Hibachi White Sauce Recipe That Tastes Just Like The Real One
One thing I learned after visiting hibachi restaurants? The white sauce they offer is just AMAZING! But, the only thing I kept thinking when I dipped each bite is, how awesome would it be if I could pour this sauce over my homemade fries?
With this simple recipe, you can make your own hibachi white sauce that’s just as good as the original, without breaking the bank. You can control the amount of sodium and sugar you want to add, as well as other ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and spices.
Obviously, you cannot visit a hibachi restaurant every week… just for the sauce. But I CAN teach you how to make this at home. Now let’s not make you wait anymore and jump straight in.
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How to make hibachi white sauce at home
Making your own hibachi sauce can be a great way to customize the flavor to your own taste.
It can also be cheaper to make your own hibachi sauce than to buy it pre-made.
Homemade hibachi white sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, and paprika.
- Whisk until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference.
- Rest it for 20-30 minutes. (optional)
- Serve as a dipping sauce for your favorite dishes.
Cooking tips
Hibachi white sauce is pretty straightforward to make with quite simple ingredients.
However, there are some things you still need to keep in mind to make it to perfection. The following are some of them:
Mix it properly
Here’s the problem with sauces that don’t require heat to make- the dry ingredients often turn into lumps, ruining the whole fun.
Plus, the sauce isn’t flavored properly either. At one bite, you won’t feel anything, and at the other, it could just explode in your mouth.
That said, never compromise on mixing, and whisk the sauce for as long as it does not get wholly nice and smooth.
Remember, the taste is essential, but proper consistency is absolutely crucial.
Adjust the ingredients
Is there a favorite ingredient that you would like to taste a little more than the others in your sauce? No problem!
You can always adjust the amount of ingredients you put in to make the sauce more interesting.
However, be careful, as unnecessary excess of anything can ruin the thing for you, whether you like it or not!
Remember to experiment
I always suggest to my readers to experiment with their recipes as much as possible.
While there are some recipes that you cannot tamper, some recipes are meant to be experimented with- sauces are one of those.
Yes, sometimes it can turn out bad. But most of the time, that extra kick blends in and makes the already delicious recipe even better.
I usually add cayenne pepper powder to the sauce for some extra spiciness.
But if you like to keep it light, you can add something else. It’s your sauce!
Don’t forget to rest it
Although it’s a hard and fast rule for recipes that contain mostly herby ingredients, I like to rest hibachi white sauce for 20-30 minutes as well.
This helps all the flavors blend properly, and even out completely before serving.
If your craving is uncontrollable, you can just skip this step, but it would be better if you didn’t.
Use of substitutes with hibachi white sauce
Well, hibachi white sauce requires pretty basic and easily accessible ingredients.
However, if you don’t have all the ingredients on hand or want to test out some new flavors, there are a bunch of substitutes you can try for several of the ingredients.
Mayonnaise
If you don’t have Japanese mayo available near you, you can also use regular mayonnaise for the sauce.
Or, if you are more into healthy stuff, you can also use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. I’ve listed all the substitutes for Japanese mayonnaise here.
While the taste won’t be precisely the same, their generally tangy taste will do just fine.
After all, it’s not a traditional recipe where you have to use only specific ingredients religiously.
Soy sauce
If you don’t have soy sauce, you can use tamari or coconut aminos. Both of these will give you a similar salty flavor without copious amounts of sodium.
If you don’t have either of those or don’t care about sodium intake, you can also go for Worcestershire sauce.
It’s my number 1 substitute for soy sauce when I want to give more depth to the recipe. It works great, but it’s not super healthy.
Garlic
If you are one of those individuals who like a lot of garlickiness in their dishes, no problem.
While garlic powder will work just fine, you can always replace it with fresh, ground garlic for a fresh, intense kick.
Garlic-infused olive oil is another excellent option you can try out. It has a light aftertaste compared to raw garlic.
