This dipping sauce is a copycat recipe of Benihana’s ginger dipping sauce that you love! It pairs so well with hibachi steak, chicken, shrimp, veggies, and rice.
If you’re a fan of Japanese steakhouse food, and hibachi-style cooking then chances are that you had this ginger sauce and loved it! This sauce is very similar to what you would get at Benihana restaurant. I personally can’t decide which hibachi sauce do I like more, this or the famous Yum yum sauce. But we always make these sauces at home to pair with our homemade favorite hibachi-style dinners.
This ginger sauce is so good, but it’s even better the next day! So if you’re planning a hibachi dinner ahead, then it’s a good idea to make this ginger sauce one day prior.
So make sure to check out my hibachi steak recipe, I also have a chicken version and a shrimp version. And they’re all equally good!
Ginger Sauce Ingredients
To make this hibachi dipping sauce, you will need onions, ginger, lemon, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
Prep the ingredients
To make this sauce, you will need a food processor or a blender. I prefer to slice the ingredients a little so they’re easier to blitz.
Using a spoon, peel the ginger, then slice it roughly in a sharp knife. Slice the onion into quarters.
You will need lemon juice and lemon zest. Using a zester, zest the lemon (this is the zester that I use, and I love it!). Add everything to the bowl of the food processor.
Add soy sauce, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar.
Blitz the ingredients until you get a runny chunky paste. You don’t want it to be a very smooth paste, so take it easy and use the pulse option.
To get the right consistency, the ginger pieces should be fine but visible at the same time. See the picture below for the consistency.
This sauce is used as a dipping sauce and can be used to dip veggies, shrimps, steak, or chicken. I also use it as a quick dressing for roasted vegetables, or as a marinade for steak.
Storing tips
- Fridge: Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: If I make a large batch, I use an ice cube tray to freeze small portions of the sauce then thaw them completely before using. Freeze and use within 4 months.
Can I use ground ginger?
You definitely can, but if you can get fresh ginger root then please do. This sauce is all about fresh flavors, we use fresh onion, garlic, lemon, and ginger. So if you use fresh ginger, 100% the flavor will be way better.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
- Homemade sweet and sour sauce (so easy and made with a few pantry ingredients!)
- Bang bang sauce
- Yum yum sauce (a hibachi restaurant classic!)
- Sweet and sour sauce – so simple and good!
- Toum creamy garlic sauce
- Easy stir fry sauce
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ginger Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion quartered
- 2 inch (5 cm) fresh ginger
- ½ lemon juice and zest
- ¼ cup (60 ml) rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or coconut sugar, or turbinado sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
Equipment
- Food processor
Instructions
- Using a spoon, peel the ginger, then slice it roughly with a sharp knife. Slice the onion into quarters.
- You will need lemon juice and lemon zest. Using a zester, zest the lemon and juice it. Add everything to the bowl of the food processor.
- Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar to the bowl of the food processor.
- Blitz the ingredients until you get a runny chunky paste. You don't want it to be a very smooth paste, so take it easy and use the pulse option.
Notes:
- This sauce is used as a dipping sauce and can be used to dip veggies, shrimps, steak, or chicken. I also use it as a quick dressing for roasted vegetables, or as a marinade for steak.
- Store in the fridge: Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 7 days.
- Freeze: If I make a large batch, I use an ice cube tray to freeze small portions of the sauce then thaw them completely before using. Freeze and use within 4 months.
- You can substitute fresh ginger with ground ginger, but I strongly recommend that you use fresh ginger as it will give you better results.
Video
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Julie says
This is delicious. The citrus in there really brings it to life.
Sarah says
This was amazing!!! Exactly like the hibachi ginger sauce! All my kids and even my husband loved it! I did use 2t brown sugar since I had to sub white wine vinegar (it’s not as sweet as rice wine vinegar) but it was still perfect. I will be making this quite often!
Ashley B says
Soooo good! I moved and there’s no Benihana but now I make this before going to a hibachi grill.
Diana says
That’s so awesome, Ashley!
Maggie Craven says
Went and got ginger, not that I have made it, it is really runny. It is still a little chunky, but really runny. Any suggestions?
Diana says
Hi Maggie, did you stick to the recipe? Or did you add more liquid? I suggest that you watch the video to see the consistency that you should get.
Luca says
I follow the recipe exactly every time and mine is always too watery/runny. 1 cup of soy sauce and an additional 1/4 cup of vinegar for 2 inches of ginger is super runny. I end up straining a lot of liquid off… taste is on point though. Just wondering if you make it exactly as your recipe calls for and if you have the same issue?
Maggie Craven says
I have fresh squeezed ginger that comes in a container. How much of that should I use?
Karen says
What kind of onion??
Diana says
White or yellow. But white works better if you have it.
Marielle says
It is so good! I love lemon so didn’t mind but felt it had a strong lemon taste. Could I have done something wrong?
Diana says
Hi Marielle, I’m glad to hear you liked it! I would suggest adding less lemon next time.
Lisa says
Love this ginger sauce! I make it every week now as it goes super well with my favorite recipes like hibachi steak and rice!
Molly Van Roekel says
I just made this and wanted to tell you it was fantastic!! Thanks so much!
Constance says
Yesterday I made your shrimp and broccoli. It was so good. I think it’s the best meal I’ve made in the instant pot. I also made the YumYum sauce also. Very good
Diana says
So glad that you loved the shrimp and broccoli, the yum yum sauce, and the ginger sauce too! Thank you for taking the time to leave this awesome review!