Homemade Yum Yum Sauce (Easy Hibachi Copycat)

This yum yum sauce is creamy, tangy, a little sweet, and exactly the kind of hibachi-style copycat sauce I always want extra of. Growing up, hibachi dinners felt like such a special occasion, and honestly, this sauce was half the reason. Now I just make a batch at home and put it on everything. It comes together in just a few minutes with simple ingredients, and it is so good drizzled over bowls, grilled meat, fried rice, and veggies. I especially love serving it with my hibachi chicken bowls.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: yum yum sauce

Servings: servings

Author: Jean Choi

Ingredients

1 cup Kewpie mayo or regular mayo
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp mirin or rice vinegar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
Water as needed

Instructions

Combine mayo, ketchup, sugar, mirin, paprika, and garlic powder in a bowl and stir together.
1 cup Kewpie mayo, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder
Drizzle a little bit of water at a time and stir to thin it out, if needed. Enjoy!
Water

Notes

Use Kewpie mayonnaise if you can find it. The flavor is slightly richer and gives the sauce a texture that feels closer to what you get at a hibachi restaurant. I made it with regular mayo for years before trying Kewpie and honestly could not believe the difference (now I won't go back).
Add the water gradually. Yum yum sauce should be smooth and creamy, not runny. If you are planning to drizzle it over bowls, aim for a consistency that slowly falls from a spoon.
Letting the sauce sit in the fridge for an hour can help the flavors blend together more evenly, though it is still very good right after mixing.
This sauce pairs especially well with Japanese-inspired dishes like air fryer tonkatsu or crispy air fryer karaage.
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. I have kept it a little longer without an issue, but about a week is a good guideline.
If the sauce thickens in the fridge, stir in a tiny splash of water before serving to loosen it back up.

Nutrition