Still, it adds a very interesting texture to your recipe and a distinct, delicate flavor from olive oil.
How to serve and eat hibachi white sauce
Serving and eating hibachi white sauce is a great way to add extra flavors to any meal.
To serve it, place the sauce in a bowl or dish and dip your food in it for flavor-filled goodness.
If you make a protein-based meal, e.g., steak, you can also pour the sauce on top to give its already delicious taste a tangy, creamy kick.
When eating hibachi sauce, it’s important to remember that a little goes a long way. So start with a small amount and add more to taste.
If not used sparingly, it can overpower the recipe’s flavors, which is not so desirable.
Lighten things up by also adding a salad with a restaurant-style Hibachi salad dressing to the meal
How to store hibachi white sauce
Storing leftovers of hibachi white sauce is easy. You’ll want to ensure it’s in an airtight container, so it doesn’t spoil.
If you can, try to use a glass container, as plastic can sometimes leach chemicals into the sauce.
Once you’ve got the container, ensure it’s completely sealed, and then put it in the fridge. It’ll last up to a week, so you don’t have to worry about it going bad.
If you’re planning to store it for longer than a week, you can freeze it.
Make sure you put it in a freezer-safe container and label it with the date you put it in. It’ll last for up to three months in the freezer.
While using stored hibachi white sauce, or any sauce for that matter, make sure to smell it first.
If the smell seems off, it’s best to throw it out and make yourself a new bowl. All it needs is simple whisking.
Similar dishes to hibachi white sauce
If you like hibachi white sauce or Japanese sauces in general, the following are some other similar options you can try to add flavor to your meals:
Hibachi yellow sauce
Hibachi restaurant yellow sauce is another popular condiment hailing from your favorite Japanese steakhouses.
It has the same ingredients except for the inclusion of mustard, parsley, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
Learn how to make your own hibachi yellow sauce here.
The sauce is generally served with steak, rice, and vegetables to give them a tangy touch, but it tastes good with everything.
Just a word of caution, it’s more robust in flavor than hibachi white sauce.
Cream sauce
Rich, flavorful, and, as can be known from the name, creamy, it’s a sauce you cannot dislike.
The flavor profile of cream sauce is different from hibachi white sauce but complements every dish you use it with.
However, keep in mind that the preparation method of this sauce is also quite complex and requires at least more than basic culinary skills.
You ought to try it out if you are a seasoned home cook who loves cheese condiments. Chances are you may like it more than the hibachi white sauce itself.
Yum Yum sauce
Many people use the names Yum Yum sauce and hibachi white sauce interchangeably when they are entirely different.
While their flavors overlap due to the use of mayonnaise and ketchup, the other seasonings used in Yum Yum sauce make it slightly sweet and creamy, compared to the pure tanginess of hibachi white sauce.
You can make Yum Yum sauce home or buy it from your nearest grocery store or online.
In either case, it will taste just similar enough to be an almost perfect replacement.
Teriyaki sauce
Well, teriyaki sauce doesn’t give off those friendly, creamy vibes at first glance. And it certainly doesn’t look similar to hibachi white sauce in any sense.
But wait till you try it!
Made mainly of mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and sake, it has a distinct, sharp, and tangy-sweet taste that complements a variety of protein and vegetable-based dishes.
You can either find it at your nearest superstore or make it at home with the required ingredients.
Conclusion
And there you have it! A delicious recipe with all the extra knowledge to turn it from “just good” to finger-licking good.
The combination of ingredients in hibachi white sauce creates a creamy and savory sauce that adds flavor to any dish.
The mayonnaise provides a creamy texture, while the garlic, ginger, lemon juice, and soy sauce add a kick of flavor.
The combination of the creamy texture and savory flavor makes hibachi white sauce a delicious addition to any meal.
Read next: here at the 11 Best Teppanyaki Hibachi Restaurant-Style Recipes
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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.