This vegan yum yum sauce is creamy, tangy and amazing! This popular Japanese-style sauce is so easy to make and a perfect dipping sauce.
This vegan yum yum sauce lives up to its name. It is yummy indeed!
We loved it so much we spent the weekend cooking up anything and everything that can be dipped, just to dip it into this sauce. It’s amazing with our vegan chicken nuggets and our vegan shrimp.
It’s also known as Hibachi sauce, sakura sauce or Japanese white or pink sauce. Whatever you call it, it’s a wonderful go-to sauce that you’ll want to have in your fridge year-round.
And if you love creamy sauces that can be whipped up in minutes then you’ll also love our vegan ranch dressing and our vegan tartar sauce.
What Goes Into Homemade Yum Yum Sauce:
Ingredient Notes
- Tomato paste – works best for this sauce as it has the perfect concentration of flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand then even ketchup will work.
- Rice vinegar – is the perfect flavor blend in a yum yum sauce. It’s not recommended to substitute it with any other vinegar.
- Smoked paprika – most yum yum sauce recipes use plain (not smoked) paprika and if that’s all you have on hand then that’s absolutely fine to use. We just loved adding in a bit of smokey flavor via smoked paprika.
- Water – to thin out the sauce.
- Vegan mayonnaise – forms the creamy base for this sauce.
- Vegan butter – is melted and mixed into the sauce.
How To Make Vegan Yum Yum Sauce
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Add vegan mayonnaise, tomato paste, rice vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, white granulated sugar, melted vegan butter and water to a mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth and well mixed. Let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour and up to 24 hours for the flavors to blend.
What To Serve With Vegan Yum Yum Sauce
My absolute favorite way to serve this yum yum sauce is as a dipping sauce. Any style or variety of vegan nuggets, and especially our vegan chicken nuggets (as pictured) are divine dipped into this sauce.
It’s fantastic with tofu and things like our air fryer tofu, baked tofu and tofu satay are all magic dipped into this sauce. It’s also wonderful as a dip for chips or raw veggies.
It’s fabulous drizzled over any salad or just tossed up with a bowl of noodles.
Make Ahead and Storing
Make ahead. This yum yum sauce is perfect to make-ahead because the flavors get even better after it has been in the fridge for several hours. So by all means, make up a batch today to enjoy at its best tomorrow.
Storing. Keep it stored in the fridge in a covered container for up to a week.
More Delicious Vegan Sauces
- Vegan Chipotle Sauce
- Vegan BBQ Sauce
- Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
- Vegan Buffalo Sauce
- Vegan Hollandaise Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Yum Yum Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vegan Mayonnaise (240g)
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon White Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vegan Butter Melted
- 2 Tablespoons Water
Instructions
- Add vegan mayonnaise, tomato paste, rice vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, white granulated sugar, melted vegan butter and water to a mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth and well mixed.
- Let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour and up to 24 hours for the flavors to blend.
Notes
- Tomato paste – works best for this sauce as it has the perfect concentration of flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand then ketchup will also work.
- Smoked paprika – can be switched for regular paprika.
- Make ahead – this sauce is perfect to make ahead as the flavors get even better the next day. Make up a batch the day before and the flavors will be at their best the following day.
- Storing – keep it stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
This was perfect. The only thing I did different was use Blue Agave nectar in place of the sugar. It was so good with my homemade vegan Sushi.
Happy to hear the recipe worked out for you!
Absolutely LOVED the flavor! my only knock is the total time says 5 min, but it says to put in fridge for an hour. I was so ready to eat this right after I made it! #greedy!
haha, it really is that good! Thanks for your review Lisa!
BTW you made me cry. I’ve been vegan for 2.5 years and really missed this sauce…I mean really missed this sauce…I know it sounds stupid, but it made me kind of emotional to be able to eat an old comfort food (sauce) that doesn’t harm animals. much love to you! please continue with the recipes! PS I’m making it again 🤣
Haha, happy to hear we could help Lisa! 🙂
Yum Yum sauce is one of my favorite things. I am so happy to have found such a delicious recipe. Thank You.
So glad you enjoyed it Terri!
This sauce is amazing! I’ve been using it on vegan breakfast burritos almost daily and it brings all the flavors to new heights! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Thanks so much Tami! So happy to hear you love it.
This is the best yum yum sauce that I’ve ever had! Thank you for this recipe!
Awesome to hear that! Thanks so much Kelly!
This is amazing! Tastes just like the shrimp sauce at Benihana! I poured it over black bean meatballs with rice, and used as a vegan burger topping as well. This is a very versatile sauce & has become a favorite of mine, even something as simple as this sauce with rice tastes like a treat! Thank you!
Thanks so much Kelly!
Love the dip. I dipped roasted cauliflower and it was amazing! Always great recipes 🌸
Thanks so much Irina!
Great vegan sauce for just about anything. Yummy!
Absolutely! Thanks Terry!
Best thing since sliced bread!!!! Shame we can’t bathe in it……Right about the rice wine vinegar though… Love what you are doing Alison, keep doing it and stay safe. And that goes for everyone else out there too.
So glad you loved it Alexandria!
What do you use the sauce on? Sounds really good.
It’s great as a dip for any type of vegan nugget, or chips or veggies, or even as a salad dressing or to toss up with a bowl of noodles. It’s sort of an ‘anything’ sauce, you’ll eat it with anything!
What can I use instead of vinegar? I can’t eat any type of vinegar.
Lemon juice?
Hi Renee, sure you could use lemon juice in that case. All the best! 🙂