Benihana Yum Yum Sauce Recipe (Copycat) 2026

Benihana yum yum sauce is the stuff of legend: a creamy, slightly sweet, faintly tangy pinkish sauce that regulars drizzle over everything from hibachi shrimp to fried rice. Despite endless imitation, the exact restaurant recipe is a trade secret — but this copycat Benihana yum yum sauce recipe gets remarkably close with simple pantry ingredients.

Below you’ll find the 5-minute recipe, ingredient notes, storage tips, and answers to the most-asked questions (is it spicy? is it the same as shrimp sauce?). One batch makes about a cup — enough for a full hibachi-style dinner at home.

Copycat Yum Yum Sauce Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise (full-fat, good quality)
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika (plus a pinch more for color)
• 1–2 tablespoons water (to thin)
• Salt to taste; optional dash of hot sauce for a spicy version

Ingredient notes: Japanese mayo (like Kewpie) gives the closest flavor thanks to its extra richness — but regular mayo works fine. Rice vinegar is milder and more authentic-tasting than white vinegar. The paprika is mostly for that signature pale-orange color.

How to Make Yum Yum Sauce (5 Minutes)

1. Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika to a bowl.
2. Whisk until completely smooth and evenly colored — no streaks.
3. Whisk in water, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a pourable, dippable consistency (like a thick salad dressing).
4. Taste and adjust: more sugar for sweetness, a pinch of salt to sharpen, hot sauce if you like it spicy.
5. Chill at least 30 minutes (overnight is better) — the flavors meld and deepen in the fridge.
6. Serve chilled alongside grilled shrimp, chicken, steak, fried rice or vegetables.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

• Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Do not freeze — mayonnaise-based sauces separate when thawed.
• If it thickens in the fridge, whisk in a teaspoon of water before serving.
• Make a double batch for parties — it disappears fast.

Yum Yum Sauce vs Shrimp Sauce vs White Sauce

These names all describe essentially the same thing: the creamy mayo-based dipping sauce served at Japanese steakhouses. “Yum yum sauce” is the popular nickname; Benihana and other teppanyaki restaurants often just call it shrimp sauce or white sauce. It is not the same as the ginger sauce (thin, brown, gingery) or the mustard sauce (pale yellow, sharp) also served at Benihana — see our sauces guide for all three.

Ways to Use It

Beyond hibachi night, yum yum sauce is fantastic as a burger spread, a dip for fries and sweet potato fries, a drizzle over grain bowls, and a sauce for grilled vegetables. A squeeze bottle makes restaurant-style drizzling easy.

Conclusion

This 5-minute copycat Benihana yum yum sauce delivers the creamy, sweet-tangy flavor you love at the restaurant. Make it ahead, chill it well, and keep a squeeze bottle in the fridge — you’ll find excuses to use it all week.