Bonefish grill copycat bang bang shrimp is one of the easiest party shrimp appetizers that you can make in just 20 minutes. Shrimp is soaked in buttermilk, coated in the cornstarch mix, fried to golden perfection, and smothered in sweet, spicy, mayo bang bang sauce. It’s truly a crowd-pleaser!
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Why this recipe for bang bang shrimp works?
- Soaking shrimp in buttermilk makes the cornstarch coating stick thus ensuring really crispy, crunchy shrimp when fried.
- Deep-fried shrimp is crispy, crunchy on the outside, and succulent inside.
- The spicy, sweet, creamy mayonnaise base sauce also called bang bang sauce is bursting with flavors. It’s finger-licking good!
- It’s so delicious, you could eat it with a spoon. Ridiculously addictive too.
What is bang bang shrimp?
It’s a popular appetizer from the famous restaurant Bonefish Grill.
This crispy crunchy shrimp are covered with a sweet and spicy creamy sauce which is the real star of the dish. Bang bang sauce is fabulous! I love the sauce so much, that I smothered crispy fried shrimp in the sauce instead of drizzling the sauce over the shrimp.
It’s a great appetizer served over a bed of iceberg lettuce. You could also serve it as a meal over a bed of steamed rice.
The sauce is the real star of this dish!
Ingredients needed
Here’s what you’ll need-
All ingredient’s exact measurements are mentioned in the recipe card below.
Ingredients notes
- Shrimp – use medium to large size shrimp. Peel the shell off, and devein before use. For the best taste, I highly recommend you use fresh shrimp. If fresh shrimp isn’t available, use frozen.
- Buttermilk – store-bought or fresh homemade buttermilk can be used. Buttermilk is used to soak shrimp for a minute or 2 before dredging it in the cornstarch mix. Soaking shrimp in buttermilk makes the cornstarch coating stick thus ensuring crispy, crunchy shrimp when fried.
- Cornstarch – it gives a wonderfully airy, crispy, crunchy coating on shrimp when fried. Highly recommend corn starch which will keep it crispy for longer even after adding it to the sauce. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use plain flour, there might be slight variation in texture. Note: to know how to prevent the cornstarch from clumping to the shrimp read the section “How to prevent the cornstarch from clumping to the shrimp”.
- Seasoning – cornstarch is seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and freshly ground pepper.
- Garnish – bang bang shrimp is better when garnished with green onion and toasted sesame seeds (white or black).
Sauce ingredients
- Mayonnaise – use regular or Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise. Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise is slightly sweeter and tangier than regular mayo. It also packs a wonderful umami flavor. Most Korean (and Japanese) recipes usually call for Kewpie mayo. For the best taste use full-fat mayo.
- Thai sweet chili sauce – use any sweet chili sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce gives it an authentic taste. I would even recommend using homemade spicy sweet chili sauce.
- Sriracha – adds a kick to the sauce.
- Rice vinegar – Kewpie mayo has a tangy flavor profile, skip rice vinegar if using it. Vinegar adds tang flavor to the sauce.
- Pepper – season to taste.
- Honey – optional, add if you prefer sweeter sauce. I skipped honey.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: First begin with bang bang sauce. Add mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and pepper to a bowl.
Step 2: Whisk well. Keep aside.
Step 3: Make the flour mix by mixing cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 4: Mix and set aside.
Step 5: Soak shrimp in buttermilk for about a minute. DO NOT marinate shrimp for longer. Shrimp will begin to cook in buttermilk if left longer.
Step 6: Using one hand remove shrimp from buttermilk. Shake off excess buttermilk. Place the buttermilk-soaked shrimp in flour. Using the other hand coat it well in the cornstarch. Shake off excess flour.
Step 7: Working one at a time, dip shrimp in buttermilk and then dredge in the cornstarch mix. Note: to prevent caking of the hand and to avoid cornstarch clumping to the shrimp use one hand to pick shrimp from buttermilk and, the other hand to work with the cornstarch mix.
Step 8: Heat canola oil in a pan. Heat it to 375 degrees Deep fry. Fry shrimp in batches, do not crowd the pan.
Step 9: Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Step 10: Remove fried shrimp from oil and place it on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Step 11: Add deep-fried shrimp to a bowl, and pour sauce over it.
Step 12: Toss to coat evenly. You can drizzle the sauce over bang bang shrimp if you prefer it that way.
Sprinkle green onions on top and, little sesame seeds. Serve shrimp immediately over a bed of iceberg lettuce leaves.
Ways to serve
Bang bang shrimp is popularly served as an appetizer over iceberg lettuce leaves. You could also serve it as an entrée or main dish with a bowl of steamed rice.
More ways to serve-
- Over a bed of salad – yes, works great as a salad ingredient. It’s almost like topping a salad with homemade croutons, crispy, crunchy shrimp can be added to salad.
