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 the Bonefish Grill restaurant, an American seafood chain. This copycat version is one of the most popular recipes on the website for a reason, it’s that good! For more addicting Shrimp Recipes, check out my Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp and Pan Fried Shrimp!
Sabrina’s Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe
Whenever I go to the Bonefish Grill restaurant I always order this iconic appetizer. So creating the perfect copycat recipe for this delicious crispy shrimp dish was essential! This is it truly is the best copycat recipe and it has been one of mine, and my readers, favorite recipes for years! Once you’ve tried it, leave me a comment below and let me know if you agree.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha
- 1 pound shrimp (raw), 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. Let soak for several minutes.
- 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. Rest shrimp on wire rack in between batches.
- Once fried coat with the sauce and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Table of Contents
Chef’s Note
Soak the shrimp in buttermilk before breading. This is an essential step for a crispy and thick coating that has enough body to soak up all the delicious sauce, just like the original recipe. I also highly recommend using the authentic Thai Mae Ploy brand sweet chili sauce. 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 sweet and spicy taste.
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise: Use a good quality mayo for a rich and creamy sauce. You can also swap out the regular mayonnaise for low-fat mayo for a lighter sauce.
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce: I highly recommend finding and using the Thai Mae Ploy brand sweet chili sauce, as that is authentic to the original recipe.
- Sriracha: This will add spice and flavor to the sauce. Adjust according to taste, add more if you like it really spicy, or less for a milder sauce.
- Raw Shrimp: For this appetizer I prefer using large shrimp (16-20 count), if you are using smaller shrimp, adjust the cook time accordingly. Make sure they are shelled and deveined.
- Buttermilk: The acid in the buttermilk makes the shrimp extra plump and tender and it makes the coating stick better.
- Cornstarch: Makes an extra light yet crispy coating similar to tempura but not quite as thick. Do not substitute with flour.
- Vegetable Oil (for frying): A neutral oil like canola oil is perfect for frying the shrimp but peanut oil also works great.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
You can prepare the sauce, peel and devein the shrimp, then store in the fridge until it is time to cook. I would not recommend frying the shrimp until just before serving, they always taste best when freshly fried. The fried coating won’t have that signature crispiness and shrimp never reheats as well.
How to Store
- Storing: Store the leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the uncoated shrimp and the sauce in two separate containers so the shrimp won’t get soggy.
- Reheating: To reheat, use an oven or air fryer to keep the shrimp crispy. Preheat to 350 degrees and heat the shrimp for 7-10 minutes. I don’t recommend microwaving the leftovers, 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 and then toss with the shrimp when they are hot.
- Freezing: First, spread the fried shrimp out on a baking sheet and freeze to prevent them from sticking together. Once the shrimp is frozen solid, 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 Sauce!
I like to make a double batch of the sauce whenever I make this recipe, it is just that addicting! Use half the sauce in this recipe, and store the other half in an airtight container in the fridge, it will keep for about a week. Use it as a dip for Chicken Nuggets, French Fries, or Fried Zucchini – basically anything fried tastes amazing dunked in this 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
- Baking Bang Bang Shrimp: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat shrimp with cornstarch, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, and spray with oil. 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 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 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 shrimp that is still frozen or you risk hot oil splattering! Let them thaw in the fridge or defrost them in a bowl in the sink with running water before using in this recipe.
Variations
- Spicy: Triple the amount of Sriracha or add hot chili garlic paste to the sauce for an extra spicy appetizer.
- Coconut: Mix shredded coconut into the cornstarch for a tropical twist. Fry as usual. This one is so good!
- 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.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I bought the sauces off of Amazon and made the recipe the day that they arrived. It is delicious. I havent been to Bonefish in a while so I’d have to go back and taste it to compare but we love this recipe. I’ve never fried shrimp in cornstarch. It made the shrimp so crispy. I see some reviewers stating it wasn’t hot enough but I’m sure that can be adjusted by adding a little more sriracha sauce. I thought it was perfect for us. Once again, thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Bobbi Jo. So glad you enjoyed it!
Don I agree. The heat was not there as much as I would have liked and it was a tad too sweet. I added a bit of Dijon and it cut the sweetness. However, it’s still missing the heat. Looking forward to hearing more!!! ? I’m in a search for a copycat. Our new house is now 60 miles from a BFG.
So tasty and easy to make!!
I made this tonight, followed the recipe exactly, however, while the flavor was ok, it is certainly not the Bonefish Bang Bang Shrimp flavor. Maybe you need to identify exactly the mayonnaise type/brand, similar to the Thai Sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of Siracha just not enough to give spicy flavor. we are friends with the Chef at Bonefish, we will see if they are willing to share the real recipe…
The author uses Best Foods mayo. Use the Light version to cut down on the fat content if you want.
It seems like there is a small hint of Dijon mustard in the authentic Bang Bang restaurant recipe too, but I could be mistaken.
