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    Home » Recipes » Pantry

    Homemade Yum Yum Sauce

    Published: Apr 20, 2023 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A photo collage shows the yum yum sauce next to chicken nuggets on top and a mixing bowl of the sauce being whisked below.

    Homemade yum yum sauce is a great dip to make yum yum shrimp or chicken. Kids who love to dunk will enjoy a dipping cup with this easy homemade condiment for dinner time.

    The yum yum sauce is in a dipping cup on a plate with chicken nuggets.

    Do your kids love to dunk at dinner time?? It is such a great way to encourage bites of new foods to serve a delicious dip with chicken, shrimp, or veggies.

    While I make a lot of things for my kids, even grownups will love this homemade yum yum sauce to go with a fun shrimp appetizer tray for cocktail hour!

    Made with just three main ingredients and a few spices, you probably have everything you need in your pantry to make it right now!

    Jump to:
    • What Is Yum Yum Sauce?
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make the Sauce
    • Adjust the Sauce to Your Preference
    • Storage Tips
    • Yum Yum Shrimp
    • Yum Yum Chicken
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What Is Yum Yum Sauce?

    Yum yum sauce is a creamy mayo-based Asian-inspired condiment that you can purchase prepared at the grocery store in the Asian foods aisle.

    Used as a dip for shrimp or chicken, it actually tastes fantastic as a french fry dip or raw veggie dip, too!

    Ingredients

    The ingredients to make the sauce are on the counter.

    To make homemade yum yum sauce, you only need a few ingredients:

    • Mayonnaise: You can use a light version made with olive oil if you prefer.
    • Ketchup
    • Butter: I use salted butter for this recipe.
    • Dried Onion Powder
    • Garlic Salt
    • Paprika
    • Cayenne Pepper or Crushed Red Chiles: This sauce isn't spicy, but it does need just a bit of a boost from a pinch of one of these seasonings.

    How to Make the Sauce

    First, melt the butter in a medium sized mixing bowl.

    Add the ketchup, garlic salt, onion powder, and paprika.

    The spices and melted butter are in a mixing bowl.

    Whisk the seasonings into the melted butter until well combined.

    Add the mayonnaise to the bowl and whisk it in.

    The seasonings were whisked into the butter and now mayo is added to the bowl by the whisk.

    Adjust the Sauce to Your Preference

    This should be the thickness and color of the yum yum sauce at this point:

    The thick sauce has not had water added yet. Shows texture.

    Depending on how you plan to use the homemade yum yum sauce, you'll want to make small tweaks to it.

    Adjust the Spice Level

    Take a little taste, you'll find that the yum yum sauce is savory but very mild.

    Even just ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes will add a lot more flavor without needing salt.

    If you like things with more kick, our family enjoys it with a full ½ teaspoon of cayenne powder.

    Adjust the Texture

    The thick sauce would make a great sandwich spread as is. It is smooth enough to spread over bread but won't make your sandwich drippy.

    However, most people want to use homemade yum yum sauce as a dip.

    In this case, you will want to add up to 2 tablespoons of water to the sauce to thin it out and give it a glossier, smoother appearance like this:

    A little water has been added and the sauce is now thinned out.

    Storage Tips

    Transfer the finished sauce to a mason jar or other container with an air tight lid.

    Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

    Do not try to freeze the yum yum sauce, the mayonnaise will break in the thawing process.

    Yum Yum Shrimp

    Now that you've got your perfect homemade yum yum sauce, you can use it to make yum yum shrimp for an appetizer or easy dinner!

    Start with a simple shrimp recipe like my frozen shrimp in the air fryer or oven roasted shrimp.

    Then, serve the shrimp on a platter with a cup of the yum yum sauce as a dipping sauce for shrimp.

    You could also toss the shrimp directly in a few tablespoons of the sauce and serve them over jasmine rice for a main entree. Add some roasted broccoli or steamed pea pods.

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      12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp

    Yum Yum Chicken

    My kids think that yum yum sauce goes even better with chicken.

    I've used it as a dip for frozen chicken nuggets but it is a great choice as a dip for my healthy chicken tenderloins in the air fryer!

    • An airfryer basket has 7 seasoned chicken tenderloins golden brown and cooked.
      Healthy Chicken Tenderloins in the Air Fryer

    📖 Recipe

    The yum yum sauce is in a dipping cup on a plate with chicken nuggets.

    Homemade Yum Yum Sauce

    5 from 1 vote
    Easy homemade yum yum sauce for dipping shrimp or chicken for an easy dinner or appetizer. You can adjust the spice level and texture to make the perfect dip for your family.
    TOTAL TIME 5 minutes minutes
    PREP TIME 5 minutes minutes
    YIELD 1 cup
    PIN RECIPE FOR LATER PRINT RECIPE NOW

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon butter melted
    • 1 tablespoon ketchup
    • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic salt
    • 1 teaspoon toasted onion powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or up to ½ teaspoon for more kick
    • 2 tablespoon water optional

    Instructions

    • Melt the butter in a small microwave-safe mixing bowl.
    • Add the ketchup, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, and whisk it all together.
    • Add the mayonnaise and whisk it in. The sauce will be very thick at this point and could be used as a sandwich spread if desired.
    • Add ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper for more flavor, up to ½ teaspoon for a spicier dip.
    • If you plan to use the sauce as a dip, add 2 tablespoons water to the mix and whisk it together. It will thin the sauce out making it perfect for drizzling and dipping.
    • Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. The flavor will be at its best the next day once it has had a chance to marinate.
    COURSEPantry
    CUISINEAsian
    AUTHORTiffany Dahle

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    A photo collage shows the yum yum sauce next to chicken nuggets on top and a mixing bowl of the sauce being whisked below.

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for women.

    More about me →

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