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A glass bowl filled with a creamy, speckled yum yum sauce, with a wooden spoon resting inside, on a wooden surface.
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Yum Yum Sauce (Hibachi White Sauce)

The pourable, tangy-sweet mayo sauce hibachi grills drizzle over rice and steak, made with Kewpie mayonnaise and five minutes of work.
Prep Time5 minutes
chill15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Servings: 8 servings (about 1 cup of sauce)
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 3/4 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2-3 tablespoons water

Instructions

Whisk the Base

  • Combine Kewpie mayonnaise, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl. Whisk until fully smooth, about 30 seconds.
    A glass bowl with a mixture of mayo, paprika, rice vinegar, and sugar sits on a wooden table.

Thin It Out

  • Add water one tablespoon at a time, whisking between additions, until the sauce falls off a spoon in a ribbon, usually 2-3 tablespoons total.

Let It Sit

  • Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes, up to 3 days. The flavor and texture both improve with time.

Notes

  • Kewpie mayonnaise is the non-negotiable ingredient; regular mayo works in a pinch, but the sauce loses its signature silky texture.
  • Doubles easily. Keeps for a week when refrigerated in a sealed container; stir before each use.
  • Not freezer-friendly; mayo-based sauces break when frozen and thawed.
  • This is the same sauce used in the Sweet Chili Shrimp Poke Bowl and the Hibachi Steak Salad. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg