The Best Bang Bang Shrimp
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Bang Bang Shrimp is crispy and sizzling shrimp smothered in a creamy, sweet and spicy bang bang sauce. This easy copycat appetizer recipe is inspired by popular Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp. It’s great added to pasta, rice or tacos!
What is Bang Bang Shrimp (Boom Boom Shrimp)?
As a popular appetizer at restaurant chains such as Bonefish Grill, it is breaded shrimp fried up to a golden brown and then smothered in a bang bang shrimp sauce. It also goes by the name of Boom Boom or Bam Bam Shrimp.
After trying so many different versions, this copycat bang bang shrimp recipe is a true winner. Here are my top tips to guarantee success and help you make perfect bonefish bang bang shrimp!
Top Tips for Making the BEST Bang Bang Shrimp
- There is a special secret for making perfect crispy and crunchy shrimp — instead of coating the marinated shrimp with just cornstarch, it’s best to add panko bread crumbs and just one teaspoon of baking soda to the cornstarch. It makes gorgeous golden browned crispy shrimp.
- Soak the thawed shrimp in buttermilk for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. This is an important technique that helps to reduce the fishy flavor and make the coating stay on the shrimp while frying.
- Make sure to bring the oil to 375°F and work in batches. Deep fry the shrimp for only 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Avoid overcooking the shrimp, which will make them chewy.
- When the shrimp is golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon to a wire rack. I find cooling rack works better as it keeps the shrimp from getting soggy vs. placing them directly onto paper towels.
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp
- Mix thawed shrimp with buttermilk. Soak for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Mix together cornstarch, panko crumbs and baking soda. Coat shrimp in the cornstarch mixture.
- Fry shrimp in a deep pan or deep fryer until golden brown.
- Remove the shrimp with slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack.
Bang Bang Sauce
Whisk the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Mix well. Taste test the sauce and add more Sriracha if you like it to be spicier. When the shrimp is ready, mix them with your bang bang shrimp sauce. Toss gently to coat.
What Kind of Shrimp is Best for this Recipe
You need to use raw shrimp for this recipe. I recommend buying frozen raw shrimp for this recipe and thaw them before cooking.
Use jumbo size peeled and deveined shrimp that’s 21-25 count in size. If you’d like to have a nicer presentation, leave the tails on. However, if you prefer the Bonefish Grill’s look and easier eating, remove the tails before cooking.
Bang Bang Shrimp Variations:
- Baked the Shrimp: It is a healthier variation that’s easy to make too. After you coat the shrimp, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400°F for 3-5 minutes per side or until golden brown.
- Serve it on Pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well. After you fry the shrimp, combine it with pasta and drizzle with bang bang shrimp sauce.
- Serve it on Tacos: Add the fried shrimp to your tacos and drizzle with bang bang sauce.
Bang Bang Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, 21-25 size, peeled, de-veined and thawed
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- canola oil, for frying
- minced chives, optional for garnish
Bang Bang Sauce
- 1 tsp Sriracha sauce
- 1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add thawed shrimp and buttermilk. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix sweet chili sauce, Sriracha and mayonnaise together and set aside.
- Add 2 inches of oil to a deep fryer, saucepan or small skillet and heat to 375°F. Set aside a wire cooling rack.
- In a soup bowl, mix together cornstarch, breadcrumbs and baking soda with a fork.
- Remove shrimp from the buttermilk and dredge one-by-one in the cornstarch mixture until coated.
- Shake off the excess cornstarch and carefully drop 3-4 shrimp into the hot oil.
- Fry about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown (see note) and then remove with slotted spoon to prepared cooling rack. Repeat for remaining shrimp.
- Place shrimp on a serving plate and drizzle Bang Bang sauce on top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Soak the thawed shrimp in buttermilk for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. This is an important technique that helps to reduce the fishy flavor and make the coating stay on the shrimp while frying.
- Make sure to bring the oil to 375°F and work in batches. Avoid overcooking the shrimp, which will make them chewy.
- The frying time can vary depending on the size of the shrimp, the temperature of the oil and other factors. It's best to test one shrimp, remove when golden and check the texture. Then you can adjust if needed before doing the rest.
- When the shrimp is golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon to a wire rack. I find cooling rack works better as it keeps the shrimp from getting soggy vs. placing them directly onto paper towels.
Please read our nutrition disclaimer.
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I had made this recipe for a couple years and lost it. Finally found it again and will save it in multiple places! I’ve tried many other recipes and none compare to this one. The ratios and simplicity of the ingredients is spot on. We serve over Romain lettuce and garnish with scallions.
Hi Cathy, Wonderful to hear and thanks for your feedback!
Made this as an appetizer tonight – yum! It’s been awhile since having it at Bone Fish, however, and if my “taste” serves me correctly, this recipe is as good as eating it at the restaurant. I served it over shredded salad greens so as not to miss any of the lucious sauce. Another recipe keeper from tipbuzz.com. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Kathy, Thanks for your feedback and glad you enjoyed! The shredded greens is a great idea 🙂
Delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I tried this with fish fillets (bream,bass, whatever was in my freezer) and cut the fillets into bite sized/shrimp sized pieces before battering and frying. It came out great (fish fillets are a bit softer texture than chewier shrimp – but much more economical). I just served them over mixed salad greens, but they’d be great in fish tacos. My husband liked the option of drizzling extra sriracha sauce on his plate, and it was a pretty addition as well.
Hi Julie, Thanks for your review and great to hear your experience using fish! Sounds delicious 🙂
Please clarify,you stated 1/4 tbsp breadcrumbs, should it read 1/4 cup? Sounds and looks delicious!
Hi Janet, Thanks so much for calling this out – it should indeed be 1/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs and just corrected it. Hope you try it 🙂