This homemade Bang Bang Shrimp recipe is better than the restaurant version with grilled or fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce.
What is bang bang shrimp?
We're cooking up some homemade bang bang shrimp today, my friends. It's been made famous as Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp where they serve it up over a plate of greens, though I've seen with other names like "Firecracker Shrimp" or "boom boom shrimp".
Same thing, really. But if you haven't heard of it...
Homemade Bang Bang Shrimp is a dish of grilled or fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce that is primarily made from mayo and chili sauce. It's an addictive dish, one you're sure to love, particularly if you're a spicy food lover like I am. It is mostly served as an appetizer, though I see it increasingly served as tacos, as the star of a pasta dish and more.
There are two main components to making the perfect homemade bang bang shrimp: The bang bang sauce and the shrimp.
Homemade Bang Bang Shrimp Ingredients
For the sauce:
- Mayonnaise
- Chili-garlic sauce
- Sriracha
- Honey
- Cayenne (or use smoked paprika for a milder version)
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper - to taste
For the shrimp:
- Shrimp - peeled and deveined
- Buttermilk (or use milk)
- Cornstarch
- Cayenne pepper (use smoked paprika for a milder version, or use both!)
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- Vegetable oil - for frying
- Garnishes - Fresh chopped parsley, spicy chili flakes
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp
Make the sauce. Add all of the bang bang sauce ingredients to a small bowl - mayo, chili-garlic sauce, sriracha, honey, lemon juice, cayenne and some salt and pepper. Whisk everything together until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat the oil to 375°F. Do not let the oil boil. If you do not have a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil, test the oil with a tiny drop of flour. It will immediately sizzle up.
Soak the shrimp. Add the shrimp and buttermilk to a large bowl. Soak for a few minutes while the oil is heating.
Whisk the cornstarch mixture. Whisk together the cornstarch, cayenne (or paprika) and a bit of salt and pepper into a separate medium bowl.
Coat the shrimp. Remove the shrimp and shake off any excess buttermilk. Coat the shrimp in the seasoned cornstarch mixture.
Cook the shrimp. Fry the shrimp for 1 minute per side, or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Remove and drain the shrimp on paper towels on a plate or baking sheet.
Make them saucy. Toss the shrimp with the bang bang sauce then garnish with fresh parsley or green onions and spicy chili flakes. Try with fresh squeezed lime juice!
Boom! That's it, my friends. Or should I say "Bang!" Easy enough, isn't it? I hope your family loves it. The sauce is crazy easy to make, and the shrimp only requires a bit of frying. Toss it all together and bang! It's ready to serve.
Homemade Bang Bang Shrimp Serving Suggestions
- Appetizer. Serve bang bang shrimp over spinach or other leafy greens as a simple appetizer or as the starter for your main course.
- Over Rice. Make it a meal by serving the shrimp over steamed rice or cauliflower rice.
- Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta. Toss the cooked shrimp with your favorite noodles for a quick and easy pasta dinner.
- Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos. Serve your homemade bang bang shrimp over warmed tortillas with a few of your favorite toppings, like sliced avocado or chopped tomato.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Adjust the heat. Skip the sriracha and cayenne powder to tone down the heat of the bang bang sauce. Use a sweet chili sauce instead of the chili-garlic sauce. If you'd like to up the heat factor, add some of your favorite hot sauce to the sauce, and/or spicy chili flakes or powder.
- Grill the shrimp. Skip the frying and grill the shrimp instead. Heat your grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Season the shrimp with a bit of salt and pepper (or use your favorite seasoning blend), then grill the shrimp 1-2 minutes per side, until cooked through. Then, toss them with the bang bang sauce.
- Sauté the shrimp. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a sauté pan. Season the shrimp with a bit of salt and pepper (or use your favorite seasoning blend), then sauté the shrimp 1-2 minutes per side, until cooked through. Then, toss them with the bang bang sauce.
