This bang bang shrimp recipe gives you everything the restaurant version does without the wait or the price. The shrimp come out genuinely crispy thanks to a cornstarch-heavy coating, and the sauce hits that exact balance of sweet, creamy, and spicy that makes this dish so hard to stop eating. It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, uses pantry staples, and works just as well as a weeknight dinner as it does for a party appetizer. If you have been ordering this at Bonefish Grill and wondering how they do it, this is the recipe that answers that question.
- 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined , Tails on or off based on preference. 21/25 count size works best.
- 0.5 cup buttermilk , No buttermilk? Mix 1/2 cup whole milk with 1 teaspoon white vinegar and let it sit 5 minutes.
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup cornstarch , Do not reduce this. Cornstarch is what creates the crackly crust.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable oil , For frying. Use enough to reach 2 to 3 inches deep in the pan.
- 0.5 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce , Mae Ploy or Trader Joe's brands both work well.
- 1 tablespoon sriracha , Adjust up or down based on how much heat you want.
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- sliced green onions , As needed.
- sesame seeds , As needed.
- Deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot for frying
- Wire rack set over a baking sheet
- Two mixing bowls, one for batter and one for sauce
- Tongs or a slotted spoon
- Paper towels
- Whisk
- Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful for oil temperature)
- Pat shrimp dry and soak briefly in buttermilk.
- Mix the dry coating ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Whisk together all the bang bang sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Dredge each shrimp in the coating and fry in batches until deep golden.
- Toss or drizzle with sauce and serve right away.
- Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels on both sides. Any moisture left on the shrimp will make the coating slip off during frying.
- Place the dried shrimp in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Let them sit for 5 minutes while you prepare everything else.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and honey until smooth. Taste it and adjust the sriracha up or down. Set the sauce aside.
- Pour 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil into a deep skillet or heavy pot. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer if you have one.
- Pull one shrimp from the buttermilk and let the excess liquid drip off. Press it firmly into the coating mixture on both sides so it adheres well.
- Repeat with the remaining shrimp, but do not pile them together. Keep them separate so the coating does not stick between pieces.
- Working in batches of 6 to 8 shrimp, carefully lower them into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side. The coating should turn a deep golden color and the shrimp will feel firm when poked with tongs.
- Lift the shrimp out with tongs and set them on the wire rack. Do not stack them or place them directly on paper towels under the shrimp, as this traps steam.
- Let the oil return to temperature before adding the next batch. This takes about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Once all the shrimp are fried, toss them gently in the bang bang sauce or drizzle the sauce over the top just before serving.
- Scatter sliced green onions and sesame seeds on top if using. Serve immediately.
- Cornstarch is what separates a genuinely crunchy crust from a bready one. Do not cut the amount down.
- Fry in small batches. Adding too many shrimp at once drops the oil temperature, and the shrimp end up greasy instead of crisp.
- Give the oil 30 to 60 seconds to recover between batches before adding the next round.
- Always use a wire rack for draining, not just paper towels. Paper towels trap steam on the underside and soften the crust within minutes.
- Dry the shrimp very well before the buttermilk step. Excess moisture is the most common reason coating falls off.
- For extra crunch, double dip: after the first coating, dip the shrimp back briefly into the buttermilk and roll it in the dry mix a second time.
- Keep sauce on the side if you are feeding a group. It lets everyone control how much they want and keeps the shrimp crispy longer on the platter.
- Not drying the shrimp before coating. Wet shrimp cause the coating to peel away, and they splatter badly in hot oil.
- Frying in oil that is too cool. Shrimp cooked in under-temperature oil absorb grease and turn out heavy and soft.
- Crowding the pan. This is the most common reason the crust comes out soggy instead of crispy.
- Tossing all the shrimp in sauce right after frying and then waiting to serve. The coating softens fast once it hits the sauce.
- Using only flour with no cornstarch. The crust ends up thick and bready instead of thin and crisp.
- Overcooking. Shrimp are done when they are golden and the tails curl tightly. Past that point they get rubbery.
