Bang Bang Shrimp
Bang Bang shrimp is a crispy shrimp recipe that is smothered in a deliciously sweet and creamy sauce. It's a copycat recipe of Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp. It's an easy appetizer that is always a hit!
Want an appetizer recipe that will disappear in seconds, leave you wishing you had made triples, and bring heaps of compliments your way? I thought you might.
Let's talk bang bang shrimp
Bang bang shrimp are super easy to make and will disappear off your plate FAST. The prawns are tossed in some tapioca starch (or cornstarch) and pan-fried until crispy crispy crispy. Then they're coated in a sweet and creamy sauce that has just the right amount of spicy. They are a recipe we've been making for YEARS and that I originally shared with you here back in 2013. Every time we make them, people rave about them.
Crispy/creamy/sweet/spicy. These shrimp have it all.
Our hack to make this a healthier recipe:
Most bang bang shrimp recipes use Thai sweet chili sauce, which is often loaded with high-fructose corn syrup and unpronounceable ingredients. But sweet chili sauce is really just a sweet sauce with a bit of vinegar and a little spice. So we “make our own” by using honey, vinegar, and sriracha. It's so easy and the results are (pardon the pun) bang on.
Also, they're usually breaded and deep-fried. Instead, we use a little starch to make them crispy and pan-fry them in avocado oil.
READ MORE: Honey Walnut Shrimp – Panda Express Copycat
Tips for making the best bang bang shrimp
- If using frozen shrimp, make sure they are completely thawed before coating them in starch.
- Shrimp overcook very easily. Note the time that they go into the pan and cook them for no more than 2 minutes per side.
- Pan fry them immediately before serving. They are best eaten hot and crispy.
- We LOVE them served with some toasted walnuts and chives or green onions over the top.
Make bang bang shrimp for a party
Bang bang shrimp are best eaten right after you toss them in the sauce. If you let them sit awhile, the crispiness will turn to sogginess and there will be unhappy faces all around. Here's a little hack for making these more party-friendly:
Pan fry the shrimp then serve them on a paper towel-lined plate with the bang bang sauce on the side. The shrimp will stay crispy much longer and the sauce (which can be made 2 days in advance) makes a great dip.
What to serve with bang bang shrimp
We love making an appetizer dinner by serving these with some easy guacamole and some sesame pineapple sausage bites or some honey garlic chicken wings.
But they are also amazing turned into bang bang shrimp tacos or even made into bang bang lettuce wraps.
Or keep things a little lighter and serve these with a big green salad.
Favorite appetizer recipes
- Baked Coconut Shrimp with Mango Sauce
- Garlic Butter Baked Shrimp
- Bacon Guacamole with Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes
- Sesame Pineapple Sausage Bites
- Deviled Eggs with Bacon
Bang Bang Shrimp
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Prep Time: 10 mins -
Cook Time: 10 mins
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Total Time: 20 minutes
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Yield: 6 servings 1x -
Category: Appetizer
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Method: Stovetop
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Cuisine: American
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Cuisine:Description
Bang Bang shrimp is a crispy shrimp recipe that is smothered in a deliciously sweet and creamy sauce. It's a copycat recipe of Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp. It's an easy appetizer that is always a hit!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. shrimp (about 30)
- ½ cup tapioca starch (can sub cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon each: salt and pepper
- ⅔ cup oil (see notes)
- Optional: chopped toasted walnuts and minced chives, to serve
Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise (Can sub light mayo. Use paleo mayo, if needed)
- ¼ cup liquid honey
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (can sub white vinegar)
Instructions
- Whisk the bang bang sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
- Remove the shell and tails (if needed) from the shrimp. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the tapioca starch with the salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss so that they are all well coated.
- Heat the oil in a large, high-sided pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add half the shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes then turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and put them on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Toss the cooked shrimp in the sauce and serve immediately with some chopped walnuts and chives over the top.
Notes
After coating the shrimp in tapioca starch, you'll find that about half of it remains in the bowl. Using a little more than is needed makes sure that all of the shrimp are well coated for maximum crispiness.
I like to use avocado oil in this recipe as it has a neutral flavor and high smoke point. After cooking the shrimp, aproximetly ⅓ cup of oil will remain in the pan. The extra is needed to ensure the shrimp “deep fry” and become super crispy.
The nutritional information is calculated with the actual amount of tapioca starch and oil consumed.
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Love the recipe! Curious how long the sauce will be good for in the fridge if you happen to know? We made a little extra!
★★★★★
I would think that it should last for at least a week. 🙂
Hi Kristen…..does this recipe serve 4 or 6 people. The nutrition area says 6 and at the beginning it says 4. I’m assuming the calories is based on 6.
Love your recipes – keep them coming.
That’s right! The calories are based on 6 servings. Although (to be honest) it would be really easy to eat more than a serving. They’re so good!
my daughter-in-law gave me a copycat recipe a couple of years ago that she had cut out of the orlando (florida) sentinel, and i have been making my own bang bang shrimp ever since. as a matter of fact, i haven’t been to bonefish in a couple of years now. everybody in my family wants me to make them when they visit. my recipe calls for a similar sauce, using asian chili paste instead of sriracha, no mustard. but the biggest difference is the prep — i mix flour and cornstarch, beat a couple of eggs, then do a triple dredge – flour, egg, flour, and then deep fry. my method is much messier and takes longer. i did it your way yesterday, and i will not longer be doing that 3-step flouring. i will be adding just a splash of oil to a frying pan. these were great, and a lot simpler than what i had been doing. thanks, kristen!
★★★★★
This was excellent….loved the walnuts in it. It is my new fav, thanks.
★★★★★
The name Bang Bang comes from Hong Kong, and Sushi Sam’s Fish and Shrimp Bar. He would make dishes quickly and say Bang, Bang like that! after every ingredient he threw in. Ah happy days, hope he’s still there.
Good eating.
★★★★
I had this last night for dinner and it was fantastic. Thank you for the recipe!
I made this for my family tonight and they absolutely loved it. I even substituted a bit of the mayo (I ran out) with some mexican crema and it was lovely!
Thanks for sharing, I will be making this again!
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I’m always looking for new ways to prepare shrimp. Will be making this for sure 🙂
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That sounds great. Let me know if you love them!
I love that you’ve added some crunchy walnuts. Sounds really good!
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I love the nutty crunchiness of the walnuts. Makes the dish, I think 🙂
I am always looking for new ways to spice up my shrimp dishes. I can’t wait to try this out.
I would love to hear what you think of it!
This looks great! I think the name “Bang Bang Shrimp” comes from the dish that’s served at Bonefish Grill restaurants. The caloric content of that dish makes it an occasional indulgence only but this recipe looks like it could work into a monthly (or weekly) menu rotation. YUM!!! Excited to try your version! 🙂
That’s awesome to learn about where the name comes from! I’ve never heard of Bonefish Grill Restaurants before but will have to check them out so I can try the original version of Bang Bang Shrimp next time I head south of the border