Storage
Bang bang shrimp best enjoyed fresh. When stored in the fridge, the breading around the shrimp tends to get soggy from the sauce. While you can keep bang bang shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for 48 hours, it's really best when served fresh!
Try Some of My Other Popular Shrimp Recipes
- Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich
- Blackened Shrimp
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Shrimp Creole
- Spicy Cajun Shrimp
- Shrimp and Red Bean Chili
- Shrimp in Fiery Chipotle-Tequila Sauce (from my cookbook! “The Spicy Food Lovers’ Cookbook“)
- Grilled Buffalo Shrimp
- Shrimp Ceviche
- Aguachile (Mexican Shrimp Ceviche)
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 Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE
- 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
FOR THE SHRIMP
- 1 pound small to medium shrimp peeled and deveined, blotted dry with paper towels
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or use milk
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper use smoked paprika for a milder version, or use both!
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
- FOR GARNISH: Fresh chopped parsley spicy chili flakes
Instructions
FOR THE BANG BANG SAUCE
- Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or serve right away.
FOR THE BANG BANG SHRIMP
- Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a wide pot to 375 degrees F. Do not let the oil boil. If you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a tiny drop of flour. It will immediately sizzle up.
- Next, add the shrimp and buttermilk to a large bowl. Toss to coat the shrimp. Soak for a few minutes while the oil is heating.
- Whisk together then cornstarch, cayenne (or paprika) and a bit of salt and pepper into a separate large bowl.
- Drain the shrimp and shake off any excess buttermilk. Coat the shrimp in the seasoned cornstarch mixture, then fry them for 1 minute per side, or until they are cooked through and start to lightly brown.
- Remove and drain the shrimp on paper towels.
- Toss the shrimp with the bang bang sauce then garnish with fresh parsley and spicy chili flakes.
- For Grilled Shrimp. Skip the frying and grill the shrimp instead. Heat your grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Season the shrimp with a bit of salt and pepper (or use your favorite seasoning blend), then grill the shrimp 1-2 minutes per side, until cooked through. Then, toss them with the bang bang sauce.
- For Sauteed Shrimp. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saute pan. Season the shrimp with a bit of salt and pepper (or use your favorite seasoning blend), then saute the shrimp 1-2 minutes per side, until cooked through. Then, toss them with the bang bang sauce.
Timothy says
Do you have any suggestions for using an air fryer to cook these shrimp?
Mike Hultquist says
Timothy, try to air fry the breaded shrimp 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until crispy. Be careful to not overcrowd the shrimp in the basket. You may need to do batches. Let me know how they turn out.
Bill in Oregon says
WOW!! I think this might be your spiciest one yet Mike. Like a prior poster I prefer my shrimp sauteed and used the sauce as a dip, dunking the shrimp in and then popping into the pie hole. Man o'man....this sauce rocks. Well, I did cut back on the mayo a tad and didn't measure, ya know, too closely. 16/20 shrimp work very nicely & being large made for a nice hefty dip. Still sweating but well worth it......
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Bill! Yes, nice and spicy!
Maggie Lawrence says
This looks fabulous. So excited it is gluten free! I have plain kefir in the refrigerator. Can I substitute it for the buttermilk?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Maggie. I've never done this with kefir, but think it would work great!
LWhit says
Made this for dinner with stuff I had on hand- this was EXCELLENT.
Was out of the chili garlic for the Bang Bang sauce, so used a few drops of Bravado's Black Garlic Carolina Reaper instead. Worth it.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
There you go! Nice substitution. I love this recipe.
Billy Henry says
Looks very goooood. That wasn't a cats paw in the pan of raw shrimp, was it? Just kiddin.
Barbara says
If you choose to use either saute or grill cooking methods, would you omit the buttermilk/cornstarch step? Thank you. Love your site and recipes.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Barbara. Yes, omit the buttermilk/cornstarch step and just grill or saute the seasoned shrimp. Let me know how it turns out for you! Enjoy.