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Yum Yum Sauce, the name says it all, a Japanese steak house mayo based sauce that is amazing. This popular sauce is light, sweet and tangy!
Popular sauces that are made from scratch are so easy and so much better. Think homemade Famous Fry Sauce, Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Cheese Sauce.
Homemade Yum Yum Sauce
Yum Yum Sauce is a staple at Japanese Hibachi restaurants, although it’s not something you’d find handedly in Japan. It’s an North American thing, but oh is it good. Hibachi is a method of cooking meat, vegetables and seafood on a high heat metal cooking plate. This sauce is almost always on the table, with your meal.
This is so easy and simple to make you’ll wonder why you’ve waited so long to try it. You can find Yum Yum Sauce sold at stores, but this is so much easier and so much better!
How to Make Yum Yum Sauce Ingredients
Simple ingredients but big on flavor.
- Mayo: The creamy base
- Rice Vinegar: Adds a zing of deliciousness but is a MUST for that added touch in this Yum Yum Sauce
- Tomato Paste: Do not substitute this with ketchup. Big no no.
- Paprika: There are a range of flavors in paprika stick to the sweet not smoky ones
- Garlic Powder: Flavor enhancer
- Sugar: Counter acts the acid in the tomato paste and binds everything together.
- Butter: May sound weird but it’s a crucial part of the yum yum
- Salt and Pepper: Add to taste
- Water: Thins the sauce to the right consistency.
Make it Yummy!
This must have sauce is so simple to make you won’t have to go to a Japanese Steak house to get it!
- Mix: In a small bowl whisk all the ingredients but the water together. Then thin with the water to desired consistency.
How to Use Yum Yum Sauce
Similar to what many call “Fry Sauce” but different, this sauce can be used in a variety of ways. It’s so versatile, it should be a staple in your fridge for sure.
- As a dipping sauce for shrimp
- Drizzled over fried rice and noodles
- With grilled chicken, meat and seafood
- Slathered on hamburger and hot dog buns
- With French fries and sweet potato fries
- As a dipping sauce for potstickers and wontons
- As a vegetable dip
- With sushi and rice balls
- In pasta salads
- In potato salads
- As a salad dressing
- On baked potatoes
Tips and Storing Sauce
- Variety: This is definitely a great base sauce, if you need to add more or less seasoning to your liking go for it. Add some cayenne, a splash of vinegar or extra pepper. You decide.
- Let it set: The longer the sauce sits before you use it the better, if you can plan to make a day ahead. It gives time for the flavors to meld.
- Store: This is best kept in the fridge for up to 10 days. However this is so easy to make and so good, you can make small batches and make it fresh every time you need it.
Recipes to Have with Yum Yum Sauce
- Garlic Ranch Chicken Skewers
- THE BEST Grilled Shrimp
- Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
- Better than Takeout Chicken Fried Rice
- Crispy Onion Rings
Yum Yum Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
- salt and pepper
- 2-3 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, sugar, butter and salt and pepper.
- Add water as needed to get the desired consistency.
Video
Nutrition
Serves: 32
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
I followed the recipe and eyeball everything lol and I added a lil cayenne pepper and Cajun seasonings just a lil and I must say that this was a hit. The type of mayo makes a difference too… I would not recommend Kraft at all Dukes or McCormick… anyway thanks for this recipe
Make this recipe then add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon mirin. You’re welcome
Thanks for the tip!
All i taste is tomato paste. wasted all my mayonnaise on this
Love the recipe! Tried it out with just 1 tablespoon of water and it was a big hit. I’m curious though, many recipes include onion powder while yours doesn’t – is there a reason for that?
Made it the way it supposed to turn out…doesn’t look right and tastes really weird. Would not recommend again.
No, the yum-yum has egg yolks in it, this recipe is no good.
It may be that I’m Asian and eat yum yum sauce made by someone with culture, but this was anything but yummy. Fo sho tasted like I just swallowed a roll of pennies. Thank you, next.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s very yummy 👍😍
Love this recipe. Didn’t change a thing. Could eat it with a spoon (just saying) We have it with shrimp, it’s the best. Am anxious to put it in my burger. In a salad? why not!
I agree!!
I made it to for pork tenderloin sandwiches, crispy rolls pickled veggies, its excellent. Can see how we can add different spices. This was fine. Thank you!
Delicious!! I love that it doesn’t have as much sodium as the store bought sauce but is still super yummy…. Thank you 😊
what other vinegar could I use
You could try white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
This recipe is delicious! Missing a little bit of spice so I added Korean chili powder and it was perfect! I also fry shrimp in butter, then add this sauce in at the end so it’s hot and it tastes fantastic!
very easy,tasty abd veŕsital
didn’t change a thing.gracias.
This recipe was everything! Leaving it overnight in the fridge for my chicken, rice and broccoli tomorrow 😋. Thanks for sharing!
It is delicious! Gets better after cooled in fridge. Great for plating techniques, art spooning, splatting, dots….
Can you freeze it ?
This sauce is best stored in the refrigerator.
When I was in Japan, this sauce was everywhere, on everything 🙂 Starting on the plane ride there and ending with the plane ride back.
Hi, will unseasoned rice vinegar work? I don’t do sugar.
Yes, that should work too!