Is Boom Boom Shrimp Sauce Similar to Yum Yum Sauce?

Boom boom shrimp and yum yum shrimp are two popular shrimp dishes often found on restaurant menus across the United States. Both are fried shrimp tossed in a sweet and spicy mayonnaise-based sauce. With such similar names and sauce descriptions it’s natural to wonder – are boom boom and yum yum shrimp sauces actually the same?

I decided to dig into this culinary mystery and uncover the truth about these two flavorful shrimp dishes. In this article, I’ll share my findings on boom boom vs yum yum shrimp sauce, including

• The origins and history behind each sauce
• A comparison of typical boom boom and yum yum sauce ingredients
• How the taste of each sauce differs
• Recommendations on restaurants to try each dish
• Recipes to make both boom boom and yum yum shrimp at home

So if you love breaded, fried shrimp dunked in a creamy, sweet and spicy pink dipping sauce, keep reading to satisfy your curiosity about boom boom vs yum yum!

A Brief History of Boom Boom and Yum Yum Shrimp

To understand the difference between the two sauces, we need to first look at where boom boom and yum yum shrimp originated.

The Origins of Boom Boom Shrimp

Boom boom shrimp was created in 2002 by David Gross and Francis Lau at their restaurant Kona Grill. The Kona Grill founders were inspired by spicy Thai dipping sauces and aimed to develop a dish with flavor profile similar to bang bang shrimp.

Their tasty creation was an instant hit, and promptly added to menus at restaurant chains like Chili’s, Applebee’s and O’Charley’s.

So while inspired by Thai cuisine, boom boom shrimp was invented in America as a fusion dish.

The History of Yum Yum Shrimp

Yum yum shrimp has less clear origins, but it emerged on U.S. menus around the same time as boom boom shrimp in the early 2000s.

The dish is likely inspired by Japanese yellow mustard sauce that has a sweet, tangy and creamy flavor similar to yum yum sauce. It also pulls inspiration from Thai sweet chili sauce.

Yum yum shrimp grew popular on American chain restaurant appetizer menus, often next to boom boom shrimp.

Comparing Boom Boom vs Yum Yum Shrimp Sauce Ingredients

Now that we know a bit about the background of each dish, let’s directly compare the ingredients that go into boom boom sauce vs yum yum sauce:

Typical Boom Boom Shrimp Sauce Ingredients:

• Mayonnaise – The base that makes the sauce creamy. Regular or spicy mayo is used.

• Ketchup – Adds tangy tomato flavor and sweetness.

• Sriracha – For spicy heat. Sometimes also includes sambal or other hot sauces.

• Sweet chili sauce – Provides sweetness and mild heat.

• Garlic and onion powder – For added flavor.

• Rice wine vinegar or lime juice – For tang.

Common Yum Yum Shrimp Sauce Ingredients:

• Mayonnaise

• Yellow mustard – Adds tangy flavor.

• Honey – For sweetness.

• Rice vinegar and/or lemon juice – Provides acidity.

• Soy sauce

• Sesame oil

• Garlic powder

• Chili powder or sriracha for heat

As you can see, while both are mayonnaise-forward, boom boom and yum yum sauces have some clear ingredient differences that impact the final taste.

Yum yum relies more on mustard, honey, and soy sauce for tangy sweetness, while boom boom uses more tomato and chili sauces for flavor. Boom boom also tends to have stronger spice from hot sauces like sriracha.

How Do Boom Boom and Yum Yum Shrimp Sauces Taste Different?

When you taste boom boom vs. yum yum shrimp sauce side-by-side, some subtle flavor differences stand out:

• Boom boom tastes more intensely spicy and robust. The sriracha and chili sauces provide plenty of heat, while ketchup adds richer tomato flavor. Overall, boom boom sauce has a bolder flavor.

• Yum yum is sweeter and tangier. The honey and rice vinegar give yum yum sauce pronounced sweet and sour notes. The mustard also provides tanginess. It has milder spice.

• Boom boom has an orangey color. From the chili sauces and ketchup. Yum yum is more pale yellow from the mustard.

• Yum yum is thinner and more pourable. Often thinned out with water and rice vinegar. Boom boom tends to be thicker from the tomato purees and chili pastes.

• Yum yum has added umami. The soy sauce and sesame provide a savory richness. Boom boom gets most flavor from spices.

Where to Try Boom Boom and Yum Yum Shrimp

If you want to taste test boom boom vs. yum yum sauces for yourself, here are some restaurants known for serving up these dishes:

For Boom Boom Shrimp:

• Chili’s – The classic chain with boom boom shrimp on the appetizer menu

• Bonefish Grill – Serves up Bang Bang Shrimp with a similar boom boom style sauce

• Outback Steakhouse – This Australian-themed chain offers Boomerang Shrimp

• O’Charley’s – Find boom boom shrimp appetizers here

To Try Yum Yum Shrimp:

• Red Lobster – Get yum yum shrimp as one appetizer option

• The Cheesecake Factory – Offers up Thai Lettuce Wraps with yum yum shrimp

• Yard House – Has habanero yum yum shrimp on the menu

• Bahama Breeze – Caribbean-inspired chain with yum yum shrimp appetizers

So visit any of those restaurants to do a taste test of boom boom vs yum yum shrimp sauce for yourself!

Recipes for Homemade Boom Boom and Yum Yum Shrimp

You can also easily recreate both boom boom and yum yum shrimp at home with just a few ingredients.

Here is a simple boom boom shrimp recipe to try:

Homemade Boom Boom Shrimp Sauce

• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsps sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1⁄4 tsp salt

Whisk together all sauce ingredients. Toss with fried shrimp.

And this easy homemade yum yum sauce is perfect for making yum yum shrimp:

Yum Yum Shrimp Sauce Recipe

• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsps honey
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• pinch of salt

Mix together all ingredients for the sauce. Toss with crispy fried shrimp.

So with those easy homemade sauce recipes, you can recreate both dishes to taste test the sauces for yourself. Adjust amounts of honey, chili sauce, vinegar, and other ingredients to customize to your preferences.

The Verdict: How Similar Are Boom Boom vs Yum Yum Sauces?

After investigating the histories, ingredients, and tastes of boom boom and yum yum shrimp sauces, I would conclude that they are similar but distinct sauces.

While both are creamy, sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy, they do have slightly different flavor profiles thanks to ingredients like mustard, honey and tomato products.

But the sauces are more alike than different – yum yum sauce clearly took inspiration from the boom boom shrimp craze but tweaked a few ingredients.

No matter what you call it, I love any sauce that turns crispy fried shrimp into an irresistible irresistible appetizer! I suggest trying both boom boom and yum yum shrimp dishes next time you spot them on a menu to taste test the sauces for yourself.

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