Name: Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Ingredients: 1-1/4 cup mayonnaise (use Japanese mayo, if possible, but your favorite brand will do); 1 tablespoon melted butter; 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (for a spicy version, use vinegary hot sauce); 1 teaspoon tomato paste (or ketchup) (for a spicy version, use sriracha or gochujang for spicier versions ); 1 teaspoon honey; 1 teaspoon cayenne powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 tablespoons water (or as needed for thinning)

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This homemade yum yum sauce is just like the one you'll find in Japanese Hibachi restaurants, made with mayo, rice vinegar, tomato paste, and spices.

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

Do you enjoy a good Japanese hibachi steakhouse? If so, you may have discovered their wonderful pink dipping sauce called "Yum Yum Sauce".

What You'll Love About This Recipe

It's super versatile, great with anything off the grill, all sorts of seafood, sushi, veggies, so much more.
It's so easy to make! Just a bit of whisking and you're ready to go.
I'll show you how you can add some proper zing, just the way we like it!

It's great stuff, a tangy, slightly addictive dipper, great for dipping shrimp or scallops, veggies, even bites of steak fresh off the grill.

Patty likes it on some of her favorite sushi rolls.

It's creamy and tangy with just a hint of spiciness, so I'm bringing the recipe to you. We're talking Homemade Yum Yum Sauce, and it's so much better than store bought hibachi sauce.

Featured Reader Comment

From Rachel: "Finally a Yum Yum sauce that tastes great and not just like mayo! Still mild enough my toddler eats it with no issue. Thank you for the great recipe!"

What is Yum Yum Sauce?

Yum Yum Sauce is a mayonnaise-based sauce popular in Japanese restaurants. It is made primarily with mayonnaise, rice vinegar, ketchup or tomato paste and paprika, along with a few other flavor building ingredients.

It is usually served on the side and popular with steak, seafood, rice or vegetables.

It's a super versatile sauce, used to add flavor to just about anything, especially fresh off the hibachi grill. It is sometimes called sakura sauce.

Yum Yum sauce is incredibly easy to make at home by whisking a few ingredients together, then tasting and adjusting to your preference.

Below is the base recipe, but in the recipe notes & tips section, I'll discuss how you can adjust to make it your own, and how you can make a nice and spicy version.

Let's talk about how to make yum yum sauce, shall we?

Yum Yum Sauce Ingredients

Mayonnaise. Mayo is the base for a good yum yum sauce, so choose your favorite brand. It will affect the final flavor. I personally prefer to use a good Japanese mayo, which is more yolk based. It's quite rich, but worth it. Use 1-1/4 cup mayonnaise for this recipe.
Melted Butter. Butter adds a bit more richness and flavor. I use 1 tablespoon.
Tomato Paste. Many recipes call for tomato paste, and it works great. Ketchup is also very popular. Use 1 teaspoon. However, if you're looking for a spicier version, try the recipe with sriracha or even gochujang. I make mine with 1 tablespoon spicy sriracha and I love it.
Honey. This adds a touch of sweetness. As an alternative, try agave nectar or white sugar. I use 1 teaspoon honey.
The Seasonings. I like mine spicy, so I use 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon paprika, along with 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Adjust to your personal tastes. Smoked paprika adds a nice quality to the sauce. Skip the cayenne for a milder version, or go with a hotter chili powder for a spicier version.
Water. For thinning. I used about 2 tablespoons.
Rice Vinegar. For a spicier version, use a vinegary hot sauce. Apple cider vinegar is good, too, for more tang.

How to Make Yum Yum Sauce

Whisk together mayo, melted butter, tomato paste or sriracha, honey, cayenne powder, paprika, garlic powder and a bit of hot sauce, if desired, in a bowl. You can also use a food processor or blender.

Test for thickness and give it a taste.

Adjust with more tomato paste (or ketchup, sriracha, or gochujang), hot sauce and seasonings to your preference.

