When you want a crispy and creamy weeknight dinner, this easy bang bang shrimp recipe delivers. It uses simple ingredients to toss crispy fried shrimp in a sweet, spicy mayo sauce. You can make this better-than-takeout meal in under 30 minutes or serve it as a party appetizer.
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This popular Asian-inspired seafood dish was originally made famous by Bonefish Grill restaurant. When I first tried it, the mix of hot, crunchy shrimp and cold, sweet sauce was amazing. I almost ate the whole plate by myself!
In my kitchen testing, I found that soaking the shrimp in buttermilk is the secret. It keeps the meat soft and juicy so it does not get rubbery in the hot oil. This recipe for bang bang shrimp uses my favorite easy coating to give you a good crunch with very little work.
Why My Recipe Works
- Cornstarch Creates Crunch: Coating the shrimp in cornstarch locks out wetness. This makes a crust that stays crunchy under the heavy sauce.
- The Perfect Sauce Balance: Mixing mayo with sweet chili sauce and sriracha creates a smooth glaze. It gives you the best mix of creamy sweetness and mild heat.
- Smart Prep Saves Time: Buying shrimp that is already peeled and deveined cuts your prep work in half. You can cook and eat without any hard work.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Raw Jumbo Shrimp: Size 16-20 count. Use Tiger shrimp for a meaty bite or white shrimp for a tender bite. Sub: Size 21-25 count. Avoid pre-cooked shrimp.
- Buttermilk: Tenderizes the shrimp, adds a subtle tang, and acts as a glue for the cornstarch. Sub: Greek yogurt, sour cream, or homemade buttermilk (mix 1 cup of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes).
- Cornstarch: Coats the shrimp to create a crispy crust. Sub: Potato starch.
- Neutral Oil: Use avocado, peanut, vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke-point oils.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Seasons the shrimp to increase flavor.
- Garlic Powder: Adds a garlicky flavor to the shrimp. Do not use minced garlic!
- Green Onion: A garnish for color and aroma.
Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce
- Japanese Mayo: An egg yolk mayonnaise that adds tang and creaminess to the sauce. I prefer Kewpie with the red cap. Sub: Hellmann's mayo mixed with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Thickens and adds sweetness to the sauce. I prefer Mae Ploy or Maggi. Sub: 2 parts sriracha, 1 part honey, splash of rice vinegar.
- Sriracha: A garlicky red chili sauce that adds heat. I prefer Huy Fong but other brands work too.
Note: Most Asian ingredients are typically found at Asian grocery stores, or you can check online.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make bang bang shrimp:
- Soak Shrimp: In a medium bowl, combine the peeled and deveined shrimp with buttermilk. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to help tenderize.
- Whisk Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the listed sauce ingredients until combined and set aside.
- Dredge Shrimp: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Coat the shrimp evenly on both sides with the mixture.
- Fry in Batches: Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat to 350ºF. Fry shrimp in small batches for 1.5 minutes per side until golden and crispy, avoiding overcrowding so they fry instead of steaming.
- Drain Oil: Transfer the fried shrimp to a wire rack to drain off excess oil and to keep it crispy.
- Toss and Serve: Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and pour the prepared sauce over. Gently toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately while crispy.
Expert Tips
- Use cold buttermilk. Chilling the shrimp in buttermilk relaxes the meat. This keeps the shrimp soft and juicy when you cook it.
- Press the starch firmly. Press the cornstarch into every part of the shrimp. This stops bald spots so the whole shrimp crisps up evenly in the oil.
- Fry in small batches. Putting too many shrimp in the pan cools down the hot oil. Frying just a few at a time keeps the oil hot so the crust fries instead of steams.
- Look for a C-shape. Take the shrimp out of the oil as soon as they curl into the letter C. If they curl tightly into an O-shape, the meat will turn tough and rubbery.
- Cool on a wire rack. Put the fried shrimp on a raised wire rack to cool. This lets air flow underneath so the bottom does not trap wet steam and get soggy.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free Japanese mayo and sweet chili sauce, and double-check your sriracha label to ensure it is safe.
