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.
We're cooking up some homemade Bang Bang Shrimp today, my friends. You've probably had this before, or some variation of it, at certain restaurants. 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...
What is Bang Bang Shrimp?
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.
Let's discuss.
About the Bang Bang Sauce
Bang Bang Sauce is mostly a mixture of mayonnaise and chili sauce, though you can easily vary it up with different ingredients to suit your own personal tastes. It is very similar to a creamy remoulade or popular sriracha mayo.
Popular additions include sriracha, chili-garlic sauce, honey, citrus or vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and/or spicy seasonings, such as cayenne or Cajun seasonings. I like to make an extra spicy version, of course.
See my Bang Bang Sauce Recipe here with more discussion on how you can customize it to make it your own.
The Shrimp
The shrimp is usually very lightly coated and fried in oil until crispy, though you can also grill or sauté them instead for a lighter version of the recipe. Deep frying the shrimp is more common. I will include different shrimp cooking options in the discussion and recipe card below.
Smaller shrimp work best for this recipe, making them more bite-sized, though it will work with any type of shrimp.
Let's talk about how to make homemade bang bang shrimp, shall we? It is basically a copycat bang bang shrimp recipe, with a few alterations to make it my own and more pleasing to the spicy food lover in us all. Though not TOO spicy.
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)
- Corn starch
- 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
How to Make Homemade Bang Bang Shrimp - the Recipe Method
FOR THE BANG BANG SAUCE
First, 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 together all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
FOR THE HOMEMADE 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 to check the temperature of the oil, test the oil with a tiny drop of flour. It will immediately sizzle up.
Next, add the shrimp and buttermilk to a large bowl. Soak for a few minutes while the oil is heating.
Whisk together the cornstarch, cayenne (or paprika) and a bit of salt and pepper into a separate medium bowl.
Remove the shrimp and shake off any excess buttermilk. Coat the shrimp in the seasoned cornstarch mixture.
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.
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! Homemade Bang Bang Shrimp is 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
- The Heat Factor. 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.
- 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.
- Sautéed 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.
Works great in an air fryer, too!
Also try this Bang Bang Chicken recipe. Yummo!
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 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.
Video
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/29/21 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 12/16/19.
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.