Quick & Easy Bang Bang Shrimp

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Crispy fried shrimp coated in a creamy, sweet, spicy mayo sauce. This quick and easy bang bang shrimp recipe is made with minimal ingredients. Great for busy weeknights and families! Perfect as a main dish, appetizer or as party food!

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What is Bang Bang Shrimp?
Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Ideas
FAQ
Other Recipes You May Like
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💬 Reviews

What is Bang Bang Shrimp?

Bang Bang Shrimp is a popular dish made of succulent shrimp tenderized in buttermilk, fried and tossed Japanese mayo, sweet chili sauce and spicy sriracha.

The creamy spicy sauce is heavenly with that fried shrimp, making it a seafood favorite in this household. I could not stop at one as it was just so good! If you're not a fan of shrimp, check out my Bang Bang Chicken!

I love enjoying this shrimp dish with white rice and veggies for a complete meal or sometimes I like having it as a starter!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to the below recipe card for exact measurements.

Jumbo Shrimp: get the easy peel deveined kind to make life easier!
Buttermilk: or substitute with 1 cup dairy whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice letting it sit for 5 minutes before adding the shrimp to it. Or substitute with Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Cornstarch, or potato starch or tapioca starch. Rice flour could work too.
Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any heavy scented oils.
Salt & Black Pepper
Garlic powder: or substitute with onion powder
Green onions: optional garnish

Bang Bang Sauce

Japanese Mayo aka Kewpie Mayo: or substitute with normal mayonnaise. This ingredient can be found at most Asian grocery stores. Look for the clear plastic bottle with a red cap.
Sweet Thai Chili Sauce: This ingredient can be found at Asian grocers or in Western grocers.It's a sweet reddish translucent sauce with finely diced chili.
Sriracha sauce: or substitute with any hot sauce of your choice if you can't find sriracha.

Expert Tips

Tenderize the shrimp with buttermilk. Buttermilk does a wonderful job at tenderizing shrimp because it has lactic acid which breaks down the protein.
Evenly coat the shrimp in starch mixture. Make sure you evenly coat the shrimp in the starch mixture ensuring no bald spots for a crispy coating!
Fry shrimp in small batches. To ensure crispy shrimp, fry your shrimp in small batches. If you overcrowd the pan, this will lead to soggy shrimp, undercooked shrimp because the overcrowding lowers the oil temperature.
Don't overcook the shrimp! Shrimp cooks very quickly in hot oil so it's important not to overcook it or it'll taste too rubbery. Fry until each side is golden brown or about 1.5 minutes per side.
Allow excess oil to drip off fried shrimp. Transfer the fried shrimp to a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil oil, which makes the shrimp less crispy and soggier.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make bang bang shrimp:

Tenderize Shrimp & Create Sauce

First in a medium bowl with peeled and deveined shrimp, add buttermilk. Let this sit for 10 minutes for shrimp to tenderize.

Next in a small bowl, combine Bang Bang Sauce ingredients as listed. Set aside.

Dredge Shrimp

Then in a shallow bowl or baking sheet, whisk together cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Coat shrimp in cornstarch mixture by dredging it on both sides. Ensuring no bald spots.

Fry Shrimp & Mix with Sauce

In a large skillet (10-inch) or heavy bottom pan, add oil. Heat oil on medium heat or at 350 degrees F on a digital instant read thermometer. Once oil is hot enough, fry shrimp in batches. Fry until you have golden brown shrimp, about 1.5 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the hot oil or the shrimp won't be crispy. Also do not overcook the shrimp.

Remove and set aside the cooked shrimp on a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil. Excess oil makes crispy shrimp soggy.

Finally, transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Pour sauce over top. Gently toss to mix. Enjoy hot while the shrimp is still crispy!

Storage

This dish is best consumed immediately but store leftovers it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 3 days however, the coating will become soggy overtime. To reheat, you can microwave for 2-3 minutes or reheat over the stovetop in a non-stick pan on medium heat. You could also air fry it for 4-6 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Freezer friendly? This can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.

Pairing Ideas

This dish serves well with egg drop soup, hot and sour soup, white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, or cooked vegetables like spicy garlic bok choy, or choy sum. You can also serve this over salad, in a sandwich, in tacos, or with pasta.

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

I wouldn't recommend it as the crispy shrimp will become soggy over time. This is best enjoyed fresh.

Can I substitute the shrimp with another protein?

Yes, feel free to substitute with diced chicken thighs, pork loin, sturdy white fish, or extra-firm tofu.

Can I air fry the shrimp?

Yes, follow these instructions to air fry the shrimp:
Lightly spray the air fryer basket with neutral oil.
After dredging the shrimp in cornstarch, place coated shrimp in a single layer giving each piece enough space. Do not overlap. You may need to air fry in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Lightly spray each piece neutral oil.
Air fry at 400 F for 7-8 minutes, flipping the shrimp over halfway.

What does the buttermilk do to the shrimp?

The buttermilk acts as a tenderizing agent for the shrimp making the meat more tender.

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