Easy Bang Bang Shrimp

Bang Bang Shrimp is one of those recipes that the second you make it at home, you genuinely cannot believe you ever paid restaurant prices for it. We're talking crispy, golden shrimp coated in a creamy, sweet, and spicy sauce that disappears off the plate before I even sit down. If you've tasted the famous restaurant version and thought "I need this every single week," this recipe is exactly what you've been waiting for.

This Bang Bang Shrimp features crispy, golden-fried shrimp tossed in a signature creamy, sweet, and spicy sauce. It is a foolproof 25-minute copycat recipe that brings the famous restaurant experience right to your family dinner table!

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This dish is the kind of thing that fits every occasion you can think of. We make it as a game-day appetizer, a fun Friday night dinner, and sometimes just because Olivia had a rough week and it's her all-time favorite reward meal. It's one of those recipes our whole family gets genuinely excited about, and if you have kids, you know that is not always easy to pull off.

Why You'll Love This Bang Bang Shrimp

• It tastes exactly like the famous restaurant version, made right in your kitchen. You get that perfect crispy shrimp and creamy spicy sauce for a fraction of the cost of eating out.
• It comes together in under 25 minutes. The shrimp fry up fast, the sauce takes two minutes to mix, and everything is on the table before anyone gets impatient.
• The sauce is completely customizable. Want more heat? Add extra sriracha. Cooking for the kids? Pull the spice back. This recipe works for every single crowd at your table.

Ingredients for Bang Bang Shrimp

Everything you need here is simple, affordable, and easy to find at any grocery store. The ingredient list is short, the payoff is huge, and I'd bet you already have most of this sitting in your kitchen right now.

What You'll Need

For the Shrimp:

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (21-25 count)
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Canola or vegetable oil for frying

For the Bang Bang Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise (Japanese Kewpie mayo works amazingly here)
• 4 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Juice of 1 lime
• Pinch of salt

To Serve:

• Fresh chopped parsley or sliced green onions
• Steamed jasmine rice or crisp lettuce cups

Why These Ingredients Matter

• Buttermilk for the soak: Soaking the shrimp in buttermilk and egg tenderizes them and gives the cornstarch coating something to grip firmly. This is the step that keeps your shrimp crispy instead of going soggy the moment the sauce hits.
• Cornstarch instead of flour: Cornstarch creates a much lighter, crunchier coating than regular flour. It fries up golden and holds up beautifully when tossed in the creamy sauce without turning soft or heavy.
• Kewpie mayo over regular mayo: Kewpie is made with egg yolks only, which gives it a richer, slightly tangier flavor than standard American mayo. It makes the sauce taste noticeably creamier and more layered. Regular mayo works perfectly fine, but if you spot Kewpie at the store, grab it.

How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Make the sauce first. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, lime juice, and a pinch of salt until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the heat level to your liking. Set it aside and let the flavors come together while you prep everything else.
2. Set up your dredging station. In one bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg until fully combined. In a second bowl, mix the cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper with a fork until evenly blended.
3. Soak the shrimp. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the buttermilk mixture and toss to coat every piece. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes. Don't skip this step because it makes a real difference in the final texture.
4. Heat the oil. Pour about 1.5 to 2 inches of canola oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F. No thermometer? Drop a tiny pinch of cornstarch in. If it sizzles immediately and floats up, you're ready to fry.
5. Dredge the shrimp. One at a time, lift each shrimp out of the buttermilk and drop it into the cornstarch mixture. Press gently so every side is coated evenly, then shake off any excess. You want a light, clean coat, not a thick clump.
6. Fry in small batches. Carefully lower 6 to 8 shrimp at a time into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot. Fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes, turning once halfway through, until each shrimp is deep golden brown and completely crispy. They should float near the surface when done.
7. Drain on a wire rack. Transfer the fried shrimp to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. A wire rack lets air circulate underneath and keeps the coating crispy. Paper towels trap steam and soften the bottom of the shrimp fast.
8. Toss in the sauce. Once all the shrimp are fried and drained, add them to a large bowl and drizzle the sauce over the top. Toss gently until every piece is coated. Work quickly so the shrimp are still hot and crispy when they hit the table.
9. Serve immediately. Plate over steamed jasmine rice or in fresh lettuce cups. Finish with a scatter of chopped parsley or green onions and get it to the table right away.