- Shrimp tacos – so delicious!
- Bang bang shrimp pasta.
How to prevent cornstarch from clumping to the shrimp
Working one at a time, dip shrimp in buttermilk and then dredge in the cornstarch mix.
Use one hand to coat shrimp in liquid marinade and the other hand to coat in dry marinade. No more cakey hands! Make sure to shake off excess cornstarch before deep frying.
Useful tips
- Select fresh juicy shrimp.
- Pat dry shrimps completely to get golden brown fried shrimps. Also removing water will prevent oil from spluttering from hot oil.
- Do not overcook shrimp.
- Use one hand to coat shrimp in liquid marinade and the other hand to coat in dry marinade. No more cakey hands!
- Fry shrimp in batches, do not crowd the pan.
- To add more flavor to the dish, season cornstarch with garlic powder, and smoked paprika along with salt and pepper.
- The shrimp sauce can be packed with more flavors if you like. Add garlic powder and honey along with Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha.
Recipe FAQs
I highly recommend you use fresh shrimp. If fresh shrimp isn’t available, use frozen.
Cornstarch often yields a light, airy, crispier coating compared to flour.
Yes, you can. Bake flour-coated shrimp in a preheated oven at 375 F for about 8 to 10 minutes, then flip once and bake for another 7 minutes or until shrimps turn golden brown.
Allow the oil to come back to the temperature in between the batches of frying shrimp. Do not overcrowd the pan while frying. Another optional step would be to double fry shrimp for briefly 10-20 seconds which will help it turn crispy.
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📋Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimps peeled and deveined
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (adjust to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon Pepper (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Canola oil for deep frying
For the sauce-
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoon Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon sriracha adjust quantity as per spice preference
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
For garnish-
- Green onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- First begin with bang bang sauce. Add mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and pepper to a bowl.
- Whisk well. Keep aside.
- Make the flour mix by mixing cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix and set aside.
- Soak shrimp in buttermilk for about a minute. DO NOT marinate shrimp for longer. Shrimp will begin to cook in buttermilk if left longer.
- Using one hand remove shrimp from buttermilk. Shake off excess buttermilk. Place the buttermilk-soaked shrimp in flour. Using the other hand coat it well in the cornstarch. Shake off excess flour.
- Working one at a time, dip shrimp in buttermilk and then dredge in the cornstrach mix. Note: to prevent caking of the hand and to avoid cornstarch clumping to the shrimp use one hand to pick shrimp from buttermilk and, the other hand to work with the cornstarch mix.
- Heat canola oil in a pan. Heat it to 375 degrees Deep fry. Fry shrimp in batches, do not crowd the pan.
- Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Remove fried shrimp from oil and place it on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
- Add deep-fried shrimp to a bowl, and pour sauce over it.
- Toss to coat evenly. You can drizzle the sauce over bang bang shrimp if you prefer it that way.
- Sprinkle green onions on top and, little sesame seeds. Serve shrimp immediately over a bed of iceberg lettuce leaves.
Video
Notes
-
- Select fresh juicy shrimps.
- Pat dry shrimps completely to get golden brown fried shrimps. Also removing water will prevent oil from spluttering from hot oil.
- Do not overcook shrimp.
- Use one hand to coat shrimp in liquid marinade and the other hand to coat in dry marinade. No more cakey hands!
- Fry shrimp in batches, do not crowd the pan.
- To add more flavor to the dish, season the cornstarch with garlic powder, and smoked paprika along with salt and pepper.
- The shrimp sauce can be packed with more flavors if you like. Add garlic powder and honey along with Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2014 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
Comments & Reviews
Alan Shulak says
So do you dip in buttermilk and cornstarch twice. That’s what the recipe looks like it says
Jyothi Rajesh says
Soak once in buttermilk and then coat in cornstarch flour mix and then deep fry.
Esmie says
On the ingriedients list it says corn flour but not cornstarch are we using both corn flour and cornstarch?
Jyothi Rajesh says
Sorry for the confusion. Please use cornstarch.
Linds B says
This looks amazing! I would like to make these for my daughter’s first communion reception. Do you think I could fry the shrimp, then leave them in the oven on warm for an hour or two then throw on the sauce when we get home and serve? Or do you think that would ruin the integrity?
Jyothi Rajesh says
I haven’t tested this, but I can guess and answer to your query. You can place fried shrimp on cooling rack over baking tray and place in oven. I do not recommend leaving shrimp for long in oven, an hour should be ok I guess.
Jacque says
I made this dish last night and it was better than the original. My husband requested that I make it again very soon.
jyothirajesh says
Oh wow, i’m so glad to hear that. I never really had a chance to taste the actual bang bang shrimp, but the homemade version was killer. Now to have a validation of the recipe fell great! Thank you for trying and enjoying the recipe!