Bang Bang Shrimp: The Crispy, Spicy, Creamy Appetizer You Can’t Stop Eating

There are certain dishes that achieve cult status. They start as a simple menu item at a chain restaurant, and suddenly, they take on a life of their own. People drive miles just to eat them. They try to recreate them at home, usually with disappointing results.

Bang Bang Shrimp is the king of this category.

If you have ever been to Bonefish Grill, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that mound of crispy, fried shrimp tossed in a sauce that is somehow creamy, sweet, and spicy all at the same time. It’s the kind of appetizer where you tell yourself you’ll only have one or two, and five minutes later, you are fighting your dinner date for the last piece of lettuce at the bottom of the bowl.

Welcome back to Recipes Nora! Today, we are cracking the code on this restaurant favorite.

I’m going to be honest with you: making fried shrimp at home can be intimidating. You worry about the oil temperature, the batter falling off, or the shrimp getting rubbery. But this recipe is surprisingly forgiving. We use a cornstarch-based coating that guarantees an ultra-light, shattering crunch, and a three-ingredient sauce that comes together in seconds.

Whether you serve this as a fancy appetizer for a dinner party, wrap it in tortillas for “Bang Bang Tacos,” or just eat it straight from the bowl while watching Netflix, this recipe is a keeper.

In this deep-dive guide, I will teach you why cornstarch beats flour every time for crispy seafood, how to balance the heat in the sauce so it’s family-friendly, and the secret to frying shrimp so they stay crunchy even after being tossed in the sauce.

Let’s get frying!

What is Bang Bang Shrimp?

Bang Bang Shrimp is a dish defined by contrast.

1. The Texture: The shrimp are coated in a light batter and fried until golden. The outside is crunchy, while the inside remains tender and snappy.
2. The Sauce: This is the MVP. It’s a mayonnaise-based sauce spiked with sweet chili sauce and Sriracha. It’s creamy (from the mayo), sweet and tangy (from the chili sauce), and spicy (from the Sriracha). Hence the name “Bang Bang”—it hits you with flavor.

While it is famously associated with American seafood chains, the flavor profile borrows heavily from Thai cuisine, specifically the balance of sweet, spicy, and creamy elements often found in modern Asian fusion cooking.

Why This Recipe Works

As a chef, I love recipes that deliver high impact with low effort. This recipe works because it relies on Emulsification and Starch Chemistry.

1. The Cornstarch Crust: Most fried chicken recipes use flour. But for shrimp, flour can be heavy and doughy. We use Cornstarch (or potato starch). Cornstarch contains no gluten. When fried, it forms a lattice that traps air bubbles, creating a coating that is incredibly light and crispy—almost like tempura. It also stays crispy longer than flour when tossed in sauce.
2. The Buttermilk Soak: Soaking the shrimp in buttermilk (or a milk/egg mix) does two things. The slight acidity tenderizes the shrimp, and the liquid acts as the glue that helps the cornstarch stick.
3. The Sauce Ratio: The magic of the sauce is the ratio. It’s roughly 2 parts creaminess to 1 part sweetness to a splash of heat. This balance ensures the sauce coats the shrimp thickly without sliding off.
4. Versatility: Once you master the “Bang Bang” sauce, you will put it on everything. Fried chicken, roasted potatoes, grilled fish—it is the ultimate universal condiment.

Ingredient Deep Dive: The Flavor Trinity

You only need a handful of ingredients, but using the right ones makes the difference between “good” and “restaurant quality.”

The Shrimp

• Size: Use Medium or Large Shrimp (31/40 count). If they are too big (jumbo), the batter will burn before the inside cooks. If they are too small (popcorn shrimp), they will overcook instantly.
• Prep: Peel and devein them completely. Remove the tails! This is meant to be a poppable bite; nobody wants to bite into a shell.
• Fresh vs. Frozen: Frozen is perfectly fine. Just thaw them completely under cold water and pat them dry before soaking. Excess water dilutes the batter.

The Coating

• Cornstarch: This is non-negotiable. Do not substitute All-Purpose Flour if you want that signature crunch.
• Seasoning: The cornstarch itself is flavorless, so we must season it heavily with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

The Sauce (The “Bang”)

• Mayonnaise: Use real, full-fat mayonnaise. Hellmann’s or Duke’s works great. If you want an Asian twist, use Kewpie Mayo for extra richness. Do not use Miracle Whip; it’s too sweet.
• Thai Sweet Chili Sauce: This is the bottled sauce you see in the Asian aisle (often called Mae Ploy). It looks like a clear syrup with red chili flakes floating in it. It provides the sticky sweetness.
• Sriracha: The famous rooster sauce adds the garlic-chili heat. You can adjust the amount based on your spice tolerance.

Step-by-Step Instructions

We are going to set up a standard breading station and fry in batches.