Hope you can pry the recipe out of the chef (and keep them nameless for their protection – LOL). Please let us know!
Question, could I fry the shrimp in advance and reheat? I hate to be frying at the last minute. Thanks!
It’s really better not done ahead of time. You lose some of the texture.
Fantastic! Stayed crunchy for a long time even in the sauce. Will make again!
Love your bang bang Scrump it is delicious.
I made this and it was excellent, but I would love to keep some of the sauce in the fridge. How long do you think this last in a sealed container in the fridge?
The sauce should keep up to 3 days in the fridge if covered in an airtight container.
I would like to make this for a party which would require making it a little ahead of time. Thanks for any suggestions you can provide.
I wouldn’t suggest making a fried shrimp dish ahead of time. It will not hold well and reheating will make it like rubber. I would try making shrimp dish in a sauce or save it for the last thing you do and make it right before serving.
A good sauce based shrimp dish would be https://dinnerthendessert.com/bacon-brown-sugar-garlic-shrimp/
excellent taste just like bone fish grill. Make sure you drain the shrimp after the buttermilk I did the first time and turned out great, I forgot the next time and went right from the buttermilk to the corn starch and had a mess. Thank you for sharing this it is great!
That’s a great reminder! Glad you liked it!
I have tried several versions of the Bang Bang Shrimp and this is definitely the best! It was delicious! I did add a teaspoon of garlic powder to the cornstarch and also a pinch of salt and pepper. Next time I think I will double the sriracha sauce to make it a little zestier, but it was really yummy just as the recipe is written.
A keeper recipe!!
So happy to hear it was the best 😀 Makes my day! Thanks for the review and glad you liked it!
Can you please do a copycat recipe for Cheesecake Factory bang bang chicken and shrimp?
Oooh I will have to add that to my list of to-dos! It is SO good!
Can you use a fryer instead of a cast iron skillet? We tried the recipe before- it was delish! But didn’t get real crispy for us!
You certainly can. I prefer the cast iron but let me know if you like it better in the fryer.
I guess you can make as much shrimp as you want? Recipe doesn’t say. What size shrimp?
I call for a pound of shrimp in my recipe. You can use any size you like, but I typically use Jumbo.
I used my own tempura recipe to make my shrimp and used the sauce recipe provided for the bang bang sauce. Using the measurements above it seemed a little mayo heavy at first. I doubled the thi chili sauce and quadrupled the sriracha. We like spicy so it was perfect for us. Maybe only double the sriracha if you don’t like spicy. Good base but needed adjusted for my liking! I will make this again.
Glad you were able to make it to your taste and enjoyed!
Sabrina,sounds delicious, I am going to make it this weekend.
I am telling you hands down best ever. I loved it so much I made it three times in one week. So easy to make. I did have to kick it up a notch as my family likes things a little more spicy . Thanks so much. If I could I would give it 10 stars I did have to sprinkle the shrimp after they got out of the hot grease with a pinch of salt
Thanks so much Holly!
Very good!
A friend of mine that ran a restaurant used to put these shrimp and the sauce on a tower fried green tomatoes. I’m gonna try making the sauce and doing a sandwich version. I’ll report back for sure!
Thank you!
Excellent, just added a little salt, cilantro & lime to the sauce to up the flavor.
Will make it again & again.
Thanks for the suggestion!
What brand is the Thai sweet Chile sauce
Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce 🙂
Amazing! Added a tiny bit of salt and pepper to the corn starch. The sauce requires less mayo than called for or more thai chili sauce and more sriracha. Other than that, this was amazing. I made a side of white rice and complemented just right.
I have 2.5 lbs. of frozen shrimp. i would appreciate ANY recipes you may have. They are EX. JUMBO SHRIMP. Please help if you can!
You can search all of my recipes in the search bar at the top right of the web page. Type in shrimp and they’ll all come up for you to browse and pick your favorites. Enjoy!
5 star. Thoroughly enjoyed the Bang Bang Shrimp and Jens Jamaican Coconut Pie. Grilled Shrimp and Scallops great also. Highly recommend.
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the dishes! I appreciate the review 😀
I just made this, but I tweeked it a little. I did half flour and half cornstarch, and added oldbay and salt/pepper to the flour and cornstarch mixture. Also added a couple drops of honey to mayo, sriracha and sweet chilli mix. Delicious!!!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Unfortunately I didn’t read the comments before making the sauce but completely agree it was way too much mayo! I doubled sweet Thai chili sauce and tripled sriracha to get the almost perfect sauce.
Can you make this using frozen shrimp?
You need to make sure that the shrimp is thawed and dried. The excess liquid coming from them frozen will effect the batter staying on the shrimp. Enjoy!
