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    Home » Sauces » Ginger Sauce Recipe – Benihana Copycat

    Ginger Sauce Recipe – Benihana Copycat

    Published: Apr 29, 2023 by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This Asian-inspired sauce is a replica of that famous ginger sauce recipe (a Benihana copycat!) you love so much. This no-cook recipe goes great with steak, veggies, rice or seafood dishes!

    A small bowl filled with ginger sauce from Benihana.

    Original post: March 2016 | Updated: April 2023

    Why This Recipe Works

    If you’ve ever eaten at Benihana restaurant or a similar hibachi grills, you have likely begun salivating when you dunk a succulent piece of steak into their famous hibachi ginger sauce. 

    Every time we go to Benihana, I end up dousing my steak, shrimp, veggies and rice with that stuff. That hibachi ginger flavor is just the best!

    • This is one of those flavorful sauces that can be used with just about any type of dish.
    • Benihana ginger sauce always pops into my head when I’m thinking up the perfect dressing for a simple green salad or a topping for my next healthy dinner. 
    • Turn this easy sauce into hibachi steak, hibachi chicken, hibachi shrimp or hibachi salmon!
    • No need to pay a visit to a restaurant to get my hands on it. I can make it in my own kitchen easily!
    • Acts as a great marinade for any type of meat.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Ginger sauce ingredients in separate bowls on a white counter top.

    Ginger – When at all possible, start with fresh ginger root. Substitute ground ginger only if needed.

    White vinegar – This can be replaced with another variety such as rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar, if needed.

    Soy sauce – To make this a gluten-free sauce, use a GF variety of soy sauce or replace entirely with coconut aminos. For a less salty end result, use a low sodium soy sauce for the recipe.

    Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed lemons for best results. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest for added freshness.

    Onion – Replace a portion of the yellow onion with green onions, if desired.

    Where To Buy Hibachi Ginger Sauce

    According to their site, Benihana Japanese steakhouse prides themselves in preparing the sauce they serve fresh and making it daily. But that’s why we decided to concoct a recipe ourselves and share it with you!

    Since they don’t share their recipe, we took what we know to be some very flavorful ingredients and tested it until it was the perfect combination of flavors to mimic their sauce.

    How To Make Ginger Sauce

    Start with your food processor. It’s handy, easy to clean and it’s a tool I use often. 

    Toss in the onions and fresh ginger root, followed by 3/4 cup soy sauce and remaining ingredients.

    Food processor filled with ginger sauce ingredients.

    Transfer to a small bowl and stir, creating a chunky sauce that will be perfect as your condiment for many healthy recipes! 

    Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Recipe Notes

    • This sauce can be enjoyed immediately but will taste even better after a day of marinating.
    • If you don’t own a food processor, you can easily grate the onion and ginger by hand. 
    • Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best when used within 5 days of preparing it.
    • Add a minced garlic clove or two for a flavor boost.
    • Spice up the recipe by adding red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce.
    • For a touch of sweetness, consider adding 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or honey.
    • A tablespoon of sesame oil or dark sesame oil adds a delicious flavor.
    • Can be served chilled or at room temperature.
    • There is absolutely no need to limit this sauce to only Chinese cuisine. There are so many delicious ways to enjoy it, including on Italian recipes, Thai recipes and even Indian recipes.
    • Freeze sauce by pouring into an ice cube tray, then transfer cubes to a freezer storage bag.

    Fresh Ginger vs Ground Ginger

    When making this inspired sauce, when at all possible you want to use fresh ginger. Buying a small stalk of ginger root is very affordable and provides so much more pungency (in the best way) to the sauce. 

    Substitute ground ginger when needed, but ground ginger is more commonly used in baked goods or drinks.

    Can Ginger Be Frozen

    Ginger can definitely be frozen. To freeze, first peel and grate it or cut thinly. Flash freeze in a single layer for 20 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container. Use within 6 months for best results.

    Dressing jar filled with ginger sauce and sitting next to lemon halves.

    How To Tell If Ginger Is Bad

    Ginger that is no longer fresh or safe to eat will be mushy to the touch, and may also have a sharp, unpleasant odor.

    What To Do With Ginger Sauce

    • It is a great condiment or marinade for seafood, steak, beef tips, pork chops, chicken or any type of main dishes.
    • Use ginger dipping sauce to dip Asian appetizers into, such as egg rolls, wontons or potstickers (top with sesame seeds before serving!).
    • Use as a salad dressing ingredients for green salads.
    • Enjoy it tossed in a stir fry meal or over pasta.
    • Use it as a topping on your next juicy burger.
    • Add to a side dish of quinoa or fried rice.
    • Great topping for baked sweet potatoes.
    • Consider using it as a dipping sauce for Air Fryer Broccoli, Meatballs, Steak Bites or Slow Cooker Veggies!
    • Any food you enjoy dipping in soy sauce will likely taste good with ginger sauce, too. 

