Homemade Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

Every time we go to our favorite Japanese hibachi steak house I take notes on how they fry up the rice, meat, veggies, etc. They keep the pan HOT, use only soy sauce to season, and cook everything quickly to sear the outside and keep the inside tender. None of that is relevant if you don't have the delicious sauce that they serve with each meal. Also called Japanese white sauce, yum yum sauce is served in a small bowl like ranch salad dressing and is the perfect sauce for dipping or drizzling.

I stumbled across this easy yum yum sauce recipe over a decade ago, and IT. IS. SPOT. ON. And while we miss the show of our chef dicing veggies at a ridiculous speed, stacking onions and lighting them on fire, and the other fun elements of the table show, it is nice to have a more affordable option to enjoy at home.

🥢Why I Like This Recipe

• Basic Ingredients: Chances are, you already have everything needed to make your own copycat Genji or Benihana yum yum sauce recipe at home. It's a mayonnaise-based sauce with delicious flavor add-ins like garlic, butter, paprika, and tomato paste.
• Versatile: Also called Japanese white sauce, this simple yum yum sauce is served in a small bowl like ranch salad dressing. You can use it on your salad, you can dip seafood and sushi into it, and you can also pour it over fried rice and hibachi chicken. That’s our favorite way to enjoy it. In fact, we can’t even eat fried rice without this yummy sauce. It’s addictive, you’ve been warned.
• Easy to Store: Yum yum sauce stores well, so you can make a batch and keep it in the refrigerator for at least a week.

What Others Are Saying

I made this last night to go with shrimp fried rice. It was delicious! I halved the recipe and added a couple of shakes of ground mustard. My husband declared it was "freaking amazing" and something that needed to be made every time we have shrimp or fried rice. ---Amy

My taste buds thank you, and my waistline does not, cause you nailed it!
Yum!!! ---Kari

Thank you Thank you Thank you for making this recipe!!! This sauce is goal in my family! Anytime we have hibachi this is our sauce on everything. This tastes just like in the restaurant. ---Lisa

Tips and Tricks

1. Use mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip. For authentic sauce, make sure to use full-fat mayonnaise, which is distinctly different than Miracle Whip. I have made this with reduced-fat mayonnaise, and it works well, but regular mayonnaise is my first choice.
2. Allow the sauce to rest. While you can use the yum yum sauce right after making it, allowing it a few hours (preferably 6-8 hours) brings out the full flavor of the spices. You won't regret it. This is the same with homemade restaurant ranch dressing and most chip dips. They are better after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
3. Experiment with the spices. If you like heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper! If you want a boost of garlic, add a bit more. I recommend trying it AS IS the first time and then making adjustments the second time you make it.

🥣 Recipe Ingredients

• Mayonnaise: Full-fat mayonnaise is preferred over low-fat.
• Water: just a small amount allows you to thin the sauce to the perfect consistency for drizzling.
• Tomato paste: if you don't have tomato paste on hand you can use ketchup in its place.
• Melted butter: don't leave this out. It's a small amount of butter, but adds rich flavor to the sauce.
• Garlic powder, sugar, and paprika: a delicious trifecta of spices and flavoring. For a spicy kick, add a drop of sriracha sauce or a dash of cayenne pepper.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

👩‍🍳How To Make Yum Yum Sauce

Step 1: Mix ingredients together and refrigerate overnight (at least 6-8 hours).

Step 2: Thin with a tiny bit of water if desired before serving to achieve the desired consistency.

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce FAQs

Simple Pairings

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