This homemade bang bang sauce recipe is so creamy and spicy, perfect for bang bang shrimp, bang bang chicken, or use it as a dipper for any fried or grilled foods. Great on sandwiches!
Have you ever ordered the Bonefish Grill "Bang Bang Shrimp" appetizer? It's lightly fried shrimp that comes coated in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce that's rather addictive. You may have seen variations of the appetizer with different names at other restaurants, like "boom boom shrimp", "firecracker shrimp", or something similar.
It's good stuff, really. Patty and I were introduced to it at our local Bonefish Grill. It's one of their top shrimp appetizers, actually. They serve their shrimp fried with the sauce over some simple greens, though some restaurants grill the shrimp instead.
Either way, I'm here to talk about the sauce for this recipe, not the shrimp. We're talking Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce, my friends, and I'm going to show you how to make it.
But first...
What is Bang Bang Sauce?
Bang Bang Sauce is a creamy, spicy, mayo-based sauce made popular by restaurants, such as Bonefish Grill, who serve it alongside spicy grilled or fried shrimp. Primary ingredients include mayonnaise and chili sauce, though recipes can vary with other added ingredients, such as sriracha, hot sauce, honey and other seasonings.
It is very similar to a creamy remoulade, though many variations exist under different names. I make a slightly spicy version, though I will show you how you can vary up the recipe quite easily to make it your own.
Let's talk about how to make bang bang sauce, shall we? It is basically a copycat recipe of bang bang sauce, but I like this homemade version better.
Bang Bang Sauce Ingredients
- Mayonnaise. Use your favorite brand.
- Chili-Garlic Sauce.
- Sriracha.
- Honey.
- Cayenne. Use smoked paprika for a milder version.
- Lemon Juice.
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
How to Make Bang Bang Sauce - the Recipe Method
Add to Mixing Bowl. Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl. We're using mayonnaise, chili-garlic sauce, sriracha, honey, lemon juice, cayenne and some salt and pepper.
Whisk the Sauce. Whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Use or Store. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or serve right away. You can chill the sauce if you'd like to let the ingredients meld together. It is wonderfully sweet and spicy.
Makes about 1 cup of homemade bang bang sauce.
Boom! That's it, my friends! Who would have thought the recipe could be so darned easy? It really is a simple one. Simple is good! Go toss it with some cooked shrimp for your favorite Bang Bang Shrimp recipe!
Bang Bang Sauce Serving Suggestions
Most people think of Bang Bang Shrimp when they think of bang bang sauce, but it can be used for many different recipes and applications. Here are a few serving suggestions for you:
- Bang Bang Chicken. Slather the sauce over fried chicken (any type - fried chicken wings, nuggets, etc) or over your favorite grilled chicken recipe, like these Grilled Chicken Wings with Alabama White Sauce - the sauces are quite similar.
- Bang Bang Fish. There is a famous recipe called Baja Fish Tacos that would be perfect for this sauce. It is quite similar to the Creamy Fish Taco Sauce they use. Try with other seafood meat.
- Fried Food Dipper. This sauce works great with other fried foods fresh out of the fryer or air fryer, like onion rings, egg rolls or fried oysters. The fattiness of the mayo goes perfectly with the oils and crunchiness of fried foods.
- Grilled Foods. It's also great on anything fresh off the grill. Slather it onto your grilled chicken breast or wings, or over grilled shrimp or fish.
- French Fries or Potatoes. Bang Bang Sauce is so good with potatoes! It really is a great pairing. Serve it on the side as a dipper and your friends will love you deeply.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Milder Version. If you'd like to tone down the spice factor here, skip the sriracha and cayenne powder. Use a sweet chili sauce instead of the chili-garlic sauce. You can also skip the honey.
- Spicier Version. If you'd like to up that zest factor instead, go with a hotter sriracha or bring in some hot sauce. Extra spicy chili flakes are always a good way to spice thing up, as are spicier chili powders and seasonings, like ghost pepper seasoning. Oh yeah! That'll REALLY spice things up my friends!
- Other Ingredients. You can easily introduce some other ingredients to make this recipe your own, to fit your preferred palate. Try adding more citrus or apple cider vinegar for more tang factor. Add hot sauce and spicier seasonings as mentioned above. Worcestershire sauce is a nice way to add some depth. I like to include garlic powder sometimes along with hot sauce and apple cider vinegar. It's such a nice combination. Make it extra creamy with a bit of Mexican crema, sour cream or Greek yogurt.
I hope you enjoy it! Time to get cooking! How are you going to serve yours? With shrimp? Chicken? Any other fun ideas? Let's hear it!
Try Some of My Other Popular Sauce Recipes
- Fry Sauce Recipe - this is my "jacked up" version
- Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
- Chipotle Sauce
- Chipotle Mayo
- Homemade Buffalo Sauce
- Aji Amarillo Sauce
- Creamy Sriracha Mayo
- Cajun Remoulade Sauce
- Creamy Fish Taco Sauce
- Yum Yum Sauce
- White BBQ Sauce (aka Alabama White Sauce)
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Homemade Bang Bang Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup chili-garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon cayenne or use smoked paprika for a milder version
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or serve right away.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/27/21 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 12/16/19.
Becky says
Is the chili-garlic sauce in the recipe a homemade sauce or something available at the grocery store? If it’s store-bought, is there any particular brand to look for? Thank you! (I’ve lost track of time looking through your recipes…)
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Becky. You can use my homemade version, or the Huy Fong brand is good as well. Enjoy!!
Murray says
Hi Mike - how does yours look orange while mine came out pink? And not nearly as tasty as I expected! Ugh…
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Murry, a lot will depend on the ingredients used. Mine is more pink sometimes if I use more sriracha, for instance, or a different hot sauce. You can adjust ingredients to get it more to your tastes. Let me know what you wind up with.
Shelly says
Hi, im diabetic, is there a suitable replacement for the honey?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Shelly, yes, you can skip the honey altogether. For a sub, I like stevia, which I use in my coffee. Plenty of sweetness, if you think you need it. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy.
ann says
hi there - looking forwrd to making the sauce - can it be frozen?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Ann. I've never frozen this sauce. I believe you can, but it's a mayo-based sauce, so I'm not sure how it would affect the texture. I probably would just refrigerate and use it up.
Gloria says
How long does this last in the refrigerator?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Gloria, I usually only keep mine a couple weeks.
Amber says
Thanks Mike! What kind of mayonnaise did you use, store-bought- or home-made?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Amber, this will work with either one. I sometimes make my own homemade mayo, but when you're in a hurry, store bought is fine. Try it with Japanese mayo, like Kewpie mayo. Yummo!!