- Baked version: Spray coated shrimp with oil and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit on a wire rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Not quite as crispy as fried but a solid option.
- Air fryer version: Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Mist lightly with spray oil before cooking.
- Gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1 to 1 gluten-free flour blend. Keep the cornstarch the same.
- Less heat: Reduce sriracha to 1 teaspoon or leave it out entirely. The sweet chili sauce carries enough flavor on its own.
- More heat: Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to the dry coating and increase the sriracha to 2 tablespoons.
- Tofu version: Use firm tofu cut into cubes. Press it dry for at least 20 minutes, then follow the exact same process.
- Chicken bang bang: Use boneless chicken thighs sliced into strips. Same coating and sauce, but fry for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Coconut crust: Add 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut to the dry coating for a slightly different texture and a subtle sweetness.
- Steamed jasmine rice or coconut rice
- Cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame oil
- Shredded cabbage slaw
- Soft flour tortillas for bang bang shrimp tacos
- Lettuce wraps with shredded carrots and sliced avocado
- Vermicelli noodle bowls with fresh herbs and bean sprouts
- A simple green salad with sesame ginger dressing
- Refrigerating: Store leftover shrimp and sauce in separate airtight containers. Shrimp keep for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: Freeze fried shrimp before adding sauce. Spread them flat on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Good for up to 1 month.
- Reheating in oven: Place shrimp on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Reheat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 to 8 minutes. This method brings back most of the crunch.
- Reheating in air fryer: 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 to 5 minutes works well.
- Avoid the microwave: It makes the coating rubbery and steams the shrimp. Not worth it.
- Always reheat plain and add fresh sauce afterward. Reheating already-sauced shrimp makes them soggy.
Yes. Thaw them fully in cold water first, then pat them very dry before starting. Do not skip the drying step or the coating will not stick.
Large or extra-large, around the 21/25 count range. Jumbo shrimp work but need a slightly longer fry time. Small shrimp cook through too fast and the coating can overbrown before the shrimp are done.
Yes. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed jar. The sauce also works as a dip, sandwich spread, or dressing, so making a double batch is worth it.
Mild to medium as written. The sriracha adds some warmth in the background but not a sharp heat. If you want it milder, cut the sriracha back. If you want more heat, add a pinch of cayenne to the dry coating as well.
Yes, with about 1/2 inch of oil in a wide skillet. The coating will not be as evenly golden, but the flavor holds up. Turn the shrimp once halfway through.
Almost always one of two things: the shrimp were not dried well enough before coating, or the oil was not hot enough when the shrimp went in. Cold oil means the coating does not set quickly, so it slides off instead of crisping.
- Cornstarch is the key ingredient here. It creates a thin, crackly shell that flour alone cannot match.
- No buttermilk? Mix 1/2 cup whole milk with 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Sweet chili sauce brands vary quite a bit in sweetness. Taste your sauce before serving and adjust the sriracha if needed.
- For a thicker sauce coating on the shrimp, add one extra tablespoon of mayonnaise to the sauce.
- This recipe scales easily for a crowd. Just keep the oil temperature steady and always fry in batches.
- The sauce can be served on the side as a dipping sauce if you prefer to keep the shrimp crispier on the platter.
- This recipe intentionally skips panko. The flour and cornstarch blend coats shrimp more evenly and creates a lighter crust.
This bang bang shrimp recipe is one of those dishes that looks more impressive than it actually is to make. Thirty minutes, a handful of pantry ingredients, and you have something that genuinely competes with what you would order at a restaurant. The cornstarch coating stays crispy, the sauce has that addictive sweet-heat balance, and it works for everything from a casual weeknight dinner to something you put out at a gathering. Once you have made it once, the process becomes second nature. You will know how the oil should sound when the shrimp go in, how golden the crust should look before you pull them, and how much sauce you personally like. That is when this stops being a recipe you follow and starts being something you just make. Keep the sauce in the fridge for the week and you will find yourself reaching for it on more than just shrimp.