintu
This is one of my favourite sauces – it is so delicious! I love that it is so easy to put together too!
★★★★★
Megan Lehr
Gosh this is delicious! Perfect for rice bowls!
★★★★★
coral
can we use this as burger sauce????
Beth Pierce
Yes you sure can. It is delicious on burgers!
Katie
Love this sauce! SO flavorful and easy. We use it so often!
★★★★★
Rachel
Loved this! So easy and a really yummy sauce.
★★★★★
Karens
Great! I can only imagine how good it will be once the flavors mingle.
★★★★★
Kelly
I made this and thought it was awesome!! Keeping it cool overnight really helped and we added a little garlic to ours. Easy and yummy!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Kelly! So glad that you liked it!
Chelsea
Made this sauce this afternoon and had it on my burger for dinner it was definitely yum-yum sauce thanks for the recipe
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome Chelsea! So glad that you liked it!
Becky
I made it tonight to go with our Japanese themed dinner. It is delicious. Everyone loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Becky! So glad that you liked it!
Beryl
Thank you for taking time to share this. Folks will pay top dollar for something that takes only everyday simple condiments!
I made some last night based on my taste sensory and pleased to have come dern close. Instead of sugar, I gave it a shot of Asian sesame salad dressing.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Beryl! Thanks for the tip!
Emily
I have made this recipe a few times now, and it is perfect. My husband cooks hibachi meat and vegetables on the outdoor griddle, and we serve with this sauce and a copycat Benihana ginger sauce. It’s like eating at a restaurant.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Emily! You are making me hungry for some good hibachi cooking this morning!
Aurora
Shooting from the roof tops that your recipe is AMAZING!!! I’m very picky in Mayo based recipes because i have Mayo and convince myself that my favorite dips don’t have any in there lol. I looked up a bunch of recipes to find the perfect one. My favorite yum yum is from a place in NC and I’ve yet to find good sauces at my local restaurants. Your recipe called for the most authentic of ingredients I ran out to my local Asian market and grabbed the exact ones. I even made a half serving because I didn’t want to waste if we didn’t like it. OMG! It’s sooooo delicious. I’m so excited for our chicken teriyaki tomorrow with the chilled sauce!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Awesome! Thank Aurora! Chicken Teriyaki and Yum Yum Sauce will be absolutely delicious!
Meagen
My husband LOVES yum yum sauce so naturally we had to find a recipe to make some at home. A big hit in our house so we will be making more soon I’m sure!
★★★★★
Justine
I love yum yum sauce! I didn’t know it was so easy to make, but it is and it tasted JUST like the sauce at our local hibachi grill.
★★★★★
Andrew S
I absolutely love this sauce! I haven’t found an off the shelf bottled sauce that tastes like restaurants make it so i found this recipe and it’s awesome. I don’t have rice vinegar so instead I used regular vinegar with a splash of saki for that rice flavor(I used sake because I had it available, most people won’t have this in their kitchen). I also used about 3 tbsp mirin for a sweeter aftertaste.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Andrew! I love mirin too! I use it in a lot of my recipes.
Jimmy
I made this and thought it was awesome!! Keeping it cool overnight really helped and we added a little garlic to ours. Easy and yummy!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jimmy! So glad that you liked it!!
Bern
I’ve made others and they taste like French dressing….your dressing is awesome…thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Bern! So glad that you found it yummy!!
Alex
Does it have to be refrigerated for 24 hours before using or can you use right away?
Beth Pierce
No you can eat it right away. However it is even better after 24 hours cause the flavors mingle together!!
Sheri
How long will this keep in the refrigerator once it is made?
Beth Pierce
Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Jenn
I love how easy this sauce is to make and it tastes great with everything! Our fav is over shrimp fried rice!
★★★★★
Jessica
Such a great and verstile condiment! I even use it as salad dressing.
★★★★★
Michelle
OMG you’re my hero! The yum yum sauce is the best part of hibachi grills and now I can make it at home!
★★★★★
Dannii
Oh wow, I love this stuff. I really need to make it myself.
★★★★★
Sisley White
I’ve never tried this but I think i have found my next kitchen experiment. This looks so good.
