Yum yum sauce, also known as white sauce, pink sauce, hibachi sauce, or sakura sauce, is a creamy, flavorful condiment commonly found in Japanese steakhouses. It's a versatile sauce that can be used as a dip for grilled chicken, shrimp, and vegetables, or drizzled over fried rice, sushi, and appetizers. While traditional yum yum sauce is mayonnaise-based and can be high in fat and sugar, this article explores how to make a healthy, keto-friendly version that doesn't compromise on taste.
What is Yum Yum Sauce?
Yum yum sauce is a mayonnaise-based sauce often served in Japanese hibachi restaurants. It is sometimes referred to as Sakura sauce or white sauce. The sauce is known for its sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor profile, making it a popular accompaniment to various dishes.
The Traditional Yum Yum Sauce Dilemma
Traditional yum yum sauce is delicious, but it often contains high-fat mayonnaise and a significant amount of sugar. For those following a keto or low-carb diet, or simply trying to eat healthier, this can be a problem. Traditional yum yum sauce has about 4g of sugar in each 2 tablespoon serving. Many store-bought versions also contain unhealthy additives like canola oil and MSG.
The Keto-Friendly Solution
The good news is that it's easy to make a keto yum yum sauce that tastes just as good as the traditional version. The key is to swap out the high-fat mayo and sugar for healthier alternatives.
Key Ingredients for Keto Yum Yum Sauce:
- Mayonnaise: This is the base of the sauce, providing richness and creaminess. You can use your favorite keto mayo for this recipe. Mayonnaise made with avocado oil is a great option for those looking to avoid unhealthy fats or you can opt to try a Quick & Easy Homemade Mayo Recipe. You can also add a probiotic punch by using a Fermented Mayonnaise!
- Ketchup: To keep the carb count down, use a sugar-free or reduced sugar ketchup. You can also substitute tomato paste.
- Spices: Paprika (sweet paprika is recommended), garlic powder, and onion powder add depth of flavor.
- Sriracha: This adds a hint of spiciness. Adjust the amount to your preference.
- Sweetener: A keto-friendly sweetener like golden monk fruit or sugar-free syrup replaces traditional sugar.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor. Don't skip the butter!
- Coconut Aminos: Coconut Aminos all the flavor of soy sauce only healthier!
- Organic Toasted Sesame Oil: Organic Toasted Sesame Oil is an essential ingredient, a little goes a long way!
Keto Yum Yum Sauce Recipes:
Here are a few variations on the keto yum yum sauce recipe, incorporating different ingredients and techniques:
Read also: Low-Carb Cranberry Sauce
Recipe 1: Basic Keto Yum Yum Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar-free ketchup or tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sweetener (monk fruit or erythritol)
- 1/4 teaspoon sriracha (or more, to taste)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- Salt to taste
- 1 - 2 tsp of water to thin yum yum sauce to desired consistency
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients except water to a small bowl and mix well.
- Add 1 - 2 tsp of water to thin yum yum sauce to desired consistency.
- Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours to allow for flavors to meld.
Recipe 2: Keto Asian Sweet & Spicy Mayo Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon organic toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoon sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon golden monk fruit or other keto sweetener
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions:
- In a medium mixing bowl or measuring cup, combine all ingredients, beginning with the avocado oil mayo, then spices & Swerve, then sesame oil, coconut aminos, and sriracha.
- Mix well, gauging the flavor as you go, adding more or less of the spices and sriracha based on your taste.
Recipe 3: Simple 5-Minute Keto Yum Yum Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (homemade or avocado oil-based)
- 1 tablespoon sugar-free ketchup
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sweetener (monk fruit or erythritol)
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions:
- Add the mayo, ketchup, sriracha, butter, rice vinegar, sweetener, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika to a mixing bowl.
- Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Then add water 1 teaspoon at a time until it has reached the desired consistency. This is not meant to be a thick sauce. You should be able to easily pour or spoon it over your food.
Tips for Making the Best Keto Yum Yum Sauce
- Adjust the Sweetness and Spice: Taste as you go and adjust the amount of sweetener and sriracha to your liking.
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the sauce will taste.
- Let the Flavors Meld: Refrigerating the sauce for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, allows the flavors to meld together for a more complex and delicious taste.
- Thin to Desired Consistency: Add water, a teaspoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Consider Variations: Feel free to experiment with other spices and flavors, such as ginger, sesame oil, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Serving Suggestions
This Keto Yum Yum sauce is sweet, tangy, and perfectly spiced. It's a low carb version of a classic Japanese steakhouse sauce. Best of all, it can be whipped up in 5 minutes. This Keto Asian Sweet & Spicy Mayo Sauce Recipe is one of the most flavorful ways to kick up any dish! Here are just a few ideas:
- Dipping Sauce: Serve with grilled chicken, shrimp, vegetables, crab cakes or egg roll in a bowl.
- Sauce for Meats: Drizzle over steak, chicken, or shrimp.
- Salad Dressing: Use as a dressing for salads or Keto Spicy Tuna Poke Bowls and for dressing the Best Spicy Crab Kani Salad!
- Condiment: Use as a spread for sandwiches or burgers.
- Fry Sauce: A delicious alternative to ketchup for sweet potato fries or regular fries.
- Sushi: personal favorite go-to yum yum sauce for sushi inspired poke bowls and tofu dishes.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover sauce in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container, such as a mason jar. The sauce actually benefits from being left to sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Why This Recipe is the Best
When you search the internet for spicy mayo recipes or yum yum sauce recipe, you’ll soon notice that the vast majority are simply mayonnaise with hot sauce. Talk about boring, right?? But upon reading the ingredients, it’s a HARD NO from a health perspective. Filled with extremely toxic canola oil and MSG. And to bring a sweet into the sauce to balance out the spice, most often high carb sweeteners are used. This Keto Asian Sweet & Spicy Mayo Sauce Recipe is hybrid of the 2! It’s a spicy mayo with some additional asian-inspired flavors.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition information for this recipe is provided below. The Keto version of the recipe only has trace amounts of carbs. It calculates as zero, but does have a little under a half gram per serving. This low carb yum yum sauce only has 2 grams of carbs as written, but if you’re looking for an even LOWER carb keto yum yum sauce, swapping out the teaspoon of sugar in the recipe for a sugar-free syrup or sugar substitute will cut down even more on the carbs.
Read also: Homemade Keto Pasta Sauce
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