Step 1: Make the Sauce First

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, and a teaspoon of honey (optional, for extra gloss). Taste it. Want it spicier? Add more Sriracha. Too spicy? Add a little more mayo. Set this aside.

• Chef Noah’s Tip: Making the sauce first is crucial. The fried shrimp waits for no one. You need the sauce ready to go the second the shrimp comes out of the oil.

Step 2: The Soak

In a shallow bowl, whisk the buttermilk (or milk mixed with an egg). Add the peeled, deveined, and dried shrimp to the liquid. Let them swim for 2-3 minutes. This ensures the coating sticks.

Step 3: The Dredge

In a separate large bowl or a Ziploc bag, mix the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Remove the shrimp from the milk, letting the excess drip off slightly. Toss the shrimp in the cornstarch mixture. Press the starch onto the shrimp to ensure a thick, even coating. Shake off any loose powder. The shrimp should look dry and white.

Step 4: The Fry

Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil (or peanut/canola oil) into a deep skillet or Dutch oven. Heat to 375°F (190°C).

• No Thermometer? Stick the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If small bubbles form around the wood immediately, the oil is ready. Add the shrimp in batches. Do not crowd the pan. If you add too many, the oil temp drops, and the shrimp will be greasy instead of crispy. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per batch, flipping halfway through. They should be light golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

Step 5: The Toss

Transfer the hot, drained shrimp to a large clean bowl. Pour about half of the sauce over the shrimp. Toss gently with a spoon or rubber spatula until every shrimp is coated. Add more sauce if needed, but don’t drown them.

• Note: Serve immediately! The longer they sit in the sauce, the softer they get.

Step 6: Serve

Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce or cabbage (to catch the extra sauce drips). Garnish with plenty of sliced green onions for a fresh oniony bite.

Chef Noah’s Tips for Success

1. The “Double Toss” Trick If you are serving this for a party and want it to stay crispy longer, try the “dip” method. Instead of tossing the shrimp in the sauce, serve the fried shrimp plain on a platter with the sauce in a bowl on the side. Let people dip their own. This guarantees 100% crunch for every bite.

2. Oil Temperature Management The biggest mistake home cooks make is frying at low temperatures. If the oil is below 350°F, the cornstarch will soak up the oil like a sponge. Keep the heat medium-high and wait for the oil to come back up to temperature between batches.

3. Don’t Overcook Shrimp cook insanely fast. 3 minutes is the maximum. If they curl into tight little “O” shapes, they are overcooked and rubbery. You want a loose “C” shape.

4. The Lettuce Bed Don’t skip the lettuce! The crisp, watery crunch of iceberg or romaine lettuce provides a necessary palate cleanser against the rich, spicy mayonnaise. Plus, eating a sauce-covered lettuce leaf at the end is surprisingly delicious.

Variations and Dietary Swaps

• Bang Bang Chicken: This exact recipe works perfectly with bite-sized pieces of chicken breast. Just increase the frying time to 5-6 minutes.
• Bang Bang Cauliflower: For a vegetarian version, use cauliflower florets. Dip them in batter and fry. It’s a huge hit even with meat-eaters.
• Bang Bang Tacos: My favorite weeknight dinner. Place 3-4 sauced shrimp into a soft flour tortilla, add some coleslaw, and top with extra sauce.
• Gluten-Free: Good news! Since we use cornstarch instead of flour, this recipe is naturally Gluten-Free (just check your sauce bottles to be sure).
• Dairy-Free: Swap the buttermilk soak for regular almond milk or just beaten eggs. The sauce is dairy-free (mayo is eggs and oil, not dairy).

What to Serve with Bang Bang Shrimp

While it is traditionally an appetizer, you can easily turn this into a main course.

1. Steamed Rice: The spicy sauce is wonderful over plain jasmine rice.
2. Roasted Broccoli: Serve alongside roasted veggies for a balanced meal.
3. Asian Slaw: A vinegar-based cabbage slaw cuts through the fat of the fried shrimp.
4. Cucumber Salad: Smashed cucumbers with soy sauce and sesame oil pair perfectly.

Storage and Reheating

Let’s be real: fried food tossed in sauce does not reheat well. It gets soggy. This is a “cook and eat” meal.

However, if you have leftovers:

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Reheating: Do not microwave! Place them in an Air Fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes. They won’t be as good as fresh, but the air fryer will bring back some of the texture.

Final Thoughts

Bang Bang Shrimp is pure, unadulterated fun food. It’s spicy, it’s messy, and it tastes like a celebration.

It proves that you don’t need a deep fryer or a professional kitchen to make restaurant-quality appetizers. You just need some cornstarch, some mayo, and the willingness to get a little bit of flour on your apron.

So, heat up that oil and get ready for a flavor explosion.

Happy Cooking! Chef Noah

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