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This popular Asian-inspired seafood dish was originally made famous by Bonefish Grill restaurant.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.
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📖 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.
Sara
Amazing, made this in my air fryer and it turned out perfect!
Christie Lai
Fantastic! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving this positive review, Sara!
Rosanna
This was out of this world !
You laid it out so clear and gave great subs and I did it!!
Thanks for posting it!
Christie Lai
Aww thank YOU so much for the kind words! So happy to read this and glad you enjoyed it Rosanna!
Patience Maples
Wonderful meal!!!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing your positive experience with us! So glad you enjoyed it!
Michigan home chef Jay
I've ordered these in a few restaurants.
I thought I had ruined the shrimp since I only had frozen Key West shrimp which are huge. After thawing and butterflying to clean, I followed your recipe and BAM!
You know it's good when I ate the leftovers that night cold right out of the refrigerator!
Can't wait to try your other dishes.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and so glad you liked my dish! Happy you were able to use your key west shrimp!
Maisy
So yummy, great recipe!! Also mixed some bang bang seasoning into the corn starch and added a little honey and lemon juice to the sauce, turned out good!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe! So glad you enjoyed it!
Leon Lopes
This recipe is great! It was delicious and tasted just like the one that inspired me to make this dish! Will make again!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and so glad you liked it! I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Beth Ingram
So Yummy. The entire family enjoyed it. We were going to order Chinese but then all helped out in the kitchen and made this delicious meal.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! Glad you and your whole family enjoyed it. Happy you were able to save some money from takeout 🙂
Chrissy Fitzgerald
Very good, and really easy!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! Glad you enjoyed it!
Lynne White
Asking this for the second time. It was a big hit with my husband and I. Question, is there any steps to make part of this ahead? Can I soak the shrimp, then coat with cornstarch beforehand ( just let it sit in fridge for a couple hours)?
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! Glad your husband enjoyed it. Yes, feel free to pre-soak the shrimp in the buttermilk but I don't recommend coating it in the starch prior too because the buttermilk will seep into it and make it less crispy when you deep fry it. Hope this helps!
Ann Cooper
Excellent.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the positive review and for making my recipe! Glad you liked it.
Maria
This was incredibly delicious! Need to make it again.
Cindy
Made these for lunch for visiting family the other day and they were a big hit with everyone! 🎉 Will definitely make these again.
Christie Lai
I am so pleased to read this! Thank you so much for making my recipe, Cindy!
Rocco Cassarino
Made this the other day , this recipe is excellent. Thank you for sharing!😉😉😉
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Rocco! So glad you found it excellent!
JOSE G DUMLAO JR
Yes I do enjoy your recipe so much
Marian
The bang bang shrimp were so so so so great! Crispy, tender inside. And the sauce was perfect!
Christie Lai
This is music to my ears! I am so thankful for your kind review and for making my recipe. Have a lovely day, Marian 🙂
Samantha
The recipe was delicious but I do feel like tossing the shirmp in the end just eliminated the crispyness. Next time I will probably just put a little on top or on the side for dipping. But overall loved it and keeping it for future use!
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Samantha! That's a great tip to keep the shrimp crispy.
Beth
This recipe was quite easy and the shrimp were amazing!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for sharing your review, Beth! Happy you enjoyed it!
Sandy Stiner
Oh my gosh could this have been any easier? It tasted amazing! I’ll make this one again! I’d never had thought I could make this amazing dish at home on my own!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making it, Sandy! Happy you enjoyed it so much!
Kim
Delish and so very easy! Added that extra sriracha you recommended, and it was perfect. Thanks so much!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe Kim! Glad you enjoyed my dish and I appreciate your kind review 🙂