This hibachi ginger sauce is a popular Benihana dipping sauce perfect for serving with your family's favorite hibachi dinners. You'll love how simple it is to prepare and how well the flavors go with seafood, meat, or vegetables.
Use it with hibachi steak & shrimp, chicken, fried rice, and vegetables.
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This hibachi-style ginger dipping sauce is one I have used for many years, like my Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing. The ginger dipping sauce, mustard cream sauce, and dressing recipe were available on the Benihana website, and I've had them committed to memory ever since.
So, avid fans like myself simply have to have ginger sauce at home. Thankfully, it's very easy to make and doesn't require any special ingredients...other than some fresh ginger.
If you love making hibachii-inspired meals for dinner as much as I do, then you have to check out all of my fabulous hibachi recipes on my hibachi page!
🥘 Ingredients
A few inches of fresh ginger root is all you will need, or even a tube of ginger (paste) is available in the produce section. I do not recommend substituting ground ginger.
- Onion - ½ cup onion (½ a medium onion).
- Ginger - 2 tablespoons of ginger (fresh, peeled, then thin sliced or grated).
- Lemon - ½ large lemon (zested, chopped, and squeezed).
- Soy Sauce - 1 cup of soy sauce.
- Vinegar - ½ cup of vinegar.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Hibachi Ginger Sauce
I suggest using a food processor, blender, or even a hand blender to make this recipe. However, you can also grate and crush the onion and ginger. The best consistency results are from using one of the appliances mentioned.
This recipe will yield approximately 6 servings. There is plenty for everyone to have enough to dip their hibachi dinner in!
- Prep. Chop ½ cup of onion, peel, and either thinly slice or grate 2 tablespoons of ginger. Zest the ½ lemon and squeeze into a food processor blender bowl or cup.
- Add ingredients. Add in the 1 cup of soy sauce and ½ cup of vinegar, then combine until smooth.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir or shake before serving.
It's wonderful with steak tips, grilled or roasted chicken, and seafood like butter-poached lobster or pan-seared shrimp. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Ingredient Quantities: The original Benihana ginger sauce recipe uses double the quantities mentioned in the recipe card, with 5 ounces of onion and 2 ounces of fresh ginger. If you're concerned about the amount of ginger, start with a smaller quantity and adjust to taste.
- Using Dried Ground Ginger: Dried ground ginger is more potent than fresh ginger. Begin with a smaller amount when using it in your dipping sauce, and adjust the flavor by tasting as you go.
- Adding Sweetness: For a hint of sweetness in your sauce, consider adding a tablespoon of honey or brown sugar. This can balance the flavors and add a pleasant taste to the sauce.
- Serving Temperature: This ginger sauce can be served either chilled or at room temperature, depending on your preference and the dish you're pairing it with.
>>>See All Of My Tasty Recipes Here!<<<
🥡 Storing
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated before serving. Benihana's signature ginger dipping sauce tastes best after being refrigerated, if not overnight, then at least for an hour or more.
Ginger sauce may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
❓ Recipe FAQs
There are many ways to enjoy this amazingly delicious sauce! Besides using this condiment to dip your favorite hibachi protein in, you can also serve it as a dipping sauce for wontons, sushi, potstickers, and egg rolls!
Absolutely! You can store your ginger sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you are ready to serve.
You can use ground ginger if you already have it in your pantry. However, I do not recommend using it in place of fresh ginger. Fresh ginger will make the flavor of this sauce a hundred times better! If you use ground ginger, just know it is way more potent than fresh ginger, so add a little at a time.
😋 More Tasty Hibachi Recipes
- Yum Yum Sauce - This popular hibachi sauce is full of delightfully tangy flavor.
- Hibachi Salmon - If you love salmon as much as I do, then you have to make this easy and delicious hibachi-style salmon dinner.
- Hibachi Mustard Sauce - This mustard sauce recipe tastes exactly like the mustard sauce you'd get at Benihana's Japanese steakhouse.
- Hibachi Zucchini - Hibachi zucchini and onions are pan-fried and flavored with teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and some red pepper flakes.
- Hibachi Chicken - This hibachi chicken is incredibly delicious and perfect for meal prepping your lunches.
- Hibachi Noodles - These tender hibachi noodles are the perfect base for hibachi steak, chicken, seafood, or vegetables.
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📖 Recipe Card
Benihana Hibachi Ginger Sauce (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- ½ cup onion (½ a medium onion)
- 2 tablespoon ginger (fresh, peeled, then thin sliced or grated)
- ½ large lemon (zested, chopped, and squeezed)
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ½ cup vinegar
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Chop ½ cup onion, peel, and either thinly slice or grate 2 tablespoon ginger. Zest the ½ large lemon and squeeze the juice into a food processor blender bowl or cup.
- Add 1 cup soy sauce and ½ cup vinegar, then combine until smooth.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir or shake before serving.
Notes
- The original and authentic Benihana ginger sauce recipe is double the amount given in the recipe card. It calls for 5 ounces of onion and 2 ounces of fresh ginger, which can seem like a lot! If you are worried about the ginger quantity, start with less. You can always add more!
- If using dried ground ginger it is more potent than fresh ginger. Start with less and adjust by tasting your dipping sauce.
- If you'd like a touch of sweetness, you can add a tablespoon of honey or brown sugar.
- Feel free to serve this sauce chilled or at room temperature.
*Benihana's signature ginger dipping sauce tastes best after being refrigerated, if not overnight, then at least for an hour or more. **Ginger sauce may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Mike says
Is there supposed to be brown sugar or some kind of sweetener in this recipe?
Angela Latimer says
No, not at all. It's delicious as-is. Enjoy!
Cindy says
I used seasoned rice wine vinegar because it has a slightly sweeter taste to me along with about a tsp of toasted sesame oil and love using this as a salad dressing. It reminds me of the salads that come with my bento box at Asian restaurants.
Christina says
So the whole lemon goes into the food processor?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
No, to be more clear, it should say, "Zest the ½ lemon and squeeze the juice into a food processor blender bowl or cup"
Lydia A Hudnell says
OMG, Perfection. I always try a recipe and find a little something to tweak. Not this time. Thank you.
N says
Re vinegar ????
White wine vinegar
Malt vinegar
Rice wine vinegar
Cider vinegar
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
No, none of the above. Use normal white vinegar. Enjoy!
Anonymous says
What kind of vinegar?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Just normal vinegar, nothing special needed 🙂 Thanks for the question!
Gael P. says
I made a much smaller amount and used freshly ground dried ginger. It was delicious!