What Is Yum Yum Sauce?
Yum yum sauce is a creamy, pale pink-orange sauce made from mayonnaise, ketchup or tomato paste, butter, sugar, and paprika, served as a dip at Japanese-American hibachi steakhouses.
More detail
Despite the name, yum yum sauce isn't a traditional Japanese condiment. It's a hibachi-restaurant invention that developed in the United States, likely evolving out of Benihana-style teppanyaki service in the 1970s and 80s. The base is always mayonnaise, thinned and flavored with a mix of ketchup or tomato paste, melted butter, a little sugar, garlic or onion powder, and paprika for color, sometimes with a splash of rice vinegar, sake, or mirin to loosen it and add tang. The result is smooth, slightly sweet, faintly smoky, and rich enough to coat food without overpowering it. Recipes vary a lot by restaurant, some lean sweeter, some spicier with a dash of cayenne or sriracha, but the mayonnaise-and-ketchup backbone stays consistent.
Where it's used
It shows up as the default dipping sauce for hibachi-grilled chicken, steak, and shrimp, fried rice, and grilled vegetables at teppanyaki restaurants, and it's also become a popular sandwich spread and fry dip in home cooking since it's easy to replicate.
Substitutes
A quick stand-in is mayonnaise mixed with a bit of ketchup and a pinch of garlic powder and paprika, though it won't have the same buttery richness as a proper yum yum sauce.
FAQ
What gives yum yum sauce its pink color?
The color comes from paprika combined with ketchup or tomato paste mixed into the mayonnaise base, not from any food coloring.
Is yum yum sauce the same as shrimp sauce?
They're closely related and often used interchangeably at hibachi restaurants, though shrimp sauce sometimes includes a bit more tomato flavor while yum yum sauce tends to be sweeter and butterier.
Is yum yum sauce spicy?
The classic version is mild and sweet, not spicy, though some restaurants and homemade versions add cayenne pepper or sriracha for heat.
How long does homemade yum yum sauce keep in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, homemade yum yum sauce keeps for about 5 to 7 days since the mayonnaise base is perishable.