    How Long Does Soy Sauce Last

    How long does soy sauce last? If you have a bottle staring at you from inside your pantry or refrigerator and you don’t know whether to toss or use, you’ll want to read this post!

    Best Homemade Sauces

    I’m obsessed with making savory homemade sauces! Down with store bought! Here are a handful of my favorites that you are sure to fall in love with. These all make for great gifts, too.

    • Homemade Enchilada Sauce is more delicious than anything you can buy at the store and it is super easy to make. It only requires a handful of ingredients and is done in 15 minutes. 
    • Alfredo Sauce is super easy to make, done in under 10 minutes. 
    • A copycat recipe of the famous Arby’s Sauce that makes sandwiches sing! This zingy flavorful BBQ style sauce is so delicious. 
    • This homemade Pizza Sauce takes less than 25 minutes to make!
    • Asian Chili Paste is great to have on hand for homemade Asian recipes. Healthy, super affordable and packed with flavor.
    • Make your own Taco Sauce to use in a variety of Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos and taco salads. Ditch the store-bought version so you know exactly what goes inside!
    • Instant Pot tomato sauce tastes super fresh, made with fresh tomatoes and with no peeling or seeding required! Use it as a topping on pasta! 

    18 Homemade Sauces to Use Now or Freeze for Later

    Making homemade sauces is a great way to know exactly what ingredients are going into them, they are more affordable than store-bought and they’re just tastier! Homemade all the way!

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    If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!

    Ginger Sauce Recipe – Benihana Copycat

    This Asian-inspired sauce is a replica of that famous ginger sauce recipe (a Benihana copycat!) you love so much. This no-cook recipe goes great with steak, veggies, rice or seafood dishes!
    4.74 from 41 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Asian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 minute minute
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 16kcal
    Author: Megan Porta

    Ingredients

    • 1 yellow onion chopped
    • 2 tbsp fresh ginger grated
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
    • 1/2 cup white vinegar
    • 3/4 cup soy sauce

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse/puree until a chunky consistency is achieved. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
      1 yellow onion, 2 tbsp fresh ginger, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 3/4 cup soy sauce
    • Serve with a salad, vegetables, steak, shrimp or pour over rice/grains.

    Video

    Notes

    • This sauce can be enjoyed immediately but will taste even better after a day of marinating!
    • If you don’t own a food processor, you can easily grate the onion and ginger by hand.
    • Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best when used within 5 days of preparing it.
    • Add a minced garlic clove or two for a flavor boost.
    • Spice up the recipe by adding red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce.
    • For a touch of sweetness, consider adding 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or honey.
    • A tablespoon of sesame oil or dark sesame oil adds a delicious flavor.
    • Can be served chilled or at room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 16kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nanny Wonka

      March 26, 2024 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      Perfect balance of flavors. I’m in LOVE with this recipe!

      Reply
    2. Lyndsey

      June 16, 2023 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe! So good !

      Reply
    3. Kathy

      March 18, 2023 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      This is a good base for sure. I added a tsp or 2 of maple syrup and I had some white miso paste and added about 2 tsps. Perfect. Maybe will add a little more miso after it sits but perfect.

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        March 20, 2023 at 5:44 pm

        Thank you Kathy, for sharing those tweaks. Sounds great!

        Reply
    4. Starry Taylor

      September 20, 2022 at 3:19 pm

      4 stars
      I used rice wine vinegar and did add garlic, a splash of toasted sesame oil and then some brown sugar to tone down the saltiness. Then I added in about a tsp of toasted sesame seeds. Delicious base recipe…I may make it in bulk and try freezing it for future use. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        September 21, 2022 at 1:41 pm

        I like those recommendations – thanks Starry, definitely worth trying a recipe in more than one way!

        Reply
    5. Kristin Delenikos

      February 16, 2022 at 9:13 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is spot on!!!!! So good. It is exactly what I wanted for out Chicken fried rice. Thanks for this recipe. A keeper for sure and so easy!!!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        February 16, 2022 at 11:42 pm

        Love that feedback, Kristin. I’m so glad it was enjoyed. Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    6. Tim

      June 06, 2021 at 7:14 pm

      Seems like 1/2 cup of white vinegar is to much for my taste buds. Wow.. may 2 Tsp

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        June 06, 2021 at 8:07 pm

        Great! You can easily tweak that and enjoy it too. That’s what I love about cooking. Finding your individual tastes to make things.

        Reply
      • Megan Porta

        June 06, 2021 at 8:10 pm

        Great! I think you should try a couple of teaspoons. We all have different preferences but that’s the beauty of cooking – I share what I tested and liked and then you can tweak it for your preferences. Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Shane Diggety

      February 28, 2021 at 12:56 am

      5 stars
      Spot on! Great base sauce. I don’t understand how people can complain about it. Simple and real easy to adjust for preference. Well done.