Hint: Fry in small batches every single time. Adding too many shrimp at once drops the oil temperature quickly, which means your shrimp boil in oil instead of frying, and you lose that crispy coating completely. Let the oil come back up to 375°F between each round before the next batch goes in.

Little Moments in the Kitchen

I started making this at home after Olivia came back from a birthday dinner at your favorite seafood spot and talked about the crispy shrimp for three straight days. She described the sauce in complete detail like she was writing a restaurant review, which I found hilarious for an eleven-year-old. I told her we could make it ourselves and she looked at me like I had said something completely impossible. That weekend we made it together for the first time, and she stood at the stove the whole time asking every thirty seconds "are they done yet, Mom, are they done?"

The moment I tossed the first batch in the sauce, Olivia grabbed one before the bowl even made it to the table. She chewed, went completely quiet for a second, and then said with total seriousness, "Mom. This is better than the restaurant." I may have done a small victory dance right there in the kitchen. She still has no idea there is lime juice in the sauce because the second I mention fruit in savory food she gets very suspicious, so that stays between us.

Substitutions for Bang Bang Shrimp

Gluten-free: Cornstarch is already gluten-free, so the coating is covered. Check that your sweet chili sauce and sriracha brands are certified gluten-free, as some contain hidden wheat.

Air fryer: Spray the coated shrimp lightly with cooking spray and air fry at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy. Slightly less crunchy than deep-fried, but the sauce covers it beautifully.

Lighter mayo: Use light mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt in place of regular mayo. The tang of the yogurt works really well with the sweet chili and sriracha in the sauce.

Dairy-free: Replace the buttermilk with ½ cup of non-dairy milk plus 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using. It works exactly the same way as buttermilk for tenderizing the shrimp.

Variations on Bang Bang Shrimp

Spicy: Double the sriracha in the sauce and add a pinch of cayenne pepper directly into the cornstarch coating before dredging. For serious heat lovers, a few drops of your favorite hot sauce stirred in right before tossing takes the whole dish to a completely different level.

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta: Toss your freshly sauced shrimp over a bowl of cooked linguine or spaghetti with a little extra sauce drizzled on top. Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. It's rich, creamy, spicy, and ready in under 30 minutes total. A genuinely easy dinner that feels completely special any night of the week.

Kid-Friendly: Reduce the sriracha to just half a teaspoon and add an extra tablespoon of honey to the sauce to lean sweeter and mild. Serve in small lettuce cups so kids can build their own wraps. Pair with our glazed carrots on the side for the easiest crowd-pleasing dinner you'll put on the table this week.

Equipment for Bang Bang Shrimp

Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven: Cast iron holds heat the most evenly and keeps your oil temperature steady between batches. A thin-bottomed pan fluctuates too much and the shrimp cook unevenly as a result.

Instant-read kitchen thermometer: This is not optional if you want consistent results. Oil too cool means greasy shrimp. Oil too hot burns the coating before the inside cooks through. A thermometer takes the guesswork out completely.

Wire rack over a baking sheet: Draining on a wire rack instead of paper towels keeps the bottom of every shrimp crispy because air circulates freely underneath. Paper towels trap steam and soften the coating within minutes.

Two separate dredging bowls: One for the buttermilk egg soak, one for the cornstarch mixture. Keeping them separate and working one shrimp at a time gives you a clean, even coat on every single piece every time.

Storage Tips for Bang Bang Shrimp

• Store the fried shrimp and the sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once tossed together, the coating softens and will not re-crisp well at all.
• Reheat: Warm the plain fried shrimp in an air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes until crispy again, then toss in fresh sauce right before serving.
• Do not freeze the sauced shrimp. The sauce contains mayonnaise, which breaks completely after freezing and thawing and leaves you with a separated, watery result. The plain fried shrimp alone can be frozen for up to 1 month and re-crisped in the air fryer, but always make the sauce fresh.

Hosting a bigger spread? Our creamed corn is one of my favorite sides to serve alongside this because it's creamy and sweet and balances the spicy kick of the sauce perfectly.