★★★★★
Catherine
Here is a sauce I’ve not had in ages but as the name suggests, it certainly is yummy! This is perfect alongside a lot of different dishes and even drizzled over salad!
★★★★★
Jessica
Such a great recipe. My family begs for it every time we have shrimp or scallops.
★★★★★
Renee Goerger
This sauce is so easy to make and yet packs a powerful punch of YUM!! Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Kushigalu
This sauce is something new to me. Aounds amazingly delicious. Pinned to try this.
★★★★★
Adrianne
Oh yum!! What a super quick recipe. Those shrimp look to die for! I can’t wait tor try this, yum, yum, right? Haha xxxxx
★★★★★
Tracy
My family is ADDICTED to this sauce!! We love this so much!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Tracy! So glad that you like the sauce!!
Bhawana
This sauce looks a perfect dip during parties or any small gathering. Mirin is a new ingredient to me, will search about it more.
★★★★★
Denay
Homemade yum yum sauce is so darn good! It’s way better than the bottled stuff!
★★★★★
Brandi
The recipe is great, however, I’ve always had a little sweeter yum yum sauce. I added 3 tablespoons of mirin and an additional teaspoon of paprika to get the exact flavor of the restaurant yum yum sauce. So good! Thank you for posting this recipe!!
★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips Brandi! Glad that you liked it!
Michael
Add a teaspoon of sesame oil
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip Michael!
T
Love yum-yum sauce. What is the best paprika to use? There are so many different ones.
Beth Pierce
For this recipe just use the standard sweet paprika. It is usually just labeled paprika.
Linnea
Making this for valentines day fondue! Just a question though! How long would this keep do you think? (Assuming i keep my hands off of it lol)
Beth Pierce
I would say up to about 3-4 days. It is delicious! Good luck keeping your hands off of it.
Amanda
I made this vegan by using vegenaise. I air fried some teriyaki tofu with a bag of TJ veg fried rice. Tasted just like hibachi!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Amanda! Glad that you liked it and were able to adapt to your needs and wants!
Alyssa
Tried it last night since Kroger didn’t have any yum yum sauce available and I must say it was almost like the kind that I would get from the Hibachi restaurants here. ??
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Awesome Alyssa! So glad that you liked it! We love it too!
Brittany
Can’t wait to try this! Do you think honey would be an okay substitute for sugar? I’m trying to not use refined sugar right now and don’t have agave or I’d try that.
Beth Pierce
Yes I think that would be fine!
Alyssa
I used honey in mine and it worked fine
J Gordon
I made this last night and served it today with a hibachi style shrimp appetizer. It was a huge hit. How long will it keep in the fridge? I have a lot left! I put in in a sealed squeeze bottle. I hope it keeps for at least a week.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it. If you put it in the fridge pretty quickly after your party it should last up to a week.
Enjoli
Is that the same sauce they put on the salad?
Beth Pierce
Not that is a delicious ginger dressing.
Jason
We have Mokoto ginger dressing at Walmart and Publix in Florida. It’s kept in the cold section near the salad. So sooo good. I can’t wait to try this recipe tho. Looks great
Laura Reese
This sauce is so amazing! It makes every recipe better! Love it.
★★★★★
Suzy
I had no idea how easy this would be to make at home! We always order extra when we go to the restaurants! Love it!
★★★★★
Stephanie
This was fantastic! Forget cocktail sauce, this is my new go-to for shrimp.
★★★★★
Liz Cleland
I always bought store brands. Realizing how easy this was to make and using this recipe I will never buy it pre-made again!
★★★★★
Kristyn
Wow..this really is yum!! We love dips & this has everything we love in it! Can’t wait to make it!!
★★★★★
Sandra
This is such a great recipe! I can’t wait to give it a try!
★★★★★
Catalina
Looks like a must make sauce! I will make for dinner tonight!
★★★★★
Jacque
I was just looking for this sauce at the grocery store the other day, and they didn’t stock it! So glad I can easily make this from home; yum!
★★★★★
Krista
This sauce is exactly as it says – it’s YUM YUM!
★★★★★
Erin
This is seriously making me hungry! YUM!!! I love this delicious version!!!
