Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe (2024)

I love healthy, homemade condiments because they add flavor and excitement to familiar dishes.I’ve always loved the yum yum sauce (if you’re not sure what that is, read on!) at our local Japanese hibachi restaurant, but wanted to make my own healthy version at home.

This condiment is well named… it turned out so well we’re now planning our menu around it!

What Is Yum Yum Sauce?

If you’ve ever been to a Japanese steakhouse, you may know that yum yum sauce is the light orange or white sauce that accompanies the meal. It’s also known as seafood sauce, Japanese white sauce, sakura sauce, or Japanese vegetable sauce. It’s delicious, full of healthy fats (if you make with the right ingredients), and really simple to make!

The base is mayonnaise with a few spices and some tomato paste mixed in. I usehomemade mayo when I have it. When I buy mayo, I buy a healthy mayo like Primal Kitchen (see recipe).

How to Use It

I love that I can whisk yum yum sauce together in just a few minutes. You can use it immediately, but if you have the time I highly recommend letting the flavors meld overnight in the fridge.

Yum yum sauce is so versatile you can use it with almost any dish. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

  • Shrimp sauce – Instead of using co*cktail sauce, try serving co*cktail shrimp with yum yum sauce for a slightly different flavor.
  • Salad dressing – Add this sauce to anAsian inspired salad, or a plain tossed salad.
  • Dipping sauce for raw or roasted veggies – Cucumbers, broccoli, carrots, and celery are good choices.
  • In Japanese fried rice – Made with different rice and slightly different seasonings than Chinese fried rice and complements this sauce perfectly. Try this recipe.
  • Dipping sauce for fried foods – We don’t eat a lot of fried foods, but when we do they are homemade (and sometimes “oven-fried”). This sauce is great paired with sweet potato fries,homemade onion rings, orchicken fingers.
  • OnAsian lettuce wraps – I like to add it torice-free sushitoo.

These are just a few suggestions but I’m sure there are many more uses for it!

Variations

I like the simplicity of this recipe, but if you like your foods spicier you can add some hot sauce or cayenne pepper. Some people use ketchup(favorite recipe/healthy brand here) in place of tomato paste for a shortcut and a slightly sweeter and spicier sauce.

Some people prefer a whiter sauce or a redder sauce. If you like the flavor of the whiter sauce, ease up on the tomato paste and paprika. For deeper red, add more.

Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe (1)

Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

Yum yum sauce is a quick and easy sauce for sushi, stir fry, fried cauliflower rice, and lettuce wraps.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Refrigerate 1 day d

Calories 84.93kcal

Author Katie Wells

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings

24

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until combined.

  • Cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld.

  • Enjoy with stir frys, fried cauliflower rice, or other favorite dishes.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 TBSP)

Calories 84.93Calories from Fat 83

% Daily Value*

Fat 9.21g14%

Saturated Fat 1.67g10%

Cholesterol 6.15mg2%

Sodium 80.43mg3%

Potassium 4.87mg0%

Carbohydrates 0.42g0%

Fiber 0.01g0%

Sugar 0.49g1%

Protein 0.14g0%

Vitamin A 46.5IU1%

Vitamin C 0.05mg0%

Calcium 0.93mg0%

Iron 0.03mg0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

I usually use store-bought Primal Kitchen mayo or I make my own.

Want More Healthy Condiment Recipes to Try?

Condiments can take a blah meal and make it truly wow. Here are some of my favorites to try:

  • Chipotle Mayo – My family loves southwest flavors, so I decided to use my homemade mayo and add a bit of chipotle flavor. It’s perfect as a veggies dip or in place of mayo in chicken salad.
  • Sriracha Mayo– With Thai and Vietnamese flavors, this condiment is great alongside an Asian inspired dish, or as a dip or spread.
  • Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing– This recipe is great on salads but can also be used as a dip for veggies, or a marinade for meat. It’s really quick to make if you roast the garlic ahead of time.
  • Roasted Salsa Verde – This simple salsa made with tomatillos, peppers, and lime juice is such a versatile condiment. I’ve been known to eat it for three meals in one day. I love this salsa with omelets or scrambled eggs for breakfast as well as chicken or beef at dinner.
  • Fresh Basil Pesto– This pesto recipe is my favorite way to use up extra basil from the garden. Pesto can be used on spaghetti squash “pasta”, on top of meatloaf or meatballs, or in stir-frys or casseroles (especially Italian themed ones). It’s also a great spread for coconut flour biscuits or grain-free bread.

