Spicy Mayo for Sushi

This incredible super-sauce that adorns many sushi rolls can be achieved with two simple cupboard staples—sriracha and mayonnaise.

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated September 15, 2025
A ceramic soup spoon holding spicy mayonnaise on a platter of sushi.

Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Why It Works

  • Japanese mayonnaise has a subtle sweetness and thinner consistency that enhances the sauce's creaminess.
  • Sriracha chili sauce infuses this sauce with both a spicy kick and garlicky depth, adding bold flavor to sushi (and anything else you put it on).
  • Optional lime juice adds a touch of acidity to brighten the overall flavor profile, helping balance the rich mayonnaise and fiery sriracha.

I may not be much of a sushi eater, but I certainly know the pinkish spicy sauce that adorns many rolls because it's my all-time favorite condiment—sriracha mayo!

You can go with more traditional Japanese hot sauces, but most times this sauce is born from the combination of sriracha and mayonnaise, so to create a good facsimile, that's as far as you really need to go. However, I do recommend the use of Japanese mayo, which is slightly sweeter and a little thinner than supermarket staples like Hellmann's, although if not eaten side-by-side, it can be tough to pinpoint the slight difference in flavor.

A splash of lime juice livens up the sauce, but it's also not completely necessary when the sriracha does most of the work of adding a spicy and garlic-y depth to tangy and creamy mayo. It makes what I consider a super-sauce, which goes beyond sushi and is incredible on burgers, fries, sandwiches... this list could go on for a long time.

December 2012

Recipe Details

Spicy Mayo for Sushi Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 2 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 5 servings
Makes 10 tablespoons
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Japanese

  • 2 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce, plus more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice (optional)

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sriracha, and lime juice. Taste and add more sriracha to desired spiciness. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to a month.

    Using a small spatula to mix together sriracha, mayonnaise, and lime juice in a bowl.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
157 Calories
17g Fat
2g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5
Amount per serving
Calories 157
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 21%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 305mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 29mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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