This copycat Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill is a crispy, creamy, sweet, and spicy dish with just a few ingredients! Try it today!
Bang Bang Shrimp is hands down the most popular item on the menu at Bonefish Grill, an American seafood chain located throughout the United States. Tender shrimp with a crispy coating tossed in a creamy, Thai chili sauce – what’s not to love?! For more addicting saucy, crispy Shrimp Recipes, check out my Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp and Dynamite Shrimp!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe
We love, love, love Bang Bang Shrimp in our house! Whenever we go to the Bonefish Grill we actually order two of these appetizers to prevent fighting over them. So creating the perfect copycat recipe for this delicious crispy shrimp AND the creamy sweet chili sauce was essential! This has been one of mine and my readers favorite recipes for years, and I believe it is because it truly is the BEST Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp. Once you’ve tried it, leave me a comment below and let me know if you agree!
Ingredients
- Sauce: ½ Cup Mayonnaise, ¼ Cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, and ¼ Teaspoon Sriracha is all you need to make the amazing creamy, slightly spicy and sweet sauce.
- 1 Pound Raw Shrimp: You’ll want to use large shrimp for an appetizer so there is plenty to go around! Make sure they are shelled and deveined.
- ½ Cup Buttermilk: The acid in the buttermilk makes the shrimp extra plump and tender and it makes the coating stick better.
- ¾ Cup Cornstarch: Do not substitute with flour. Cornstarch is what gives it an extra light yet crispy coating similar to tempura but not quite as thick.
- Vegetable Oil For Frying: A neutral oil like canola oil is perfect for frying the shrimp. You can also use peanut oil. You’ll need a lot so make sure you have enough.
Chef’s Note: Essential Ingredients
Of the countless versions of the recipes online for this Bang Bang Shrimp I looked through, I found one where a reader said he worked for the chain and that they would soak the shrimp in buttermilk before breading. This made total sense to me because most of the recipes I’d seen didn’t have enough body in the coating to be like the original. So that’s what I’ve done here and is a must-have step.
I’d also highly recommend finding and using the authentic Thai Mae Ploy brand sweet chili sauce as that is authentic to the recipe as well. A friend who used to work at the restaurant confirmed this is the brand of sweet chili sauce they use so it’s key to getting that signature taste.
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp
Time needed: 20 minutes.
- Mix The Sauce
Mix mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha until well combined and set aside.
- Soak The Shrimp
Coat the shrimp with buttermilk in a bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes.
- Drain And Coat Shrimp
Using a specialized Turner, remove shrimp from buttermilk, let excess liquid drain off, and thoroughly coat each piece with corn starch in a shallow bowl.
- Heat The Oil
Pour oil into a deep pan about 3 inches deep. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Use a thermometer to check the temperature.
- Fry The Shrimp
Carefully fry shrimp in hot oil until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding. Let the shrimp drain on a wire rack. Don’t transfer shrimp to paper towels or they can get soggy from the steam.
- Coat With Sauce And Serve
Coat the fried shrimp in the prepared sauce, garnish with chopped green onion, and serve immediately.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha
- 1 pound shrimp , shelled and deveined
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- vegetable oil , for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl add the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha and stir.
- In a second bowl add the shrimp and buttermilk and stir to coat all the shrimp.
- Remove from the buttermilk and let excess liquid drain away.
- Coat the shrimp in cornstarch.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan add 2-3 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 375 degrees.
- Fry the shrimp until lightly brown, 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Once fried coat with the sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Can This Be Made Ahead?
Technically yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s going to taste best when the shrimp is freshly fried. The fried coating won’t have that signature crispiness and shrimp never reheats as well. However, you could make the sauce a day or two in advance.
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
- Storing: Store the leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store uncoated shrimp and the sauce separately to help the shrimp not get soggy. The sauce can be stored in a separate container. Consume within 2 days to preserve the best flavor and texture.
- Reheating: To reheat, use an oven or air fryer to keep the shrimp crispy. Preheat to 350 degrees and warm the shrimp for 7-10 minutes. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the shrimp soggy and rubbery. You don’t need to heat the sauce, just let it sit at room temp while you are reheating the shrimp.
- Freezing: Freeze the fried shrimp on a baking sheet first to prevent them from sticking together, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store them for up to a month. The sauce should not be frozen; prepare fresh sauce when ready to serve. Thaw the shrimp in the refrigerator.
Double the Bang Bang Sauce!
I like to make a double batch of sauce whenever I make this recipe because it is just so addicting! Simply just make twice the amount, and store half in an airtight container. It will stay good for about a week. We use it as a dip for Chicken Nuggets, French Fries, Fried Zucchini – basically anything fried tastes amazing dunked in Bang Bang sauce!
Perfect Side Dishes
- Coconut Rice: The subtle sweetness and creamy texture of Coconut Rice is a fun and tropical addition to the dish, especially if you sprinkle coconut flakes on the shrimp just before serving.
- Asian Slaw: Add a side of crunchy Lime-Peanut Slaw made with a zesty combo of cucumber and ginger, and other ingredients.
