This Yum Yum Sauce Recipe needs only 7 ingredients and 5 minutes! You'll have this delicious healthy copycat Japanese steak, chicken, and shrimp sauce in not time - all with simple common ingredients found in your pantry! Use on fried rice, chicken, pork, seafood, beef, vegetables, burgers, fries, and more.
WATCH: Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
Why You'll Love This Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
"This is the tasty light orange colored sauce you see served at Japanese steakhouse restaurants. You'll be happy to know this is SUPER easy to make and it's much healthier (and cheaper) than the store-bought or restaurant versions." 🙂 -Kori
It's quick and simple. This copycat famous Japanese steakhouse sauce is the perfect condiment or dipping sauce that's ready in five minutes. Simply throw the 7 ingredients in a bowl, then mix it up. I know, right? It's that simple. 😉
Inexpensive. My family loves yum yum sauce (although they call it shrimp sauce or that orange sauce)! I tried a couple of store-bought brands, and they tasted good, but I felt like they were overpriced and that I could make it healthier.
Healthy and Sugar Free Yum Yum Sauce
This homemade japanese steak sauce is so much better for you than the store-bought versions. You can feel good about serving your family!
- Depending upon what type of mayonnaise and ketchup you use, this can easily be made into gluten-free, low carb, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, and sugar free sauce.
- Make Sugar Free Yum Yum Sauce: no added sugar is used in this recipe. Use sugar-free ketchup and double-check that your chosen mayo contains no sugars.
- No dairy is used in this recipe
- Vegan Yum Yum Sauce: use a vegan-friendly mayonnaise such as Just Mayo, Vegenaise, Hellman's Vegan Mayo, and Chosen Foods Mayo. Double-check the ketchup to make sure it is vegan as well.
- Keto Yum Yum Sauce: Use a sugar-free ketchup and a keto-approved mayonnaise such as Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo, Chosen Foods Keto Mayo, Sir Kensington Avocado Oil mayo.
What Is Yum Yum Sauce?
Yum yum sauce is that delicious light orange-colored sauce served with your hibachi-style meats, vegetables, and rice at Japanese steakhouses.
It is mayonnaise-based, creamy, slightly sweet, has a slight tang, and often has a small hint of spicy heat to it. It is also commonly called Japanese steakhouse sauce, sakura sauce, white sauce, or even shrimp sauce.
Yum Yum Sauce Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe:
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Mayonnaise - Use any favorite mayonnaise. Feel free to use any mayonnaise that will work with your dietary requirements (keto, vegan, dairy-free, sugar free, etc)
- Ketchup - Use any favorite ketchup. Be sure to use sugar-free if following a sugar free diet or keto.
- Apple Cider Vinegar or Rice Vinegar - Either one of these kinds of vinegar will work great in this recipe. Use what you have on hand.
- Paprika - Use regular paprika or even smoked paprika to give it a smoky flavor.
- Garlic Powder
- Dry Mustard Powder
- Cayenne Pepper - is used for its spiciness. Reduce or increase to your taste preferences.
How To Make Yum Yum Sauce
Here's how to make this recipe:
For complete instructions, please see the printable recipe card below.
Mix All Ingredients
Add all ingredients to a small bowl.
Stir until blended.
Serve and Store
Serve over your favorite Asian recipe - chicken, beef, pork, seafood, stir fry vegetables, and fried rice. The image below features our Salmon Teriyaki Bowl.
Store in an airtight jar or container in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Ways To Use This Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
- Use it as a sauce on chicken, seafood, beef, and pork.
- Use it as a condiment over fried rice, stir-fried vegetables, or hibachi vegetables.
- Use it as a salad dressing.
- Use it on sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs.
- Serve it over your favorite Asian dishes like Teriyaki Salmon Bowl, Salmon Buddha Bowl Recipe, or Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
- Makes a great dipping sauce! Dip your vegetables, fries, sweet potatoes fries, onion rings, or tater tots in it - my kid's favorite thing!
Yum Yum Sauce Recipe Easy Variations
- Adjust any ingredients to your liking.
- Yum Yum sauce is a little sweet. If you find your sauce not sweet enough (this can happen depending upon the brand of mayo or ketchup you used) then by all means add a small amount (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) of sugar or a granulated sugar substitute until it tastes good to you.
- This sauce is intended to be mild to accommodate most people. If you like your sauce spicy increase the cayenne.
Homemade Yum Yum Sauce Top Tips
- Every mayonnaise brand will impart a different flavor to this recipe. Adjust the vinegar and use a tiny bit of sugar (or sugar substitute) as needed to get that balance of tang and sweetness. If the mayo you use is on the sweet side, then you may need a little extra vinegar. If your mayonnaise is tangy, you might want to add a little sugar or substitute to tone it down.
- Store in a squeeze bottle if desired. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water until desired consistency is reached.
Yum Yum Sauce Recipe Easy FAQs
Yum yum sauce is creamy, slightly sweet, and has a slight tang to it. Some brands and recipes will add a small amount of spicy heat from cayenne or hot sauce. Each brand or recipe will have a slight variation.
The ingredients in this yum yum sauce recipe are mayonnaise, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. This recipe was designed to be quick and easy with ingredients from your pantry.
Other recipes often call for ingredients like tomato paste, sugar, and more vinegar - which is essentially ketchup. We simplified the recipe and used ketchup.
This sauce is creamy because the main ingredient is mayonnaise, or the ingredients to make mayonnaise. Bottle brands use soybean oil, water, corn syrup, egg yolks, and apple cider vinegar - which are the ingredients to make mayonnaise.
Bottled sauces contain additional ingredients such as corn syrup, calcium disodium EDTA, polysorbate 80, sodium benzoate, and potassium sorbate.
Store this sauce in an airtight container or a squeeze bottle in your refrigerator.
Store-bought bottled yum yum sauce can keep for months. Because of perishable ingredients (and no preservatives added), homemade yum yum sauce will keep up to 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container.
Store-bought bottled yum yum sauce is not typically keto due to it's sugar content. This recipe is made keto with sugar free ketchup and a keto-friendly mayonnaise.
If you tried this Yum Yum Sauce, let me know! I'd love for you to come back and give the recipe a star rating and/or a review in the comments! 🙂 Let's stay connected, so please share photos of your creations with me and others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
📖 The recipe.
Homemade Yum Yum Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise use keto or vegan mayo if desired
- 2 tablespoons ketchup use sugar free if desired
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika can also be used)
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Use or store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for later use. Will keep up to 2 weeks.
Video
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- SUBSTITUTIONS: For keto yum yum sauce: use keto-friendly mayonnaise such as avocado oil mayonnaise and sugar-free ketchup. For Vegan yum yum sauce: use vegan mayonnaise and ketchup. Use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar.
- TOP TIPS: Adjust any ingredient to your liking. Want it spicier? Use more cayenne pepper. Don't like spice, use just a pinch. Want it sweeter, use a little sugar or sugar substitute.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Use it as a sauce on chicken, seafood, beef, and pork. Use it as a condiment over rice, stir-fried vegetables, or hibachi vegetables. Use it as a salad dressing. Use it on sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs. Dip your french fries, onion rings, and tater tots in it.
Nutrition
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Margie
Love this Yum Yum sauce so good and you can use it for all your dipping needs, so good!!
seekinggoodeats
Awww thank you!! Super happy you love the yum yum sauce! 🙂