This healthy yum yum sauce recipe uses just seven ingredients and takes five minutes to prepare. It’s a lighter, homemade version of the popular Japanese steakhouse sauce—creamy, slightly sweet, and mildly tangy—with an optional hint of heat. Perfect from the pantry and great on fried rice, chicken, pork, seafood, beef, vegetables, burgers, fries, and more.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
“This light orange sauce is the same tasty condiment you see at Japanese steakhouses. It’s super easy to make at home and much healthier (and cheaper) than store-bought or restaurant versions.” 🙂 -Kori
Quick and simple. Combine seven ingredients in a bowl, stir, and your sauce is ready in about five minutes.
Inexpensive and customizable. Store-bought versions can be pricey and often include extra sugar or preservatives. Making it at home lets you control the ingredients and adapt the recipe to your dietary needs.
Healthy and Sugar-Free Options
This homemade Japanese steakhouse sauce can be tailored to many diets:
- Gluten-free, low-carb, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, or sugar-free depending on your choice of mayonnaise and ketchup.
- To make a sugar-free version, use a sugar-free ketchup and a mayonnaise with no added sugar.
- No dairy is required in this recipe.
- Vegan option: use a plant-based mayonnaise (for example, brands labeled vegan) and check your ketchup is vegan.
- Keto option: use a keto-friendly mayonnaise and sugar-free ketchup for a low-carb version.
What Is Yum Yum Sauce?
Yum yum sauce is a creamy, mayonnaise-based condiment with a light orange hue commonly served with hibachi-style meats, vegetables, and rice at Japanese steakhouses. It’s slightly sweet, mildly tangy, and sometimes finished with a touch of spice. It’s also known as Japanese steakhouse sauce, sakura sauce, white sauce, or shrimp sauce.
Yum Yum Sauce Ingredients
These pantry-friendly ingredients make a simple, balanced sauce. See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
- Mayonnaise — choose your preferred type (regular, vegan, or keto-friendly).
- Ketchup — use sugar-free ketchup for a low-sugar or keto-friendly version.
- Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar — either works to add bright acidity.
- Paprika — regular or smoked for a subtle smoky note.
- Garlic powder
- Dry mustard powder
- Cayenne pepper — adds heat; adjust to taste.
How To Make Yum Yum Sauce
Simple steps to make this sauce:
Mix All Ingredients
Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir until smooth and well combined.
Serve and Store
Serve the sauce over chicken, beef, pork, seafood, stir-fried vegetables, or fried rice. It also makes a delicious dipping sauce for fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, or tater tots.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Ways To Use This Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
- As a sauce for grilled or pan-seared chicken, seafood, beef, and pork.
- As a condiment over fried rice, stir-fried vegetables, or hibachi-style sides.
- As a creamy salad dressing.
- On sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs.
- As a dipping sauce for fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, or tater tots.
Easy Variations
- Adjust seasonings to your preference: add more cayenne for heat or a small amount of sugar or sugar substitute if you prefer a sweeter sauce.
- Use smoked paprika for a smoky flavor or regular paprika for a milder profile.
- Swap vinegars (rice or apple cider) depending on what you have available.
Top Tips
- Mayonnaise flavors vary by brand. Taste the sauce after mixing and tweak the vinegar, sweetness, or spices to achieve the balance you prefer.
- Store the sauce in a squeeze bottle for easy use. If it thickens in the fridge, stir in a little water to reach the desired consistency.
Yum Yum Sauce FAQs
Creamy, slightly sweet, and mildly tangy, often with a subtle spice from cayenne or hot sauce. Exact flavor varies slightly by recipe and ingredient brands.
This recipe uses mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper for a quick pantry-friendly version without extra preservatives or added sugars unless you choose them.
Keep it in an airtight container or squeeze bottle in the refrigerator.
Homemade sauce without preservatives will keep up to two weeks refrigerated.
Yes, if you use sugar-free ketchup and a keto-friendly mayonnaise, the sauce can fit a keto or low-carb diet.
📖 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
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and evenly combined.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Kori’s Tips
- Substitutions: For keto, use a keto-friendly mayonnaise and sugar-free ketchup. For vegan, use plant-based mayonnaise and vegan ketchup.
- Adjust seasonings: add more cayenne for spice or a pinch of sugar or sugar substitute for extra sweetness if desired.
- Serving ideas: Use as a sauce on proteins, a condiment over rice or veggies, a salad dressing, or a dip for fries and finger foods.
Nutrition
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