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Yum Yum Sauce lives up to the name! This sweet, tangy Japanese steakhouse mayo sauce is easy to make, and you’ll want to put it on everything!
A Reader’s Review
“Delicious!! I love that it doesn’t have as much sodium as the store bought sauce but is still super yummy…. Thank you!”
Why You Need Yum Yum Sauce In Your Life!
- Tried-and-True Ratios! My homemade yum yum sauce recipe has been tested to perfection! I’ve listened, changed up a couple of ratios of the ingredients, and I know you’re gonna LOVE it.
- Game Changer! This sauce is that creamy, tangy, sweet magic you didn’t know you needed. Shrimp, sushi bake, french fries—put it on everything or you’re doing life wrong.
Ingredients Needed
- The Brand of Mayo Matters! Kewpie mayo is the best, but Hellman’s (Best Foods) or Dukes are the next best.
- Make It Spicy! This Yum Yum sauce is delicious as-is, but you can spice it up with cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes!
How to Make Homemade Yum Yum Sauce
This dipping sauce is so easy that you’ll wonder why you’ve waited so long to make it. It will taste better than anything you get at a hibachi restaurant. The exact measurements are in the recipe card below!
- Combine: Whisk together the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill: Add water as needed to get your desired consistency, then cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Alyssa’s Pro-Tip
Resting is Essential! For the best flavor, I recommend letting it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
How to Store Leftovers
- In the Refrigerator: Store this yum yum sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. However, this is so easy to make; you can make small batches and make it fresh every time you need it.
- Make it Ahead of Time: The longer this sauce sits, the better it gets. Letting it rest gives the flavors time to meld and become even more irresistible!
What to Serve with Yum Yum Sauce
Popular sauces that are made from scratch are so easy and so much better. Think homemade Famous Fry Sauce, Alfredo sauce, Tzatziki Sauce, and Homemade Cheese Sauce. Now the real question—what to serve them with? Here are a few of my faves!
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The Ultimate Yum Yum Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise preferably Kewpie brand
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted salted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar , 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon melted salted butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk to combine, then add 2-3 tablespoons water as needed to reach the desired consistency.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
DO NOT MAKE THIS. It’s a literal waste of ingredients
Wasn’t even CLOSE to yum yum sauce
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!
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.
Mayonnaise has egg in it, silly.
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!