Quick and easy Bang Bang Shrimp is one of the best shrimp recipe we've ever made! This copycat bonefish grill recipe is bursting with a flavorful sauce making the perfect family dinner. This crispy homemade shrimp and tasty dip is a great appetizer or main dish!
We can't get enough of this tasty copycat Trader Joes shrimp recipe! This bang bang shrimp recipe made with our homemade bang bang sauce, is made with greek yogurt and not buttermilk. It's the best for making tacos, pastas, and adding protein to bowls.
Why isn't the Bang Bang Shrimp fried? Frying food makes a huge mess and makes the kitchen smell weird. I tested this recipe until I found the perfect way to saute the shrimp so that it's still crispy perfection. We also have directions for fried that can be found in the Notes section of the recipe.
Try these other quick and easy family dinners to mix up weeknight dinners. We love Air Fryer Salmon Bites, Jerk Chicken Tacos, and Stuffed Pepper Casserole.
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What is Bang Bang shrimp?
A tasty crispy fried shrimp with a creamy spicy sauce drizzled on top. Our Bang Bang shrimp is made with easy ingredients making it quick to make at home.
- Mayonnaise- The base of the sauce is mayonnaise. It gives a perfect creamy texture. You can also use part Greek yogurt.
- Sweet Thai chili Sauce- This adds a perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Our favorite is Mae Ploy.
- Sriracha- Add a little bit of sriracha at a time if you aren't a huge fan of spice.
- Rice vinegar- The rice vinegar gives a great flavor but if you don't have rice vinegar you can also use lime juice as a great substitute.
- Salt and Pepper- To season the sauce and the shrimp.
- Shrimp- Use thawed, raw, veined, and de-tailed shrimp. You don't want to use precooked shrimp.
- Corn starch- Coat the shrimp in corn starch to give it a crispy outside.
- Cooking oil- This recipe uses avocado oil, but you can also use your favorite cooking oil.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Bang Bang Shrimp
Crispy shrimp coated in corn starch and cooked in oil is easy to make! Follow these step by step instructions and
- Add all the bang bang sauce ingredients into a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients until a smooth and even sauce forms.
- In a gallon ziplock bag, add the cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add the thawed and patted dry shrimp and toss until coated.
- Cook the shrimp in a medium skillet in the cooking oil for 2-3 minutes. Then flip over the shrimp to cook both sides. You can also air fry the shrimp (see instructions below).
- Drizzle the hot shrimp with bang bang sauce.
Hint: Be sure to not overcook the shrimp of they will become tough and rubbery.
Substitutions and Variations
Try some of our favorite substitutions and variations for different fun flavors!
- Chicken and shrimp- This recipe can easily be made with chicken. Make 8 ounces of chicken thawed and cut into cubes. Make sure the chicken is cooked until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
- Without mayo- Make the sauce without mayo by substituting plain greek yogurt and/or sour cream. You can even do the mix of the two.
How to make it fried
This recipe is made lighter and easier by simply tossing the shrimp into a cornstarch mixture and then sautéing. It makes the shrimp crispy and flavorful and not so heavy.
To make this fried, heat ¼ cup of oil in a large frying pan. In one bowl, whisk together 1 egg and ½ cup of buttermilk. In a separate bowl, place 1 cup of panko. Dip the shrimp into the egg mixture, then coat with panko. Fry until the shrimp are hot and crispy.
How to make in the air fryer
To make in the air fryer, follow the recipe as directed but skip the pan frying. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the basket and air fry for 6 minutes. Shake the basket, then cook for an additional 3-6 minutes, or until the shrimp reach an internal temperature of 140°F.
What to serve with Bang Bang Shrimp
So what goes wtih Bang Bang Shrimp? This dish is tasty on its own! It makes a great main dish, an appetizer, or a side dish. You can also serve it over rice, pasta, or quinoa to make a tasty bowl. We also love adding it to Tacos for a fun spin on Taco night.
Storage
This dish is best served the day it is made. When the shrimp is reheated it gets rubbery. But if you need to store leftover shrimp and sauce make sure to do so separately to help keep the shrimp as crispy as possible. Store in air tight container in the refrigerator.
For the best texture, reheat the shrimp in an air fryer.
Learn From Us
The first time I made this, I didn't check the to see what temperature shrimp is done at and cooked it to 165° F. The shrimp became rubbery and tough and was over cooked! To prevent this from happening, stop cooking the shrimp once it reaches 140° F for the most moist and tender shrimp!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Don't forget to try these taste Bang Bang Shrimp recipes:
Recipe
Bang Bang Shrimp
Ingredients
Bang Bang Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet Thai chili sauce our favorite is Mae Ploy
- 1-4 teaspoons sriracha see note 2 below
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or lime juice, see note 3
- salt optional, to taste
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb shrimp thawed, raw, veined and de-tailed
- 3 Tablespoons corn starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 Tablespoons avocado or cooking oil divided
Instructions
To Make the Sauce:
- Whisk together mayo, sweet Thai Chili sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar and salt if using in a bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator.
To Make the Shrimp:
- Heat 2 Tablespoons cooking oil over medium high heat in a large fry pan.
- Place the corn starch, salt and pepper in a large zip top bag. Shake to combine. Add the shrimp and shake until the shrimp is thoroughly coated.
- Once the oil is hot, add half the shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook until the shrimp is pink and reaches an internal temperature of 140°F. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate. See photos above for guidance.
- Heat the rest of the oil (you may need to add only 1 more Tablespooon) then cook the rest of the shrimp as directed above.
- Drizzle the bang bang sauce on top of the shrimp or, place in a bowl and toss the shrimp in the sauce to coat completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute half of the mayo with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, if desired.
- Bang bang sauce is supposed to be a bit spicy. If you are sensitive to spice, start with 1 teaspoon and add to it. We like it with 3-4 teaspoons.
- If you use lime juice instead of rice vinegar, we have found it tastes best with about 1 ½ teaspoons lime juice instead of 1 teaspoon.
- For best results, make sure not to overcook the shrimp or it will become tough and chewy instead of tender.
- To test if the oil is hot enough, flick a bit of water into the pan. If the water sizzles, the oil is hot enough to cook in.
- The serving size is ¼ pound shrimp with ¼ of the sauce on it.
- To make in the air fryer complete recipe as directed, but instead of pan frying, preheat air fryer to 400°F. Place shrimp in basket in a single layer and air fry for 6 minutes. Shake the basket and return to the air fryer for 3-6 more minutes, until internal temperature of shrimp reaches 140°F.
- To fry the bang bang shrimp, heat ¼ cup oil in a large fry pan. Whisk together 1 egg and ½ cup buttermilk and place in a bowl. In another bowl place 1 cup panko. Dip shrimp in egg mixture, then panko. Fry until hot and crispy.
- Bang Bang Shrimp is best when served hot and fresh. For the best results with any leftovers, we highly recommend reheating them in the air fryer.
Andrea says
Ever since having Bang Bang Shrimp at cheesecake facotry, I had to make my own! This recipe is so tasty and quick and easy to make.