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Yum Yum Sauce, the name says it all! This Japanese steak house mayo-based sauce can be made easily at home! 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.

Creamy, smooth tangy Yum Yum Sauce in a small white dish..

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

Yum Yum Sauce is a staple at Japanese Hibachi restaurants and is so delicious! Hibachi is a method of cooking meat, vegetables, and seafood on a high-heat metal cooking plate, and at Japanese restaurants in North America, this sauce is almost always on the table with your meal!

This is so easy and simple that you’ll wonder why you’ve waited so long to try it. You can find this sauce sold at stores, but this is much easier to make from home. Try serving it with some shrimp, drizzling it on this sushi bake, or even dipping your fries in it!

Yum Yum Sauce Ingredients

These ingredients are so simple, but they pack a punch when it comes to flavor! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.

  • Mayo: The mayonnaise acts as a creamy base for the sauce.
  • Rice Vinegar: Adds a zing of deliciousness but is a MUST for yum yum sauce.
  • Tomato Paste: Do not substitute this with ketchup.
  • Paprika: I use sweet paprika in this recipe (NOT smokey)
  • Garlic Powder: The garlic flavor complements the other flavors so well.
  • Sugar: The sugar counteracts the acid in the tomato paste and binds everything together.
  • Butter: I use unsalted butter in this recipe.
  • Salt and Pepper: These enhance all of the flavors in the sauce.
  • Water: The water thins the sauce to the right consistency.

How to Make Yum Yum Sauce

This must-have sauce is so simple to make at home; you won’t have to go to a Japanese steakhouse to get it!

  1. Mix: Whisk all the ingredients except the water together in a small bowl. Then, thin with the water to the desired consistency.
Mixing the ingredients together in a glass bowl with a whisk.

Make it Spicy

This yum yum sauce is so delicious, but you can definitely change it up by cranking up the heat! Try adding in some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make this nice and hot.

Mixed yum yum sauce in a glass bowl with a whisk.

Storing Leftovers

  • In the Refrigerator: This yum yum sauce is best stored 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 the sauce sits before you use it, the better. It gives time for the flavors to meld.
Close-up of hibachi chicken on a plate.

What to Serve with Yum Yum Sauce

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Yum Yum Sauce

4.41 from 22 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
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! 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 32 Tablespoons

Ingredients 

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

Calories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 56mgPotassium: 14mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian American, Japanese
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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