FAQ About Bang Bang Shrimp

Conclusion

This recipe has been one of the most-requested things I make in our kitchen, and once you try it you will completely understand why. It's crispy, saucy, perfectly spicy, and so fast to pull together that it works just as well on a busy Tuesday night as it does for a full party spread. The sauce alone is reason enough to make this every week.

If you love easy shrimp dinners, check out our shrimp and asparagus stir-fry and our creamy mac and cheese for a cozy side that pairs beautifully with the spice. And if you want to explore even more variations on the recipe, AllRecipes has a great copycat version worth bookmarking. Now go make this. You are going to love it.

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Pairing

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📖 Recipe

Easy Bang Bang Shrimp (Better Than Your Favorite Seafood Spot!)

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This Bang Bang Shrimp features crispy, golden-fried shrimp tossed in a signature creamy, sweet, and spicy sauce. It is a foolproof 25-minute copycat recipe that brings the famous restaurant experience right to your family dinner table!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: American, Seafood

Calories: 415

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 lb large shrimp Peeled and deveined, tails removed.
• ½ cup buttermilk Helps tenderize the shrimp.
• 1 large egg Whisked into the buttermilk.
• ¾ cup cornstarch For that signature light crunch.
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder Added to the cornstarch for flavor.
• ½ teaspoon paprika Gives the coating a beautiful golden hue.
• 4 tablespoon mayonnaise Use Japanese Kewpie mayo if you can find it!
• 4 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce The base of our "Bang Bang" flavor.
• 2 tablespoon sriracha Adjust based on your family's heat preference.
• 1 teaspoon honey To balance the spice.
• 1 whole lime Juiced for brightness.

Equipment

• 1 Deep Skillet or Dutch Oven Use a heavy-bottomed pan to keep the oil temperature steady.
• 1 Instant-read Thermometer The secret to crispy shrimp is hitting exactly 375°F.
• 1 Wire Cooling Rack Placing this over a baking sheet keeps the bottoms from getting soggy.
• 2 Medium Mixing Bowls One for the "wet" soak and one for the "dry" dredge.

Method

 

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the [mayonnaise], [Thai sweet chili sauce], [sriracha], [honey], and [lime juice]. Olivia loves being the 'Sauce Boss', she whisks until it's perfectly smooth and pink. Set this aside so the flavors can get to know each other while we prep the shrimp!
2. In your first medium bowl, whisk the [buttermilk] and [egg]. Add the [shrimp] and give them a good toss. Let them soak for about 5-10 minutes. This is a great time to talk to your kids about their day, Olivia usually tells me her best school stories during this 'shrimp bath' break!
3. In your second bowl, whisk together the [cornstarch], [garlic powder], and [paprika]. This cornstarch is the secret to that restaurant-style crunch that isn't too heavy.
4. Pour about 2 inches of oil into your skillet and heat to 375°F. If you don't have a thermometer, Olivia's trick is to drop a tiny bit of cornstarch in, if it sizzles and dances immediately, we are ready to go!
5. Lift a [shrimp] from the buttermilk, let the excess drip off, and drop it into the [cornstarch] mixture. Press it in so it's fully coated. Olivia helps me 'shake' the bowl to make sure every nook and cranny is covered.
6. Carefully drop the [shrimp] into the oil. Fry for about 2 minutes per side until they are golden brown. Don't crowd the pan! Move them to a wire rack once they look perfectly crispy.
7. Put your hot shrimp into a large bowl and drizzle that creamy sauce over the top. Toss gently with a spatula. We serve ours immediately over jasmine rice while the 'bang' is still hot!

Nutrition

Serving: 180gCalories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 22gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 210IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 2.5mg

Notes

• For the Best Crunch: Always use a wire rack instead of paper towels. Paper towels trap steam, which can make the bottom of the shrimp go soft.
• Kid-Friendly Version: If your little ones are sensitive to spice, cut the sriracha down to 1 teaspoon and add an extra teaspoon of honey.
• Storage: These are best eaten fresh! If you have leftovers, store the sauce and shrimp separately. Re-crisp the shrimp in an air fryer at 375°F for 3 minutes before tossing in the sauce.
• Serving Idea: Olivia loves these tucked into lettuce cups with a little extra squeeze of lime!

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