For a thinner sauce, add water a tablespoon as a time then whisk to your desired consistency.

Boom! Done! It's so easy, isn't it? Did you even realize how simple yum yum sauce is? Yep. Such an easy recipe.

Easy, but big on flavor. This will make you about 1.5 cups or so.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Use Good Quality Mayonnaise. Use a good Japanese mayo for a superior yum yum sauce, though any mayonnaise will work for this recipe.
Taste, Adjust, Repeat. Not all yum yum sauces are equal. Everyone makes theirs a bit differently. I've seen complaints on other recipes because people didn't adjust to their own preference. If you feel it tastes too much like mayo, add more tomato paste, cayenne and paprika. Try more hot sauce. Need more garlic? Go for it! Onion powder? Sure thing! I like to use extra sriracha in mine. Taste, adjust, repeat! Make it how you like it.
Tomato Paste Alternatives. As mentioned, most base yum yum sauce recipes call for tomato paste, but some good alternatives include sriracha, gochujang, chili-garlic paste, and even ketchup. Try them all.

How to Use Yum Yum Sauce

Yum Yum sauce is a great dipper for anything fried or stir fried, particularly as a fried shrimp sauce.

In the Japanese steak house restaurants, it's served with everything. Dip your steak into it, or smear it onto your steak or other grilled meats.

Mix some into your fried rice for a tangy flavor pop. You can even use it as a salad dressing or as a dip for French fries. Delicious with many Japanese recipes.

Mike dipping shrimp into a bowl of yum yum sauce

Storage

Store yum yum sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will last a week or longer.

I do not recommend freezing because of the mayo content.

That's it, my friends. Yum Yum sauce! Just how you like it. I hope you enjoy it!

Try Some of My Other Popular Sauce Recipes

Tartar Sauce is the classic seafood sauce, which you might enjoy.
If you prefer a homemade aioli, try my Sriracha Aioli or Chipotle Aioli, both with a spicy spin.
Bang Bang Sauce is perfect for shrimp, restaurant famous!
Your French fries are naked without this Fry Sauce.
Aji Amarillo Sauce brings South American flair.
Creamy Sriracha Mayo
Try Cajun Remoulade Sauce, White BBQ Sauce (aka Alabama White Sauce), or Comeback Sauce for a taste of the American south.
Creamy Fish Taco Sauce
Homemade Mumbo Sauce
This Halal white sauce is similar but with a Middle Eastern spin.

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this yummy sauce, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

This homemade yum yum sauce is just like the one you'll find in Japanese Hibachi restaurants, made with mayo, rice vinegar, tomato paste, and spices.

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Course: Main Course, sauce

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Keyword: mayonnaise, sauce, sriracha

Prep Time: 3

Cook Time: 2

Calories: 22kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: tablespoons

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5 from 5 votes

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Ingredients

1-1/4 cup mayonnaise use Japanese mayo, if possible, but your favorite brand will do
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 teaspoons rice vinegar for a spicy version, use vinegary hot sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste (or ketchup) for a spicy version, use sriracha or gochujang for spicier versions
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons water or as needed for thinning

Instructions

Whisk together all of the ingredients except for the water in a small bowl. Test for thickness and give it a taste.
Adjust with more tomato paste (or sriracha or gochujang) and seasonings to your preference.
For a thinner sauce, add water a tablespoon as a time then whisk to your preferred consistency.

Video

Notes

Makes about 1.5 cups (24 tablespoons)

NOTES: Use a good Japanese mayo if possible, but any mayonnaise will work for this recipe. Use your favorite. If you feel it tastes too much like mayo, add more tomato paste, cayenne and paprika to your taste preference. I like to use extra sriracha in mine.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 22kcal Carbohydrates: 1g Protein: 1g Fat: 2g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 2mg Sodium: 21mg Potassium: 8mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 94IU Vitamin C: 1mg Iron: 1mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 2/17/25 to include new information. It was originally published on 1/3/20.