Yum Yum Hibachi Sauce

Hibachi style Yum Yum dipping sauce you can make right at home. Lather on any stir-fry, fried rice, or veggie dish. This sauce is so simple to put together, calls for simple pantry items, and can last a week in the refrigerator. You will fall in love with making your own homemade yum yum sauce.

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If you have ever visited Japanese Hibachi restaurants you will know this popular sauce. It's the one you start with one little cup and before you know it you are on your third refill. Guilty!

It goes by so many different names. Japanese white sauce, Japanese shrimp sauce, yum-yum sauce, orange sauce, or spicy mayo. But let's get one thing straight. Even though this sauce is served in most Japanese Steak houses, this sauce did not originate in Japan and is in fact American-made.

The main ingredient of this sauce is mayo and ketchup with a bunch of spices and a little melted butter. It's a fancy fry sauce. And it really does go great with french fries as well.

With that said, it's still amazing and we cannot make stir-fry, fried rice, or hibachi vegetables without it. Or even use it as a fry sauce or smother it on a burger. The flavors really hold up to lots of different things.

If you keep a well-stocked pantry of spices and simple refrigerator items you can make this creamy yum yum sauce whenever you are craving it. Make it right in your very own kitchen and feel like you are sitting in your local Japanese steakhouse.

It comes together in about 5 minutes and will last a week in the refrigerator.

Serve it over some homemade hibachi rice, hibachi steak or chicken, fresh vegetables, stir fry, seafood dishes, or, potatoes and it will soon become your new favorite sauce. Impress your family and friends by making your own hibachi dinner right at home. They will be asking for extra yum yum sauce.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top Tip
• Yum Yum Sauce

Ingredients

This recipe calls for very simple ingredients and is a great way to finish so many different dishes. You should be able to find everything at your local grocery store

• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Melted Butter
• Sugar
• Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Water
• Optional: Your favorite hot sauce

See the recipe card for measurements.

Instructions

To make this homemade yum yum sauce recipe start out by whisking together the mayo, ketchup, and melted butter in a small bowl. We want to do this first so the butter gets incorporated right away before it gets cold and solidifies. 

Add in sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne.

Mix well until everything is fully combined.

Add in ¼ cup of water and mix well. Add more water until the sauce has reached your desired consistency. If it gets too thin just add in a little more mayo and ketchup.

Want a spicy yum yum sauce? Add in some sriracha or my personal favorite gochujang sauce. While gochujang does add a nice spice it also has a wonderful flavor which compliments what we have already added to the sauce.

Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. Give it a good mix and serve.

Top it on some homemade fried rice or stir fry.

Variations

• Make it Spicy: It already calls for a small amount of cayenne but it really isn't spicy. You can intensify it by adding in a bit more cayenne, chili sauce, siracha, or gochujang sauce. Keep in mind that as it chills it will develop the flavor and get spicier. You can always add the spicy sauces right before serving as well if you don't feel it's spicy enough.
• Dairy-Free: This sauce still holds well without the butter. Feel free to leave it out and it will still taste amazing.
• Kid-Friendly: My kids can even detect the cayenne and say it's too spicy. If I know they will eat it, I will typically leave the cayenne out. Or separate the sauce into two bowls and add the spicy stuff to our version and leave them some without.

Equipment

You do not need much at all to make this sauce. Just a glass bowl and whisk.

• Glass Bowl: I like to use about a 1.5 quart glass bowl. This gives me plenty of room to whisk everything together.
• Whisk: You can also just use a rubber spatula but a wire whisk works the best. I prefer a longer, skinnier whisk.
• Food Processor: This sauce can also be mixed up in a food processor.

Storage

Store the sauce in an airtight container or jar and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week. Give it a good stir right before serving as things can tend to settle.

This sauce does not hold up to freezing well. Mayonnaise is a combination of oil and egg and during the reheating process can become separated. If you feel like you will not use up all the sauce I would recommend cutting everything in half instead of making a full batch.

Top Tip

Chill before serving. This sauce really gets better with time. So if you even have time to make it the day before, I strongly suggest it. When it sits in the refrigerator the flavors just get that much more intense.

Other Sauces to Enhance your Dishes:

Yum yum sauce goes great with fried rice. Learn how to make the best fried rice. Whether on a Blackstone Griddle or in a large pan or wok. Everything you need to know to make hibachi fried rice right at home.

Did you make it? Please let me know in the comments below and leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card. I love hearing from you! Subscribe to join my email list for recipes right to your inbox. We can also connect on social media via Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.