- Dairy-Free: Swap buttermilk for a homemade dairy-free alternative by mixing 1 cup of plain oat milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes before soaking.
- Chicken: Swap the raw shrimp for diced chicken thighs, or check out my dedicated Bang Bang Chicken recipe for full instructions.
Pairing Suggestions
This copycat bang bang shrimp pairs well with:
- Egg Fried Rice: This savory grain soaks up the extra sweet and spicy sauce.
- Garlic Bok Choy: This crisp green veggie adds a fresh crunch to your plate.
- Crispy Egg Rolls: This warm starter matches the fun party feel of the meal.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a safe bag for 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Best Practice: Store the fried shrimp and sauce in separate containers to prevent sogginess.
- If Stored Together: Heat in the air fryer at 350°F for 8 minutes or in the oven at 400°F for 12 minutes.
- If Stored Separately: Heat shrimp in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes or the oven at 400°F for 8 minutes, then toss with the cold sauce.
FAQ
Yes, you can cook this meal ahead of time. For the best crunch, keep the fried shrimp and sauce in separate containers. Follow our step-by-step storage guide above to store and reheat your leftovers safely.
Lightly spray your air fryer basket with oil. Put the coated shrimp inside in a flat layer. Do not pile them on top of each other. Spray the shrimp with oil. Cook at 400°F for 7 to 8 minutes. Flip them halfway through, then toss them with the cold sauce.
Oil that is not hot enough will soak into the crust. Piling shrimp on paper towels also traps wet steam. Fry your shrimp at 350°F in small batches. Drain them on a wire rack so air flows underneath to keep them crunchy.
More Like This
📖 Recipe
Easy 30-Min Bang Bang Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb Jumbo Shrimp raw, peeled, & deveined
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 green onion finely chopped for garnish
Bang Bang Sauce:
- ½ cup Japanese mayonnaise or Hellmann's mayo
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon sriracha or add more if you prefer it spicier
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the peeled and deveined shrimp with buttermilk. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to help tenderize.
- In a small bowl, whisk the listed sauce ingredients until combined and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Coat the shrimp evenly on both sides with the mixture.
- Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat to 350ºF. Fry shrimp in small batches for 1.5 minutes per side until golden and crispy, avoiding overcrowding so they fry instead of steaming.
- Transfer the fried shrimp to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and pour the prepared sauce over. Gently toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately while crispy.
Tammy
Love love this recipe. So easy and such a crowd pleaser. I put it over some fried rice. It was a winner!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making it, Tammy! Glad you enjoyed it and found it easy to make.
Leonie Clarke
Just like the ones we had in Singapore, so glad I found this recipe. Thanks
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for this 5-star review, Leonie! I'm so glad to hear this.
Elizabeth Sullivan
It literally blew our minds how easy this was! Not only was it delicious but paired with some charred broccoli and lime rice it was the perfect meal. We will definitely be adding this to the favorites list. The only change we made was that we let the shrimp sit in the buttermilk for an hour verses 10 minutes. It was just perfect. No notes.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing this kind review, Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed it and excellent idea on soaking it for longer 🙂
Linda janson
What if you only have frozen shrimp?
Christie Lai
Frozen shrimp works for this too, just defrost it overnight in the fridge before making this recipe.
Max L
Great recipe!
After coating the shrimp with cornstarch I leave them on a baking cooling rack for a bit to let the cornstarch stick to them really well before frying. You can use the same cooling rack for after frying as you finish up your batches.
I also put the tossed shrimp onto chopped romaine hearts to help give the dish some different texture, keeps it a bit more interesting and goes well with the shrimp.
You can also sub buttermilk with regular milk and white vinegar, similar to the lemon.
I put the sauce into the fridge after making it to thicken it up, can also be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge.
Christie Lai
Awesome! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing your experience here, Max! Appreciate all the extra notes for others so they can benefit too.
Julz
It’s amazingly good!
You need to use the fresh shrimps and not frozen ones to make this stand out!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for this positive review!