THE SPLIT PLATE / RECIPE

Umami Lemon Heat Sauce

Creamy. Salty. Bright. Finishes with heat.

YIELD5 servings
TOTAL TIME3 min + 5 min rest
COOK METHODSee method
EST. / SERVING~70 cal | ~0g protein

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup Kraft Light Mayo
  • 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1.5 tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Smash Kitchen Organic Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Chili Oil

You want a creamy drizzle that makes vegetables disappear. Built for charred asparagus, roasted broccoli, bowls, and anything that needs a finisher. Mix in a bowl in 3 minutes — the rest is what makes it taste real.

Method

  1. 1.COMBINE. Add everything to a bowl — mayo, lemon juice, soy, Dijon, chili oil.
  2. 2.WHISK. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. No streaks of mayo, no separated oil.
  3. 3.REST. Let sit 5 minutes before using. Don't skip — this is when the flavors settle and stop tasting disjointed.
  4. 4.TASTE + ADJUST. More lemon = brighter. More soy = saltier. More chili oil = heat. Too thick? Add 1-2 tsp water. Too thin? Add 1 tsp more mayo.

SPLIT PLATE SERVING

Adult: Serve the adult portion as described above.

Kid: Serve the kid portion as described above.

If something fails

Tastes flat / disjointed: You skipped the rest. 5 minutes minimum — the acid + umami + heat need to meld.

Too salty / overpowering: Too much soy. Add 1 tsp more mayo + a squeeze of lemon to rebalance.

Tastes heavy / one-dimensional: Not enough acid. Add another 1/2 tsp lemon juice — brightness is what cuts the mayo.

Too thick / paste-like: Add 1-2 tsp water. Should be pourable, coat the back of a spoon.

Too thin / runny: Add 1 tsp more mayo. The base needs to hold the drizzle.

No heat: Lee Kum Kee is mild — bump to 2 tsp. Or add a dash of sriracha.

Storage and reheating

Store: Airtight jar in the fridge. Stir before each use.

Reheat: No reheat — use cold or room temp.

Lasts: 5-7 days. Flavor deepens overnight.

Estimated nutrition

~70 cal | ~0g protein.

thesplitplate.com/cookbook/umami-lemon-heat

Umami Lemon Heat Sauce
Split Cook Method™Sauce

Umami Lemon Heat Sauce

Creamy. Salty. Bright. Finishes with heat.

Make this when

You want a creamy drizzle that makes vegetables disappear. Built for charred asparagus, roasted broccoli, bowls, and anything that needs a finisher. Mix in a bowl in 3 minutes — the rest is what makes it taste real.

Total time
3 min + 5 min rest
Yield
5 servings
Protein / serving
~0g
Cal / serving
~70
Flavor target

First taste: creamy mayo + bright lemon. Mid: soy umami + Dijon depth. Finish: slow chili oil burn. Pourable but coats the back of a spoon — not runny, not paste.

Ingredients

Batch cookYields 5 servings — quantities below are the full batch.

Ingredients

Method

  1. 1
    COMBINE

    Add everything to a bowl — mayo, lemon juice, soy, Dijon, chili oil.

  2. 2
    WHISK

    Whisk until smooth and fully combined. No streaks of mayo, no separated oil.

  3. 3
    REST

    Let sit 5 minutes before using. Don't skip — this is when the flavors settle and stop tasting disjointed.

  4. 4
    TASTE + ADJUST

    More lemon = brighter. More soy = saltier. More chili oil = heat. Too thick? Add 1-2 tsp water. Too thin? Add 1 tsp more mayo.

Adult plate | Kid plate

Adult plate

Adult

Full recipe as written. Drizzle generously over charred or roasted veg.

Kid plate

Kid

Halve or skip the chili oil. The base without heat is still great as a creamy dip.

Go deeper

Storage and nutrition

Storage: Airtight jar in the fridge. Stir before each use.

Reheat: No reheat — use cold or room temp.

Lasts: 5-7 days. Flavor deepens overnight.

Brands I use

Kraft
Kraft
Light Mayo
Half the calories of regular mayo, holds emulsion well — the creamy base without the fat bomb
Kikkoman
Kikkoman
All-Purpose Soy Sauce
Clean salt + umami — the savory backbone, no surprises
Smash Kitchen
Smash Kitchen
Organic Dijon Mustard
Mid-palate depth and emulsifier — what makes the sauce taste 'finished' instead of mixed
Lee Kum Kee
Lee Kum Kee
Chiu Chow Style Chili Crisp Oil
Slow burn, real chili flavor — not just heat. The finishing layer.
#Charred veggies#Roasted broccoli#Chicken bowls#Sandwich spread#Rice + protein bowls