This Yum Yum Sauce recipe is smooth, sweet, and easy to make. It only takes a few minutes and then you can enjoy it on your favorite steak, seafood, or fried rice dishes.
If you like Asian-inspired dishes, you should try our hibachi fried rice, and shrimp tempura with this tasty tempura dipping sauce.

Table Of Contents
What is Yum Yum sauce?
Yum Yum Sauce is a pale pink dipping sauce that is often found in Japanese steakhouses. But its popularity spread and now you can find it on everything from vegetables to sushi to salads. It’s a mixture of sweet, savory, and rich thanks to the uniquely flavored ingredients. This sauce is thick, but you could also thin it out, depending on what you’ll be using it for. With such a distinctive flavor, this sauce goes well on many meat and vegetable dishes.
What you’ll need
To make this sauce, you’ll use Mayonnaise, Unsalted butter (melted), Tomato paste, Sugar, Garlic powder, Paprika, Water, and Salt.
How to Make Yum Yum Sauce
- Combine the ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add the mayonnaise, butter, tomato paste, sugar, garlic powder, paprika, and water. Mix well with a whisk.
- Salt to taste. Add a little salt to taste and whisk it again. If the salt level is where you want it, serve with your favorite meats, rice, and vegetables.
Variations to this sauce
- Make it thinner or thicker. Depending on whether this will be used as a dipping sauce for steak, a drizzle over a sushi roll, or tossed in a salad, you can add more or less water to change the consistency.
- Try it smoky. For a different flavor, use smoked paprika to give it a smokier taste.
- Go spicy. A dash of Sriracha will add some spice if that’s what you’re looking for.
What to Serve Yum Yum Sauce with
Yum Yum Sauce is very versatile because its sweet and savory flavors can match those in other main dishes. Here are some serving suggestions for this sauce:
- Fried rice- This is delicious on top of any rice, but especially fried rice,. Try it with this Hibachi Fried Rice or Pork Fried Rice.
- Shrimp- This is the perfect foil for this incredibly flavorful sauce. Serve Yum Yum sauce with Crispy Shrimp Tempura, Air Fryer Shrimp, or Blackened Cajun Shrimp.
- Chicken- Make a chicken plate, sandwich, or salad with this sauce for a delicious dinner or lunch. Try Baked Breaded Chicken Cutlets, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (VIDEO), or Asian Chicken Salad.
- Vegetables- This is a great dipping sauce for veggies, like Roasted Air Fryer Vegetables, Garlic Asparagus, or Crispy Air Fryer French Fries.
- Steak- This is so good with steak! Serve Yum Yum Sauce with these Garlic Herb Steak Bites, a Cast Iron Ribeye Steak, or with Flank Steak Tacos.
How to Store this sauce
This Yum Yum Sauce will need to be refrigerated to stay fresh. Place it in an airtight container and it will last for 5-7 days.
More Asian-inspired dishes to try!
- 30-Minute Shrimp Chow Mein
- Shrimp Tempura Udon Soup
- The BEST Mochi Donuts Recipe (VIDEO)
- Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe
- Crispy Shrimp Tempura Recipe
- Pan Fried Cod
Full Recipe Instructions
Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 2 tablespoons water.
- After everything is well combined, add a little salt to taste. Give it another whisk and then add more salt if needed.
- Serve with fried rice, shrimp, or chicken.
Notes
- Fried rice- This is delicious on top of any rice, but especially fried rice,. Try it with this Hibachi Fried Rice or Pork Fried Rice.
- Shrimp- This is the perfect foil for this incredibly flavorful sauce. Serve Yum Yum sauce with Crispy Shrimp Tempura, Air Fryer Shrimp, or Blackened Cajun Shrimp.
- Chicken- Make a chicken plate, sandwich, or salad with this sauce for a delicious dinner or lunch. Try Baked Breaded Chicken Cutlets, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (VIDEO), or Asian Chicken Salad.
- Vegetables- This is a great dipping sauce for veggies, like Roasted Air Fryer Vegetables, Garlic Asparagus, or Crispy Air Fryer French Fries.
- Steak- This is so good with steak! Serve Yum Yum Sauce with these Garlic Herb Steak Bites, a Cast Iron Ribeye Steak, or with Flank Steak Tacos.
Nutrition
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bob says
great!!!! the yum yum sauce is mega yummy!!!
Dina says
Thank you, Bob! This recipe is definitely a keeper.