★★★★★
Kimberly Bullard
My family LOVE “Yum-Yum” sauce, so I would go & buy it from the nearest Kroger! We LOVE it on everything!! From dipping our chicken, shrimp & steak to dipping celery, carrots & french fries!! My daughter LOVES Yum-Yum better than Ranch!! I’m going to try ur recipe & wanted to say “THANK YOU” for letting us know that “Dukes” mayo can be used in this recipe!! Dukes is the ONLY mayo I use (my family loves it as well!!)
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Kimberly! I hope you and your family love it! Dukes really is the best.
Tosha
Good recipe. It wasn’t an exact replica of our local hibachi place’s yum yum sauce but definitely very tasty. I plan to use it on Asian style tacos.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Tosha! I am glad that you enjoyed it
Cookilicious
Its always so interesting to learn about world cuisine. Saving this recipe for future.
Heidy
This looks like a wonderful Yum Yum sauce to use on that juicy shrimp. I am almost considering making my husband stop after work to fetch a few ingredients and make this tonight. If not tomorrow for sure.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it! I need to get my hubby to run more errands!
Pam
Oh my gosh! We love this sauce! I had no idea it was so easy to make! I can’t wait to surprise my husband with it, he is crazy about this sauce!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
That sounds like a great plan! Thanks Pam! Enjoy!!
Emily
This sauce looks amazing! Love to make restaurant quality sauce like this at home!
Anita
Oooo I love this sauce. I never knew it is this easy to prepare at home, and I have all the ingredients to boot! Got to go to the store and grab some shrimps and some dumplings. 😀
★★★★★
Mykki
Oh this is perfect!
I already have all these ingredients in my kitchen, but I really want to try it with Japanese mayo so I’ll definitely add that to my list the next time I hit up the local Asian grocer.
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
That is fabulous! I love it with Japanese mayonnaise!
Erin
I have never tried Yum Yum Sauce but it looks delicious and I can tell why you are totally in love with it. I cannot believe it is so easy to make and some hard-to-find ingredients are replacable by other condiments.
Heather
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this but I can see why they named it that. Looking at the ingredients, it must be good.
Tiffany La Forge-Grau
Oh my gosh, this is my favorite sauce ever. I’ve never made it at home before, I’ll have to give it a swing.
★★★★★
Tracy
One question: Is it “regular” (unseasoned) or seasoned rice vinegar that you use? The recipe looks tasty and I’d love to try it! 🙂
Beth Pierce
Thanks! It is unseasoned rice vinegar. Enjoy!
Linda
I can’t wait to try this! I have one problem, my small town does not carry rice vinegar. What can I use instead of it? Thank you!
Beth Pierce
Apple cider vinegar would be the best substitution!
Porsha
Omg I live for those sauces! They are amazing!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Me too! Thanks Porsha!
Roy
Yum yum sauce looks yummy. I think it will go very well with any snack. Would love if I can get down to making it sometime soon.
emman
I love yum yum sauce as it is a versatile dip. I usually dip shrimps or celery sticks on this sauce. So good!
★★★★★
Kiwi
Wow Yum yum sauce sounds amazing and easy to make. I would love to dip some shrimp in some yum yum sauce.
GiGi Eats
Dare I say… YUM YUM! I totally want to make this and dip shrimp in it, it seems like it would be INSANELY good! 🙂
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! It is insanely good!
Sara
I am so glad I saw this recipe! My family and I just had hibachi and I was wondering what that sauce was called; it is so delicious and I bet yours is even better than the restaurant version!
★★★★★
Stacie
I have always thought Yum Yum sauce was aptly named. That stuff is super tasty. I love to dip everything in it – Asian food or not.
★★★★★
Emilia
OMGG CANT WAIT TO TRY IT,MY FAM WILL LOVE IT!!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Emilia! I hope you enjoy it!
Cathy Urban
I was wondering if you have the recipe for Golden Sauce?
Beth Pierce
Sorry Cathy! I do not.
marny aten
You should be able to find something on the net. I just made some yellow sauce from a recipe i found and my is it ever good. hope this helps.
★★★★★
Seema
Perfect name for a dipping sauce. I see the bottled ones in Japanese stores, but never thought it would be so simple to make.
★★★★★