What Is Yum Yum Sauce? What Does Yum Yum Sauce Taste Like?

Yum Yum sauce (A.K.A. white sauce, shrimp sauce, hibachi sauce, or Sakura sauce) is a popular mayonnaise-based dipping sauce served in every Japanese hibachi restaurant. Even though Yum Yum sauce may seem to be Japanese in origin, the truth is that it was originally created in the USA.

Yum Yum sauce is made of hot sauce, tomato paste, mayonnaise, smoked paprika, ketchup, butter, and rice vinegar with garlic powder. The sauce may be sweetened with sugar and may also include additional ingredients such as lemon juice, rice vinegar, and scallions.

In this article, we will learn what Yum Yum sauce really is, what it tastes like, and what it goes well with. Let’s get started!

What Is Yum Yum Sauce? How Do You Describe Yum Yum Sauce?

Yum Yum sauce is a delicious creamy, and spicy condiment served in Japanese hibachi restaurants in the USA and Canada. (Hibachi restaurants are like a Japanese version of a Steakhouse, where chefs make your food right in front of you on an iron griddle. It’s fun to watch them cook your meal right before your eyes!).

What is yum yum sauce made of? Yum Yum sauce is made of hot sauce, tomato paste, mayonnaise, smoked paprika, ketchup, butter and rice vinegar, garlic powder, and sugar. Some Yum Yum recipes include lemon juice, rice vinegar, and scallions to add a sweet and spicy kick.

Yum Yum sauce can be used as a dip for fries, as a spread for sandwiches and burgers, and even as a topping for pizzas. Yum Yum sauce is also popular in Thai cuisine. It is often used as a condiment for fish, chicken, duck, beef, and pork. Yum Yum sauce can also be used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls and deep-fried foods such as chicken wings.

Yum Yum sauce can be found in most Asian markets and big supermarkets like Walmart. Yum Yum sauce is inexpensive and comes on average at $4.50 – $6.50 per 16 fl. oz bottle. For example, a 16 fl. oz. Terry Hos Yum Yum Sauce in Walmart comes at $4.38, and a 12 fl. oz. Ying’s Japanese Yum Yum Sauce costs $5.50.

What color is yum yum sauce? Since Yum Yum is made of hot sauce, tomato paste, and mayo, it is light pink in color. However, Yum Yum color varies from brand to brand, depending on the ingredients – some Yum Yum sauces can have a rich red color, while some will only be lightly pink.

Yum Yum Sauce Flavor Profile – What Does Yum Yum Sauce Taste Like?

Yum Yum sauce has a light, sweet and savory taste with hints of spiciness and heat. Yum Yum is creamy, tangy, and slightly tart due to the tomato paste. Yum Yum sauce also tastes spicy due to the hot sauce and has rich garlicky notes. Yum Yum has a delicate creamy, mouthwatering texture.

The name says it all! Yum Yum is an oh-so-tasty sauce that goes well with virtually anything, from burgers and sandwiches to onion rings, fries, vegetables, and fried shrimp! The taste of Yum Yum sauce depends from brand to brand, depending on the ratio of the ingredients, but traditional Yum Yum should only be slightly spicy and very creamy.

Yum Yum contains a perfect ratio of mayonnaise, hot sauce, and tomato paste, which makes Yum Yum creamy, delicate, and pleasantly tangy. You can also add garlic and onion powder to add a nice kick of heat. Paprika also plays a great role in Yum Yum’s taste – you can add hot, sweet, or smoked paprika. Sweet paprika will add nice caramel-esque notes to the sauce, while hot paprika will boost the spiciness, and smoked paprika will give a mouthwatering smoky flavor that will go well with grilled meat and seafood.

There are thousands of Yum Yum sauce recipe variations, and we have tried dozens of them, and here is our favorite Yum Yum recipe that accompanies all our special dinner tables:

How to Make Yum Yum Sauce? Best Yum Yum Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of hot sauce (I use Tapatio)
1 tablespoon of ketchup

1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
1-2 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of tomato paste (I use Hunt’s)

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (I use McCormick’s)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I use McCormick’s)
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, ketchup, butter or margarine, tomato paste, sugar, and garlic powder.

Stir in the smoked paprika and add water.
Keep stirring until well combined.
Serve with your favorite meat, seafood, or vegetables!

While you can buy ready Yum Yum sauce in Asian grocery shops or big American supermarkets like Walmart, we recommend making Yum Yum sauce at home to use only the best ingredients and ensure it has no preservatives. Our Yum Yum recipe is quick and easy, and the sauce will last for 2 weeks in the fridge.

What Does Yum Yum Sauce Go With? How to Eat Yum Yum Sauce?

Yum Yum sauce’s mild flavor and a delicious creamy texture go well with almost anything. Here is a list of Yum Yum sauce uses:

Add to rice or fried rice bowl
As a dipping sauce for fried shrimp, onion rings, and French fries
As a vegetable dip (carrots, celery)

Lather on sandwiches, burgers, wraps, or tacos
As a dipping sauce for bbq chicken wings, drumsticks, or tenders
Add on sushi rolls or sashimi

Add to baked potatoes, pasta, or rice noodles
Use as a vegetable or meat salad dressing
As an accompaniment for dumplings and wontons

As a dipping sauce for tofu

What is yum-yum sauce good with? Yum Yum sauce is traditionally served with egg rolls, fried rice, shrimps, and hibachi-style foods like chicken and steak. Yum Yum also goes well with stir fry dishes or on sandwiches for a tasty twist on traditional mayonnaise. The options are endless!

