This homemade Yum Yum Sauce Recipe is a delectable, savory, easy seven-ingredient Japanese Hibachi sauce that comes together in less than five minutes. It is just as tasty as the one you get at those expensive Japanese Hibachi Restaurants but at a fraction of the cost.
I love dipping my pork dumplings, egg rolls, and chicken and broccoli stir fry into this sauce. It is so delicious! You are going to love it! This sauce is best after one to two days, so a little advanced preparation is in order.
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 is particularly fond of 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.
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. You can make it with mayo from your local grocery store if it is unavailable. 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, such as broccoli and zucchini, in it. We also like to dip French fries in it. We use it as a condiment on grilled hamburgers, wraps, sandwiches, and salad dressing.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
- Mayonnaise is preferably Japanese mayo like Kewpie, but I have also made it with Duke’s, which is still delicious.
- Ketchup: organic or sugar-free
- Rice vinegar: apple cider vinegar would be the next closest match
- Mirin: If you have trouble finding mirin, use white wine, dry sherry, or vermouth and a bit of sugar.
- Seasonings: garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne if you like a little heat
Preparation Tips
- To substitute for mirin, mix 1 tablespoon of white wine, dry sherry, or vermouth with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Tomato paste can be substituted for the ketchup, but you may want to include 1-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar to sweeten it a little.
- Add a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper for a little extra kick.
- If the sauce is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of cold water until the desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
- Main meal: sushi, grilled shrimp, steak, grilled chicken, chicken fried rice, and moo shu pork
- Appetizers: fried wontons, crab rangoon, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, gyoza, and onion rings.
- Sides: stir fry vegetables, lo mein, sweet potato fries, and steamed broccoli.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. However, they are so quick and easy to make that you can mix up a fresh batch anytime.
Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
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.
Nutrition
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Barb
This yum yum sauce is a fantastic addition to any meal. I love to put it on so many things and I love this it is free of preservatives. Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Barb!
Julie
I have to send this recipe to my sister, as my nephew’s favorite past time is going to Japanese Hibachi restaurants. I took him for his birthday and he wanted to order the most expensive thing on the menu. This recipe is perfect to save money on him as someone who thinks money grows on trees! LOL Your recipes are so delicious, I’m sure he will love it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for sharing that! It made me smile!
Melinda N
We love this sauce! I like to serve it with prawns or onion rings. My family eats this sauce by the gallon.
Lisa
This yum yum sauce was delicious. It pairs so well with shrimp. It is my new favorite seafood sauce.
Joy
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I love Japanese mayo so will try this out for sure. And great tip that it can be stored for 10 days refrigerated!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Joy! I hope you like it as much as we do!
Kristine
Hurray! I can’t wait to make this. I didn’t realize it was dairy-free. Printed the recipe, too. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Kristine!
Emily
Oh my gosh, this yum yum sauce sounds DIVINE! I’ll be making that for a party I’m hosting this coming Saturday, as it seems like a versatile sauce that would go with a number of different foods, including chips.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Emily! Enjoy!
Luna S
I love this type of sauce, thanks for sharing this! I never thought about making it myself. It is actually pretty similar to how you make Canes sauce at home.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Luna! Enjoy!
Stephanie
I love whipping up a batch of this Yum Yum Japanese sauce! Its delish and great for so many dishes – and, yes, my fav is with shrimp.
Claudia
I made chicken wings last night and used this sauce for them. Yum Yum definitely suits it. It’s so good!
Beth Pierce
I agree, Claudia!
Melissa C
We love this sauce! It is just that good! It is the best with grilled shrimp.
Jupiter
I have not heard of Yum Yum sauce before – I really need to try more Japanese food! This sounds super simple to make, so thank you for sharing.
Candie W
The taste is in the sauce is spot on to the Japanese restaurants. Great recipe that is so worthy trying!
Tondra
This does indeed sound delicious! I love yum yum sauce…will definitely be making this!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tondra! Enjoy!
Michelle L
Can’t wait to try it out, especially since we can’t always hit up our favorite Japanese Steakhouse. Love how simple the ingredients are too!
Suzanna L
Great homemade Yum Yum Sauce recipe! It was absolutely delicious and incredibly easy to make. Now I can make it whenever we cook stir fry! Thank you!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Suzanna! So glad that you liked it!