- Asian Noodles: Make a side of these 5-ingredient Peanut Noodles for a fun and filling family dinner!
Alternative Cooking Methods
These are great if you’re looking for a low-oil option. The shrimp won’t be as crispy but it will still be tasty!
- Baking Bang Bang Shrimp: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat shrimp with cornstarch, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, spray with oil, and bake for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway until golden and crispy. Toss with sauce before serving.
- Air Frying Bang Bang Shrimp: Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees. Coat shrimp with cornstarch, arrange in the basket in a single layer without overlapping, spray with oil, and cook for 7-9 minutes, shaking halfway. Toss with sauce and serve.
Frequent Questions
You can make a quick substitute by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
Yes, you can substitute shrimp with chicken, tofu, or thin pieces of beef or pork.
Nobody likes soggy shrimp. This can happen from excess moisture if they were sitting on a paper towel after frying, low oil temperature, or overcrowding the pan while cooking which drops the oil temperature.
Do not fry frozen shrimp or you risk hot oil splattering! Let them thaw in the fridge or defrost them in a bowl in the sink with running water.
Variations
- Spicy Bang Bang Shrimp: Triple the amount of Sriracha or add hot chili garlic paste to the Bang Bang sauce for an extra spicy sauce.
- Coconut Bang Bang Shrimp: Mix shredded coconut into the cornstarch for a tropical twist. Fry as usual. This one is so good!
- Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos: Serve the shrimp in crunchy tacos, top with freshly shredded cabbage and an extra drizzle of the creamy sauce!
Related Recipes
More Crispy Fried Shrimp Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
One of my family’s favorite recipes. We have to accommodate a gluten allergy in our home and this recipe works perfectly! We make it often. My husband prefers extra spice so we add chili flakes to the sauce. So good!
Glad you’re family enjoyed the Bang Bang Shrimp Danielle and thanks for the five star review.
Can you swap the cornstarch for arrowroot powder?
It’s recommended to use twice as much arrowroot as cornstarch to get similar results. Please let us know how your shrimp turns out!
Delicious ? I’ll be making this again. Also, it was easy and a nice change to how I usually prepare my shrimp.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Lisa and thanks for the five star rating!
We like our bang bang shrimp to have some bang so I added cayenne pepper to the buttermilk marinade as well as the sauce. And, I ramped the sriracha up, as well. Did I measure any of this…nope…just added and tasted…added more…tasted again. It worked because the shrimp were fantastic! Served them in a bowl with asian slaw salad (from a kit but just used the slaw…not the dressing, etc.) and lovely short grain brown rice. It was so good…gonna be in the rotation, for sure! By the way, the recipe is super easy…give it a try! Yum! Bang bang shrimp bowl!!!
You know your way around a kitchen Diana! Thanks so much for the great feedback and the five star review.
Delicious! In order to replicate the sauce exactly, I would recommend tasting as you go. I found that it needed a bit more sriracha than the recipe called for. I still had some trouble with the cornstarch coating frying properly, but I switched to a 50% cornstarch and 50% rice flour mix and the texture was awesome! Will definitely be making again.
You are super creative and I love that you enjoy a bit of extra heat! Thanks for the feedback.
Hi what brand of Sriracha sauce you recommend thank you
I’ve used a variety of brands of Siracha over the years.
Where does all the sodium come from? I would love to try this but being on a restricted sodium diet I would have to pass it up.
Oh my Chris, so glad you asked. I double checked our Nutrition software and ran the numbers again and the sodium count dropped significantly. It was an error with our program. Thank you!
Absolutely perfect. We followed your directions explicitly with outstanding results. Very well written and very simple. This is a favorite of my wife and myself whenever we visit Bonefish. Sometimes we order extra by itself (and maybe a salad) for dinner! Now we can have it at home whenever we please.
Thank you!
Stacy and Nicholas
You’re welcome and thank you for your kind words and the 5 stars.
So yummy! I’m HORRIBLE at cooking however I do try for my husband!! I tried this recipe and it was hands down the easiest/best dinner I have made us!!
soooo good – I did throw them in the oven after coating with the sauce – delicious!
Delish
Use Kewpie Japanese Mayo for an extra creamy punch!
MOUTH WATERING!!!!!
This was tasty, quick and easy. I had these at Bonefish Grill a few times. Made it as posted and it came out great. About 30 minutes from frozen shrimps to the plate. Thank you!
You’re welcome Christine and thank you for the 5 stars!
I want to make this recipe. Do you think Thai sriracha chili sauce in place of sweet chili and sriracha?
Sounds interesting! Did you try the recipe?
If you sprayed these lightly with oil, could you bake them?
I haven’t tried that method. Let us know if you do and how they tasted!
Love Bang Bang Shrimp
And coconut pie
Question is the shrimp raw or cooked??
Looks Delicious and easy ?
Thanks
Use raw and please let us know how the recipe turns out for you!
How long should the shrimp be soaked in the buttermilk?
Around 10 minutes. Let us know how your shrimp turns out!