Bang Bang Shrimp

Get ready to be blown away by the best copycat Bang Bang Shrimp recipe ever! A lightly breaded and fried crunchy appetizer coated in a creamy, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce with a kick. Tastes just like the real Bonefish Grill restaurant.

Copycat Bonefish Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

Our easy Bang Bang Shrimp copycat recipe recreates the original restaurant appetizer from the comfort of your own kitchen; it comes complete with homemade Bang Bang sauce that both coats the battered cooked shrimp and is served on the side for dipping.

This delicious homemade crispy shrimp dish deserves its viral status on Pinterest – when crunchy crust perfectly compliments a creamy, spicy coating, it’s not hard to see why we’ve fallen in love! See why so many readers have rated this a 5 Star Recipe!

What Is Bang Bang Shrimp

Bang Bang Shrimp is a popular appetizer known for its battered, fried shrimp coated in a creamy, spicy, and slightly sweet sauce. The dish originated from Bonefish Grill, a seafood restaurant chain. The name “Bang Bang” refers to the spicy and tangy sauce that coats the crispy shrimp.

What Is The Difference Between Yum Yum Sauce and Bang Bang Sauce

Yum yum sauce and bang bang sauce are two distinct sauces with different flavor profiles. Yum yum sauce is a creamy and tangy sauce typically made with mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic powder, paprika, and other seasonings. It is often served with sushi or as a dipping sauce for seafood.

On the other hand, bang bang sauce is a spicy and sweet sauce that combines mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and chili garlic sauce. It is specifically associated with the Bonefish bang bang shrimp dish and adds a flavor kick to the crispy shrimp.

Ingredients Notes

• Shrimp: This recipe uses one pound of fresh or frozen medium shrimp, peeled and deveined. However, you can use jumbo shrimp if you wish. If you use frozen shrimp, place them in a bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes to thaw frozen shrimp quickly. 
• Mayonnaise: Mayo serves as the base for the sauce and gives it a smooth and rich texture. It helps to balance the sweetness from the sweet chili sauce and heat from the chili garlic sauce.
• Thai sweet chili sauce: Adds sweetness to the Bang Bang sauce.
• Chili garlic sauce: Adds a subtle heat to the Bang Bang sauce.
• Egg: The mixture of egg and buttermilk helps to create a sticky coating that adheres well to the shrimp. It ensures that the breading sticks properly and helps to form an even crust for frying.
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds a subtle tanginess to the egg mixture and makes the shrimp juicy and tender.
• All purpose flour
• Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are coarser and lighter than regular breadcrumbs, which creates a crunchier and airier texture when fried. Their structure allows for a lighter and less dense coating, making the food less heavy and oily.
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Paprika: Adds a mild heat and smokiness.
• Vegetable oil: I like frying in vegetable oil because it has a high smoke point, so it’s suitable for high-temperature cooking. You can also use Canola oil or sunflower oil if you prefer.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp

1. Make The Bang Bang Sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Set aside.
2. Make The Wet Mixture: Whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
3. Make The Dry Mixture: Whisk together the flour, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
4. Dip and Dredge: Dredge each shrimp in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg mixture, and then back in the flour mixture.
5. Chill: Place the coated shrimp in a single layer on a plate and chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
6. Fry: Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry for about 3 minutes total, turning half way through, until golden brown. Place on a paper towel lined plate.
7. Serve With Sauce: Spoon ¼ cup of sauce over the shrimp, toss to coat, and serve the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Bang Bang shrimp recipes can be served on their own as a crowd-pleasing appetizer with extra dipping sauce on the side. Or they can be prepared as part of the main meal.

Perfect Pairings: Bang Bang shrimp pairs well with white, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a lower carb count. It tastes great when wrapped in lettuce leaves, which is a light option too. You can use it as a topping for tacos and burrito bowls, serve it over a salad, or pile it on top of mixed veggies.

Don’t Discard Leftover Sauce: The Bang Bang shrimp sauce is delicious when drizzled over my Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp, chicken wings, or served as a dipping sauce for veggies and various appetizers.

Tips & Variations

• Chill Before Cooking: Refrigerate the coated shrimp for at least 20-30 minutes before frying. This will help the breading set up and stick to the shrimp when fried.
• Prepare With Pasta: You can prepare this appetizer as a pasta dish and serve it as a main meal. My Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta recipe is delicious for dinner!
• Taco Tuesday It: Grab a taco shell or a soft tortilla, add some cole slaw and the bang bang shrimp to make this into delicious bang bang shrimp tacos.

Proper Storage

• To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
• To Freeze: For longer storage, put the container in the freezer. Thaw completely before reheating. It’s best to freeze the shrimp and sauce separately.
• To Reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crispy. But, if you’re in a hurry you can also pop it in the microwave.

More Copycat Recipes

• Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
• Copycat KFC Famous Bowl
• Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe

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