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        March 03, 2021 at 8:29 pm

        I’m glad you enjoyed it too. I love having this on hand. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    8. Mariana

      January 06, 2021 at 11:36 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been wanting this sauce for a loong time and never thought I’d find the exact recipe. Until Google sent me here and I’m so glad it did! Your instructions are very clear and the flavor is the same I remember and loved. I’ve been using it as a dressing for my salad and even on fried rice and beef. Thank you!! I’ll keep this recipe forever!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        January 21, 2021 at 4:44 am

        Yay! That’s great to hear. Glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    9. Kim

      December 05, 2020 at 7:31 pm

      5 stars
      Very delicious, Megan! I used a large onion, so a quarter cup of lemon juice is the perfect amount. Otherwise, the onion would overpower the sauce. Your ingredients are spot on. I wish people wouldn’t give low ratings just because they don’t know how to adjust amounts to their liking.

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        December 07, 2020 at 2:37 pm

        Thank you for your feedback Kim. I think its helpful to others to hear what worked! I enjoy this recipe to and find it easy to adjust to my preferences. Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    10. Walker

      October 22, 2020 at 5:59 am

      5 stars
      Awesome! I make this regularly. Definitely recommend letting it sit in the fridge at least overnight – 2 nights if possible!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        October 22, 2020 at 3:22 pm

        Yes, the flavors marinate so well if you can wait that long! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    11. Ruth

      October 13, 2020 at 2:57 am

      5 stars
      Wonderful! Absolutely Wonderful,

      Reply
    12. Cassandra

      October 03, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      2 stars
      I didn’t enjoy this sauce. I felt something was missing and it had too much lemon.

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        October 06, 2020 at 8:32 pm

        That’s an easy fix to reduce the amount of lemon but I’m sorry you didn’t love it like I did! Thanks for trying it.

        Reply
      • SheTriedIt

        April 12, 2021 at 1:51 am

        Try it straight from Behinana: https://youtu.be/ILkcRDO3IAo

        Do all other ingredients then soy sauce. Taste, then slowly add lemon zest, if more needed add juice. Lemons can be unpredictable, make sure they’re fresh. Smaller can be bitter. Try large meyer lemons for milder flavor.

        Reply
    13. Cassandra

      October 03, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      2 stars
      I didn’t enjoy this sauce. I left something was missing and it had too much lemon.

      Reply
    14. Piggy's Mamma

      October 03, 2020 at 12:42 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! Thank you for sharing. I reduced the lemon juice and it is YUMMY!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        October 06, 2020 at 8:33 pm

        I’m glad you enjoyed it! It really is a personal preference and I’m glad you found the sauce the way you enjoyed it – cooking is so personal. Thank you for sharing your tweak to it!

        Reply
    15. Jason Meyer

      August 08, 2020 at 2:16 am

      4 stars
      This recipe is just about perfect! I made it yesterday and both the wife and I agree it’s a little too much lemon. Could have been too small of an onion but I feel like the lemon overpowers just a bit. But this is pretty damn close. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        August 10, 2020 at 6:45 pm

        That’s an easy tweak to change – glad you gave it a shot and hopefully make again with the perfect lemon amount! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    16. Lean

      May 26, 2020 at 4:10 am

      5 stars
      DELICIOUS! My fav sauce!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        May 26, 2020 at 4:04 pm

        It’s so fun to be able to have it any time you want! Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    17. JJ Pangos

      April 07, 2020 at 2:36 am

      2 stars
      Ingredients seem the same but measuremnets are clearly a complete guess!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        April 08, 2020 at 3:04 pm

        I enjoyed this recipe but the beauty of cooking at home is making it the way you’d like it. Let me know what combination you come up with that works for you! Enjoy!

        Reply
    18. Corey

      February 16, 2017 at 5:06 am

      The recipe is on their website now. Everything is the same except they add lemon zest also

      Reply
    19. Inger @ Art of Natural Living

      June 21, 2016 at 5:39 pm

      This looks great! How long does it last?

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        June 22, 2016 at 12:50 am

        It is so delicious! Store it in the fridge for no longer than 2 weeks or so. Enjoy!
        Megan

        Reply
        • Taka Komodo

          July 25, 2020 at 1:55 pm

          If you want it to taste good, DON’T use white vinegar. Use RICE wine vinegar. That’s what all hibachi joints use in theirs.

          Reply
          • Megan Porta

            August 04, 2020 at 6:12 pm

            Thank you for the tip.

            Reply
    20. [email protected]

      March 24, 2016 at 3:30 am

      Wow… this is great. I am sure it is a very good dressing or dipping sauce for a steamed chicken. Of course, it will be really nice for steamed fish too. 🙂

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        March 29, 2016 at 3:51 pm

        This would be GREAT with chicken or fish! Yum!!
        Megan

        Reply
    4.74 from 41 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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