Is yum yum sauce good in ramen? Yum Yum is used not only with snacks, seafood, meat, and veggies but is also added to soups. Ramen with yum yum is a match made in heaven. Yum yum, will give ramen a much-needed spicy kick and make it creamier.

Can I put yum yum sauce on pasta? Yum yum also goes well with pasta – simply drizzle freshly made yum yum on your pasta and add some veggies to make the dish creamy, sweet, and slightly spicy.

Is Yum Yum sauce good on steak? Yum yum is one of the best sauces you can use on steaks! Yum yum makes steaks juicy, creamy, and buttery. Paprika and hot sauce in yum yum make the steak nice and spicy.

As you can see, yum yum goes virtually with anything, from fried shrimp and rice to baked potatoes, steaks, and even ramen! The opportunities are endless, but you should eat yum yum sparingly as it is calorie-dense and can lead to weight gain.

Yum Yum Sauce Substitutes – What Can I Use Instead of Yum Yum Sauce?

Yum Yum sauce is a rich, creamy pinkish sauce with a nice tangy and spicy kick. If you ran out of yum yum, do not worry, we will show you the 5 best yum yum substitutes you can use and get the same sweet, creamy flavor with a spicy kick.

Sriracha mayo

Fry sauce
Mayo and spicy ketchup mix
Burger sauce

Mayo and spicy tomato paste

Sriracha Mayo

Sriracha mayo has been taking the world by storm. This delicious condiment is made by mixing together mayo, Sriracha, and other ingredients. Just like Yum Yum, you can use sriracha mayo on burgers and sandwiches or add it to pasta or pizza sauces to spice things up a bit. This sauce is spicy and tangy with a hot chili kick that will wake up your taste buds. It’s best served with fried foods, grilled meats, sandwiches, and salads as a dressing. You can also use it as a dip for veggies, fries, and chicken wings.

Fry Sauce

Fry sauce is the simplest Yum Yum substitute as it is made of mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika. It also goes well with virtually anything and has a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor like Yum Yum. Whether you want to eat burgers, fried, sandwiches, wraps, or just celery, fry sauce is your best option to substitute Yum Yum.

Mayo and Spicy Ketchup Mix

What can be simpler than just combining 1:1 mayo and spicy ketchup? You will get a creamy and tangy sauce that will go well with anything! If you are on a diet, use low-fat mayo and high-quality spicy ketchup made from real tomatoes. If possible, add some paprika to add some sweet and smoky notes.

Burger Sauce

Burger sauce is made of mayonnaise, ketchup, shallots, sugar, white vinegar, and pickles and can be used not just on burgers, but on pizza, with pasta, rice, sandwiches, fried shrimp, and, of course, French fries. It is not very spicy but rather tangy due to vinegar. It has a nice creamy texture, just like Yum Yum.

Mayo and Spicy Tomato Paste

Just like mayo and ketchup, you can combine mayo and tomato paste with your favorite herbs and spices to create a creamy and tangy sauce to go with your steaks, burgers, or sandwiches.

Conclusion

Yum Yum sauce is a hot sauce that is made of mayonnaise, tomato paste, ketchup, and other ingredients. It is usually served with barbecued meat, shrimp, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, onion rings, fried, or vegetables. Yum Yum sauce was created in the 1950s in the United States and has been popular ever since.

Yum Yum sauce tastes creamy and light at the same time with just the right amount of spiciness. Yum Yum is easy to make – all you need is mayo, hot sauce, tomato paste, sugar, garlic, onion powder, paprika, and butter. However, Yum Yum is very calorie-dense due to mayonnaise and butter, but you can make it diet-friendly if you substitute mayo with low-fat mayo and reduce the amount of butter. In any case, homemade Yum Yum will always be better as you do not add preservatives and can control the calories of the ingredients.

Yum Yum Sauce FAQ

What is yum yum sauce really called?

Yum Yum sauce is also called white sauce, shrimp sauce, hibachi sauce, or Sakura sauce.

Is Yum Yum sauce the same as spicy mayo?

Yum Yum sauce and spicy mayo are different sauces. Spicy mayonnaise is spicy, tangy, and only slightly sweet, while Yum Yum is creamy, buttery, and tart with pronounced tomato and garlic undertones and only slight spiciness. However, both sauces are creamy and go well with seafood, meat, burgers, and sandwiches.

Is there milk in Yum Yums?

Yum Yum sauce does not contain milk. Yum Yum sauce is made of mayo, tomato paste, hot sauce, smoked paprika, ketchup, butter, and rice vinegar with the addition of garlic powder.

Do you keep yum yum sauce in the fridge?

Since Yum Yum is mayo-based, it needs to be kept in the fridge. Simply place Yum Yum in a sealed plastic or glass container and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks at a temperature of +5°C.

What is the best way to eat yum yum sauce?

Yum Yum sauce can be used as a condiment for meats, sandwiches, or on top of eggs or french fries. It can also be used as a dip for hot dogs or hamburgers.

How many calories are in a yum yum? How much fat is in a yum yum?

One serving of Yum Yum Sauce (30g) contains 170 calories, 17 g of fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 5 g of carbohydrates, 4 g of sugar, and 159.9 mg of sodium.

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