No visit to Bonefish Grill would be complete without an order (or two) of the restaurant’s signature appetizer: bang bang shrimp. The crispy fried shrimp are tossed in a creamy sauce that brings enough heat to make our taste buds sing (but not enough spice to make us sweat). They’re so delicious that we needed to figure out how to make these crispy shrimp without ordering takeout. Luckily, like most restaurant copycat recipes, bang bang shrimp is surprisingly easy to make at home.
What is bang bang shrimp?
Bang bang shrimp is an appetizer created by Bonefish Grill. The restaurant’s menu describes the dish as “crispy shrimp served with our signature creamy, spicy sauce.” The shrimp dish is likely inspired by bang-bang chicken, a Sichuan recipe featuring shredded chicken smothered in a tangy, sweet, spicy sauce. The “bang bang” name comes from the tool used to pound the cooked chicken, opening it up so it can absorb the delightful sauce.
Before you wonder if you have the right instrument for the job, know that there’s no banging involved in this shrimp recipe! Simply combine the mayonnaise and chili sauces to create the creamy, spicy bang bang shrimp sauce. Then, fry the tender shrimp to crispy perfection, toss them in the sauce and enjoy.
Bang Bang Shrimp Ingredients
- Shrimp: Start with shell-on shrimp if you don’t mind cleaning shrimp at home, or cut down on prep time with peeled and deveined shrimp. Either way, we like to leave the tails on, especially when serving shrimp as an appetizer. It’ll give your guests a place to grip the handheld bites.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk lightly tenderizes the shrimp and helps the cornstarch coating adhere.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch creates the lightest, crispiest coating for bang bang shrimp. Unlike all-purpose flour or panko bread crumb coatings, it stays crispy even after tossing the fried shrimp with the sauce.
- Bang bang shrimp sauce: We make our copycat sauce by blending rich and creamy mayonnaise with two types of chili sauce. Sweet chili sauce adds sweet and tangy vibes, while Sriracha chili sauce brings the heat.
- Oil: The best oils for frying shrimp have a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, ensuring the shrimp’s naturally sweet flavor shines through. Canola oil is an excellent all-purpose choice, or peanut oil can be used to give the shrimp a lightly nutty character.
- Optional ingredients: Diced chives add fresh flavor and a pop of color to this bang bang shrimp recipe. The salad greens elevate the shrimp from the plate, ensuring the crispy coating won’t become soggy.
Directions
Step 1: Marinate the shrimp in buttermilk
In a large bowl, combine the shrimp and buttermilk. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Prepare the bang bang shrimp sauce
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce and Sriracha.
Editor’s Tip: You can make the bang bang shrimp sauce ahead of time. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Step 3: Coat the shrimp in cornstarch
Drain the shrimp and discard the buttermilk. Add the cornstarch to a shallow dish. Dip the shrimp in the cornstarch to coat both sides, shaking off the excess.
Step 4: Deep-fry the shrimp
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 375°F. Fry the shrimp in batches until golden brown, three to four minutes. Drain the fried shrimp on paper towels.
Editor’s Tip: The cornstarch coating won’t crisp properly if the oil isn’t hot enough. Use a thermometer to measure the oil’s temperature (one of our top tips for deep frying at home with confidence). If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the oil until the surface shimmers and gives off visible heat waves. Once the first batch of shrimp is cooked, wait for the oil to return to the proper temperature before adding the next batch.
Step 5: Coat the shrimp in the sauce
Add the shrimp to the bowl with the sauce. Stir gently to coat. If desired, serve on salad greens and sprinkle with chives.
Recipe Variations
- Flour-coated bang bang shrimp: Instead of cornstarch, coat the shrimp with all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend, similar to the crispy shrimp used in this shrimp Caesar salad.
- Panko-coated bang bang shrimp: Give the shrimp a crispy breaded exterior by using the panko bread crumb coating used in this air-fryer popcorn shrimp recipe.
- Air-fried bang bang shrimp: Skip the deep fryer and cook the shrimp in a 375° air fryer for three to four minutes per side, similar to air-fryer coconut shrimp. This method works best with panko-coated shrimp, as the cornstarch coating can get a little messy in the air fryer.
- Baked bang bang shrimp: Use a panko coating instead of a cornstarch coating. Bake the shrimp in a 400° oven for 8 to 12 minutes, just like this better than fried shrimp recipe.
How to Store Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp
Bang bang shrimp tastes best straight out of the fryer, as the crispy coating will become soggy as it sits in the refrigerator. If you plan on making leftovers, prepare the shrimp as directed, but do not toss them in the sauce. Store the shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. The sauce will last up to one week in a separate airtight container. To reheat, warm the shrimp in a 350° oven or 375° air fryer until heated through.
Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp Tips
What is bang bang shrimp sauce made of?
Our bang bang shrimp sauce is made with mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and Sriracha chili sauce. The mayonnaise creates a rich, creamy base and the chili sauces add sweet, spicy and tangy flavors. The sauce tastes delicious as a coating for fried shrimp or chicken nuggets, a condiment for sliders like bang bang shrimp cake sliders or a dipping sauce for french fries.
Can you make bang bang shrimp with frozen shrimp?
You can definitely make bang bang shrimp with thawed frozen shrimp. However, the cornstarch coating won’t adhere well to frozen shrimp, so defrost the shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.
What do you serve with bang bang shrimp?
Serve bang bang shrimp over a bed of crispy salad greens as a party appetizer, or use it as the starter course for a seafood meal (perhaps including other popular Bonefish grill copycat recipes). You can also turn the crispy shrimp into a main course. Serve them over grains like herbed rice pilaf or cilantro lime rice, or stuff them inside homemade tortillas to create bang bang shrimp tacos.