What is your favorite way to use this sauce?

Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the yum yum sauce made of? ›

Yum Yum Sauce is made of mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, sugar, paprika and water to thin the sauce out. That's it! It's really just a matter of the right ratios of ingredients to get the flavor you want!

What are the ingredients in Yumm sauce? ›

Ingredients: Canola Oil, Water, Almonds, Nutritional Yeast (Dried Yeast, Vitamins [B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, B-9 and B-12]), Garbanzo Beans, Soy Lecithin, Lemon Juice, Ascorbic Acid, Soybeans, Salt, Garlic, Herbs.

Is yum yum sauce just sriracha mayo? ›

Both spicy mayo and yum yum sauce have a mayonnaise base, but spicy mayo packs a lot more heat than yum yum sauce. Most spicy mayo is made with just two ingredients like the one I share here. Yum yum sauce is sweeter and less spicy as it uses ketchup or tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and a little hot sauce.

What is the same as yum yum sauce? ›

Yum Yum Sauce (also known as White Sauce, Sakura Sauce, or Japanese Steakhouse Shrimp Sauce) has been commonly found in Japanese steakhouses for years. More recently, people have started to notice this sauce appearing in sushi restaurants as well.

What is Boom Boom sauce made of? ›

This sauce is made with mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and spices. What does Boom Boom Sauce taste like? Boom boom sauce is a little spicy, a little sweet, and a little tangy. It is the perfect balance of flavors for your favorite savory dishes like burgers, fries, fried shrimp, and much more!

Why is yum yum sauce so good? ›

It's nuanced. It's a delightfully creamy blend that balances the sweet with the salty and the spice. You can use it when you're hosting hibachi night at home, dishing it out to your guests as you throw shrimp tails into their pockets and create an ill-advised onion volcano on your stovetop.

What makes a Yum Yum? ›

If you've not had a yum yum before, it's basically a croissant, deep-fried and then drenched in icing. And the ones you bought from the shops may have been the most delicious things in the world – until now. Thankfully (or dangerously), this particular method is so very easy.

Where is Terry Ho's Yum Yum sauce made? ›

Terry Ho's Yum Yum Sauce is manufactured at a plant in Leesburg, Ga.

What is hibachi sauce made of? ›

Simply combine all the ingredients in a blender: onion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, dark soy sauce, and black pepper. Pulse until it is to your preferred consistency. And that's it!

What does Terry Ho's yum yum sauce taste like? ›

This sauce is seriously addicting. I put it on everything. It's good, but I was expecting more of a creamier product. This is creamy, but tastes kind of like thousand island dressing mixed with milk.

What is the difference between boom boom and yum yum sauce? ›

Yum yum sauce is a mild sauce made from mayo, ketchup and garlic powder. But, Boom Boom sauce has bolder flavors – it's sweeter, spicier, and more garlicky!

What is Yum Yum slang for? ›

(ˈjʌmɪ ) slang. exclamation. 1. Also: yum-yum. an exclamation indicating pleasure or delight, as in anticipation of delicious food.

What does yum yum mean in Chinese? ›

'Yum Yum' in Chinese cooking is less about a specific dish and more about an emotive description of the sensory pleasure derived from consuming a well-prepared meal. It encompasses the gastronomic delight experienced through the exquisite balance of flavors, textures, and aromas that define Chinese cuisine.

Is Yum Yum sauce an American thing? ›

And even though you're accustomed to having it served to you in Asian restaurants, much like sriracha, yum yum sauce aka shrimp sauce is believed to have actually been invented — or at least popularized and mass marketed — in America.

What does Yum Yum taste like? ›

An all-purpose sauce for everyday pleasure, yum yum sauce should taste balanced with savoriness, sweetness and a touch of acid and gosoham, the Korean word often used to describe the nuttiness of sesame oil.

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