This easy Bang Bang Shrimp recipe comes together in less than an hour and is perfect as a main dish, appetizer, in bang bang shrimp tacos, or in our delicious bang bang shrimp rice bowls. Top them with our creamy sauce and enjoy a perfect balance of crunch, creaminess, and just a hint of spice.
The Best Bang Bang Shrimp
We’ve perfected the classic bang bang shrimp recipe leaving you with tender shrimp that’s perfect for a weeknight meal, a delicious appetizer before the big game, or just to gather friends and family. The bang bang shrimp sauce is next level and comes together in a snap. Follow along as we share how to get crunchy fried shrimp right from your kitchen.
Love These Bold Flavors?
If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Bang Bang Chicken!
What You Will Need
- mayonnaise – A creamy base to help all these amazing flavors spread over your shrimp. If you’re feeling inspired, try making our basic Whole30 mayo.
- chili garlic sauce – Flavors of chili, salt, garlic, and vinegar add a true depth of flavor throughout.
- Thai sweet chili sauce – sweet Thai chili sauce is one of our favorite ingredients that packs so many amazing flavors in one small jar!
- avocado oil – With a slightly higher smoke point than olive oil, this is the oil of our choice when we’re frying foods.
- large shrimp – Be sure to remove the shell and tail. If you prefer a different size shrimp, just be sure to adjust cooking time.
- cornstarch – Helps to get a crispy coating on the shrimp.
- almond milk – Grab a plain, unsweetened variety.
- lemon juice – Just a bit to heighten the rest of the flavors.
- large egg – Keeps the yummy bread crumb mixture on the shrimp during the frying process.
- panko bread crumbs – We love this variety for its dryer and crunchier texture compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – Don’t forget about the OG seasonings!
- onion powder and garlic powder – Classic additions that add a depth of flavor.
How To Make Bang Bang Shrimp
Start by assembling the sauce ingredients and mix all three together. Then set the sauce mixture off to the side until it’s needed after the shrimp are done cooking.
Before you set up your dredge station, add the oil to a cast iron skillet and set it on the stove at medium-high heat. Then ensure that your shrimp are thawed and that the tail and shell have been removed.
Next, gather 3 shallow bowls to make the coating/dredging process efficient. Place the corn starch in the first bowl. Then the whisked together almond milk + lemon juice + egg in the second. And lastly, the panko breadcrumbs, kosher salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder in the third bowl.
To prepare the shrimp, take one shrimp at a time and toss it in the cornstarch so that it’s fully coated. Then dip the coated shrimp in the milk and egg mixture, and finally in the breading mixture.
Place the coated shrimp on a clean plate until all the shrimp are prepared.
To cook the shrimp, use a thermometer to ensure that the temperature of the oil has reached 375 degrees F. Then in small batches, add the shrimp and let them cook for approximately 2-3 minutes total, flipping halfway. The color should be golden brown. Once they’re cooked through, used a slotted spoon to remove the cooked shrimp from the skillet and on to a paper towel-lined plate.
Once all of the shrimp have been cooked, add them to a medium-sized bowl and top with half of the sauce mixture and toss to coat the shrimp.
Save the rest of the sauce for dipping or for our yummy bang bang shrimp rice bowls.
Best Ways To Serve Bang Bang Shrimp
This is truly one of those recipes that can be adapted for any occasion. Throw these in our bang bang rice bowl to make it a main course. Or grab a few tortillas and turn them into bang bang shrimp tacos. We personally love them when they’re offered as an appetizer. No matter how you serve them, the plate won’t be full for long!
Recipe FAQs
You can always substitute buttermilk for almond milk in this recipe.
You can always use peanut oil or canola oil in place of avocado oil.
On the off hand that there are any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
If you don’t want to fry these in oil, you can place on a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray with a little olive oil – bake at 375 for approx. 6-8 minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked – feel free to finish under the broiler for a minute (watch carefully so they don’t burn).
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Shrimp Recipes You Might Like
Bang Bang Shrimp
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
The BEST Bang Bang Shrimp recipe! Perfectly cooked, crunchy shrimp covered in a flavorful sauce – serve as-is, in a rice bowl or taco!
Ingredients
Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce:
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (sub Sriracha)
- 2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
Bang Bang Shrimp:
- avocado oil (to fill cast iron skillet 1/2-1 inch or so)
- 1 pounds large shrimp, remove shell + tail
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Sauce: Combine Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce ingredients in a small bowl; mix to combine. Set aside.
- Prep: Add your avocado oil to a 12 inch cast iron skillet and set on the stove. Ensure your shrimp are thaw (if frozen prior) and that the shell/tail have been removed. Gather 3 shallow bowls: in one add the cornstarch, in the second whisk together the almond milk + lemon juice + egg and in the third combine the panko breadcrumbs, kosher salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Prepare Shrimp: Line up your bowls of cornstarch, milk and panko mixture. Taking one shrimp at a time toss the shrimp in the cornstarch (fully coat, but shake off excess), then dip in the milk and finally coat in the panko mixture. Place on a large plate and repeat until all of the shrimp are prepared.
- Cook: Heat oil to 375 degrees F (use a thermometer to ensure the correct temperature is reached and maintained). In batches, add shrimp and let cook approx. 2-3 minutes total, flipping halfway – or until they are golden brown and shrimp is cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Toss: Once all shrimp have been cooked, Place in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 the Sauce. Reserve the rest of adding on top or dipping.
- Serve: Serve as-is with the leftover sauce, in a lettuce wrap, in a taco, rice bowl – however you want!
Notes
- Almond Milk + Lemon Juice: you can sub in 2/3 cup buttermilk.
- Oil Alternatives: you can sub in peanut oil or canola oil if you wish for frying.
- Storage: these are best enjoyed immediately after cooking as the coating tends to get a little soggy if it sits overnight. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Oven Method: if you don’t want to fry these in oil you can place on a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray with a little olive oil – bake at 375 for approx. 6-8 minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked – feel free to finish under the broiler for a minute (watch carefully so they don’t burn) if you want want.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 481.8 mg
- Fat: 24.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.8 g
- Protein: 14.9 g
- Cholesterol: 126 mg
Jessica Scott says
This was DELISH! I air fried my shrimp and they were crispy and perfect. Will definitely make this again!
Erin says
Yay! So happy to hear that, Jessica!