Just finished making this for dinner. Absolutely loved it!! I added some salt and pepper to the cornstarch. For the sauce I added extra mayo (my preference for a creamier sauce) and added more sriracha to balance the sweetness. Will definitely make again! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
HI LOVE YOUR RECIPES TRIED THE ONE FOR BRISKET AND IT WAS DELISH!! KEEP THOSE RECIPES COMING!!!! THANKS 🙂
This recipe is fantastic! Just cooked it for my wife and she is impressed. Thank you!
Way too much mayo! Ugh. Will more than cut that in half and add a bit more Sriracha if I try it again.
I made about 3 lbs of this recipe. Tasted great…5 Stars!!! I did have to change the sauce up a bit. Mayo was over powering it, so I added more of the Thai sauce and 3x the Sriacha. When they were coated, I put them under a lo broil to crisp up a bit more. Fabulous!!
So glad you were able to adjust to your liking and that you loved it!
It is super good!! Maybe even better than the bang bang shrimp from Bonefish. But it is not the same. It packs a little bit of heat in the end which I love but its not the same sorry!
Glad you enjoyed it either way. 🙂
The Keys are one of my favorite places on Earth and these shrimp are so spot on and remind me of bonefish grill every time!!!
I am very confused how all these people find this recipe “a copy of the Bang-Bang shrimp”. I literally read ALL the comments before trying to make them myself. (We love the Bonefish shrimp so much that we drive 45 min each way just for them! So, we basically can’t live without them). But the sauce in this recipe is not even close – it’s too sweet and not hot at all. After making the given recipe, I tried to tweak it a little bit by adding some lemon juice and more Sriracha. The Thai SWEET chili sauce is overpowering the other two ingredients. I am sorry, but this is not the same dish.
Can the shrimp be done in an air fryer?
I’ve never tried it so I can’t really say. If you decide to try it, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Did you happen to try this method? I would love to hear how it worked. ?
I used to have a Bonefish Grill nearby, but now the closest one is over 3 hours away. 🙁 I was feeling lazy so I bought frozen popcorn shrimp and baked them in the oven. Then I made the sauce using your recipe. I tossed the cooked shrimp in the sauce and put back them back in the oven just to get crispy. SO delicious!!! The sauce is spot-on!
I was excited when I came across this recipe. I is something I always have when I go to one particular restaurant. The recipe is easy and tastes dee lish us. I am having a hen party this weekend and Bang Bang is on the menu
So glad you loved it, Lydia!
Recipe sounds amazing! However out of curiosity am I able to use something else instead of buttercream?
I really hope you enjoy it! I’ve not tested it before but you might be able to substitute the buttermilk for yogurt. It won’t be a copycat but it might still work.
This is a 5 star bang bang shrimp. I had to make it for my fiance two days in a row it was that good. Thanks for the recipe.
We just made this. Overall, it was okay. Too much mayo and not enough spice. I tried adding lemon juice and more siracha which made it a little better.
This recipe is to die for! I have made it for company and it is always a hit. I do take a short cut and buy siracha mayo. I actually use the sauce on chicken and sandwiches. Highly recommend!!!
Love the shortcut idea too! We all deserve a little help in the kitchen every now and then!! So glad you love it!
Instead of deep frying can I use an air-fryer with the same results?
I haven’t tested it so I’m not sure. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
am I able to prep this ahead of time? Batter the shrimp but leave it in the fridge for a couple hours before frying?
No, if you’re looking to save some time by prepping ahead I would suggest dipping the shrimp in the buttermilk and leaving it in the fridge. Hope this helps.
On a whim, I decided to make Bang Bang Shrimp tonight, so found yours on Pinterest. Took a short while and they were great! I happened to have the same chili sauce, but I added alot of Sriracha sauce. Next time I will reduce mayo (Hellmans) and increase Sriracha. My husband loved it, so thank you so much.
I’m so glad you both loved it! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Made this without buttermilk. I actually did a squeeze of orange juice (was going to use lemon but didn’t have that either) and salt before coating with cornstarch. Turned out really good.
Thanks for the 5 stars, Anna! Thanks for the substitution suggestion.
I made this recipe and it was excellent. Identical to Bonefish Grill. I did end up adding just a touch more sriracha and also a bit of gochujang, for depth, to the sauce. This will be in our rotation! Thanks for the recipe.
What is the brand of chili sauce?
Here is the link to the sauce.
http://amzn.to/2na54mz
This is the best copy cat recipe I’ve ever run across! Made it several times and it ROCKS with flavor and crispness. Delicious! Thank you!
Thanks Pate! I really appreciate the 5 stars!
I just made this amazing recipe tonight! I feel like a gourmet chef! Melt in your mouth, better flavor and crispy texture than the Bonefish Grill! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome, Amyre! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Amazing! Just like the restaurant! Very easy to make! Thanks for sharing this recipe??
You’re welcome, Sharon!
Hello! May I substitute xantham gum for cornstarch? I eat Keto and want to make this but would prefer to use xantham I’d possible. Thanks!
I haven’t tested so I’m not sure but if you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out! Thanks!