Yum Yum Sauce

Yum Yum Sauce is the creamy, tangy sauce that’s served at hibachi restaurants and Japanese steakhouses across the country. It’s perfect for drizzling over fried rice, dipping grilled shrimp, or serving alongside vegetables.

This homemade Yum Yum Sauce recipe comes together in minutes with pantry staples like mayonnaise, tomato paste, butter, and seasonings. After one taste, you’ll want to keep a batch in the fridge for easy weeknight dinners, cookouts, and family hibachi nights at home.

Why You’ll Love This Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

Once you see how easy this sauce is to make, it’s bound to become a regular part of your dinner rotation. Here are a few reasons we keep coming back to this recipe.

• Ready in 5 minutes
• Made with pantry staples
• Easy to customize
• Better than bottled sauce
• Perfect for shrimp, chicken, steak, veggies, and rice
• Great for meal prep

What Readers Are Saying

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“I have been using this recipe for a couple of years and enjoy it immensely. It tastes as good if not better than what you get at the Japanese restaurants. Its not as watered down.” – Vickie

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“This was very tasty. It is a good base recipe. I did a tiny batch so I could adjust it for my personal tastes. I used miracle whip instead of mayo and it still tasted just fine. The sauce went great with my hibachi dinner. For me, it did taste similar to what my local hibachi grill makes.” – April

Ingredient Notes

Mayonnaise: This is the foundation of the sauce, so use a good-quality mayonnaise for the best flavor and texture.

Tomato Paste: Adds rich flavor and gives the sauce its signature pink color. It also lets you control the sweetness better than ketchup.

Butter: A little melted butter adds richness and helps give the sauce that restaurant-style flavor.

Smoked Paprika: Along with adding color, smoked paprika brings a subtle smoky flavor that makes this sauce stand out.

Variations

One of the best things about homemade Yum Yum Sauce is how easy it is to customize. Try one of these simple tweaks to make it just the way your family likes it.

• Spicy Yum Yum Sauce – Add 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Taste and add more if you’d like extra heat.
• Ketchup Instead of Tomato Paste – Substitute an equal amount of ketchup for the tomato paste. Because ketchup is already sweetened, start with 1 tablespoon of sugar and add more to taste.
• Thicker Sauce – Use only 2 tablespoons of water for a thicker dipping sauce.
• Thinner Sauce – Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.

How to Make Yum Yum Sauce

STEP ONE: Combine the ingredients. Add all of the ingredients to a medium mixing bowl or food processor. At first, the mixture may look streaky from the tomato paste and melted butter, but don’t worry, it will come together quickly.

STEP TWO: Mix until smooth. Whisk or blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy. The finished sauce should be pale pink in color with no visible streaks of tomato paste remaining.

STEP THREE: Let the flavors meld. Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate. As it chills, the flavors have time to blend together, creating the creamy, tangy flavor that makes Yum Yum Sauce so irresistible.

What Is Yum Yum Sauce?

Yum Yum Sauce is a mayonnaise-based condiment known for its creamy texture, pale pink color, and sweet, tangy flavor. It’s a staple at many hibachi restaurants and Japanese steakhouses, where it’s commonly served with shrimp, chicken, steak, vegetables, and fried rice.

Depending on where you live, you may also hear it called:

• Hibachi sauce
• Shrimp sauce
• White sauce
  Sexy sauce
• Japanese steakhouse sauce

While the exact ingredients vary from restaurant to restaurant, most versions start with mayonnaise and seasonings, along with ingredients like tomato paste, butter, and paprika for flavor and color.

Tips for Success

These simple tips will help you get the best flavor and texture every time.

• Use full-fat mayonnaise: It creates the richest texture and closest restaurant-style flavor.
• Blend for the smoothest texture: A food processor or immersion blender creates an ultra-creamy sauce.
• Taste before adding extra sugar: Especially if you’re using ketchup instead of tomato paste.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Yum Yum Sauce is one of those recipes that actually tastes better after a little time in the refrigerator.

For the best flavor, chill the sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving. If you can make it the night before, even better. An overnight rest allows all of the flavors to meld together.

Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Give it a quick stir before serving if any separation occurs.

FAQ

What Does Yum Yum Sauce Taste Like?

Yum Yum Sauce is creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, and savory with a hint of smokiness from the paprika. While it may look similar to spicy mayo, the flavor is quite different. Spicy mayo gets most of its flavor from mayonnaise and hot sauce, while Yum Yum Sauce has a sweeter, more complex flavor thanks to ingredients like tomato paste, butter, sugar, and seasonings.

Is Yum Yum Sauce Gluten Free?

Most homemade Yum Yum Sauce recipes, including this one, are naturally gluten-free. However, it’s always a good idea to check the labels on your mayonnaise and seasonings if you’re cooking for someone with a gluten sensitivity or allergy.

Does Yum Yum Sauce need to be refrigerated?

Yes. Because it’s mayonnaise-based, Yum Yum Sauce should be stored in the refrigerator.

How Long Can Yum Yum Sauce Be Left Out?

Yum Yum Sauce shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If it has been sitting out longer than that, it’s best to discard it.

What to Eat with Shrimp Sauce

Looking for more ways to enjoy homemade Yum Yum Sauce? Try it as a dip, drizzle, or sandwich spread with these family-favorite recipes.

• Quick Shrimp Stir Fry
• Air Fryer Blooming Onion
• Coconut Shrimp
• Easy Fried Rice
• Skillet Steak Bites
• Grilled Vegetables
• Crab Rangoon

*This post was originally posted on 10/22/2017.