How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp

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There are some restaurant dishes you find yourself ordering every single time, no matter what else is on the menu. Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill is one of them. That irresistible combination of sweet chili heat, velvety creamy sauce, and shrimp fried so light they practically shatter between your teeth — it has a way of making everything else on the table feel like a supporting act. The great news is that making Bang Bang Shrimp at home is entirely within reach, and once you’ve done it once, you’ll wonder why you ever paid restaurant prices for it.

This copycat Bang Bang Shrimp recipe nails the original in every way that counts: the bold sweet-spicy sauce, the impossibly light cornstarch coating, and that deeply satisfying contrast of textures in every bite. Yes, frying in small batches asks for a little patience — but the recipe itself is genuinely approachable, even on a busy weeknight. Follow the steps below and you’ll have a dish that tastes every bit as good as the restaurant version, and arguably better because it’s still hot when it reaches the table.

Recipe ingredients

FOR THE SHRIMP

1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 cup buttermilk
¾ cup cornstarch
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
Corn, vegetable, or canola oil for frying

FOR THE BANG BANG SAUCE

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
1–2 tsp sriracha (adjust to taste)

TO SERVE

Butter lettuce leaves
3–4 green onions, thinly sliced

Why this Bang Bang Shrimp copycat actually works

A lot of copycat recipes miss the mark because they chase the look of a dish rather than understanding what actually makes it taste the way it does. This Bang Bang Shrimp recipe succeeds because it respects both components equally — the sauce and the fry technique — and treats neither as an afterthought. The balance of sweetness, heat, and creaminess in the sauce has to be right. The texture of the shrimp has to be genuinely crispy, not just lightly browned. When both elements come together properly, you get something that doesn’t just remind you of the Bonefish Grill original — it rivals it outright.

The recipe also happens to be one of the more forgiving fry jobs you’ll encounter at home. Shrimp cook fast, the coating is thin and predictable, and the sauce can be adjusted on the fly to suit whoever’s eating. Whether you’re cooking for spice lovers or the heat-averse, this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe has room to flex.

The secret to the sauce: 3-ingredient magic

The bang bang sauce is where everything starts — and its brilliance is in its simplicity. Three ingredients: mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. The mayo provides the creamy body that coats every shrimp evenly. The sweet chili sauce brings a glossy, tangy-sweet foundation with just enough complexity to feel like more than the sum of its parts. And the sriracha delivers the heat — bold, forward, and unmistakable.

What makes this sauce so endlessly customizable is how easily the sriracha scales. A small squeeze keeps things mild and family-friendly. Double it if you’re cooking for heat lovers. The sweet chili sauce anchors the flavor profile so firmly that the ratio is genuinely hard to get wrong. Mix the sauce first, before you start frying, and let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the shrimp — the flavors mellow and meld beautifully in even just 10 minutes. Once your Bang Bang Shrimp is out of the oil, toss the pieces directly in the sauce rather than drizzling it on top. Full coating means full flavor in every bite. Finish with a generous scatter of sliced green onions for a fresh, sharp note that cuts cleanly through the richness.

The science of the crunch: why cornstarch is key

If you’ve tried frying shrimp with regular all-purpose flour and ended up with something disappointingly heavy or dense, cornstarch is about to change how you fry forever. The dredge in this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe uses a combination of buttermilk, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder — and each one earns its place in the lineup.

Start with the buttermilk soak. It clings to the shrimp’s surface and creates the sticky layer the cornstarch needs to adhere properly. But the real transformation happens in the fry. Unlike wheat flour, cornstarch carries no gluten, which means it doesn’t develop into a bready, chewy shell around the shrimp. Instead, it fries up with a razor-thin crispness that shatters cleanly when you bite through it. That audible crack — the one that makes Bang Bang Shrimp so satisfying to eat — is entirely cornstarch doing its job.

Use large, peeled, and deveined shrimp for the best results. Smaller shrimp get swallowed by the coating, while large ones hold their structure against both the crunch and the boldly flavored sauce. Pat them thoroughly dry before the buttermilk soak; surface moisture is the enemy of a good crust.

CHEF’S TIPNever dredge all your shrimp at once. The buttermilk moisture will cause the cornstarch to clump and turn gummy within minutes. Coat them in small batches just before each goes into the oil for a consistently clean, dry crust every time.

Healthier variations and substitutions

Want to lighten this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe without sacrificing any of its personality? Swap the mayonnaise in the sauce for full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream. Greek yogurt in particular adds a subtle tang that works beautifully alongside the sweet chili base — it tastes intentional rather than like a concession.

For the shrimp themselves, an air fryer is a genuinely good alternative if you’d rather avoid deep frying. Spray the dredged shrimp with a light mist of oil and air fry at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. You won’t achieve quite the same uniform crispiness as deep frying, but the result is still satisfying — and significantly less messy to clean up afterward.

To turn Bang Bang Shrimp into a more balanced plate, sauté a handful of vegetables and serve them alongside or mixed in. Asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces, broccoli florets, or sliced red peppers all work well. They absorb some of the sauce and add color, freshness, and substance to what is otherwise a fairly rich dish. A squeeze of fresh lime over the finished plate ties everything together with a bright, acidic lift.

Step-by-step mastery: achieving the perfect fry

Getting the fry right is where home cooks most often stumble with Bang Bang Shrimp — but it comes down to two controllable things: oil temperature and batch size. Get both right and success is nearly guaranteed.

Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point — corn, vegetable, and canola are all excellent choices. Heat it in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet and bring it to exactly 340°F. This is not a temperature to estimate by eye. Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm before your first batch goes in. Oil that’s too cool will cause the shrimp to absorb fat and turn greasy. Oil that’s too hot will brown the coating before the shrimp inside has time to cook through properly.

Fry in batches of no more than 10 shrimp at a time. Overcrowding is the single most common reason Bang Bang Shrimp turns out soggy at home — too many cold pieces drop the oil temperature dramatically, and the coating steams rather than fries. Give each shrimp room to bubble and crisp undisturbed. Each batch takes roughly 2 to 3 minutes. Drain finished shrimp on a wire rack set over a baking sheet rather than paper towels, which trap steam and soften the crust you just worked to achieve.

Versatile serving inspiration

The classic Bonefish Grill presentation is a clean bed of crisp butter lettuce with Bang Bang Shrimp piled on top and finished with sliced green onions. It’s simple, elegant, and lets the sauce do the talking. If you’re serving this as a starter or sharing plate, that’s the way to go.

But Bang Bang Shrimp is quietly one of the most adaptable proteins in any home cook’s repertoire. Toss the coated shrimp with a pound of cooked spaghetti and a splash of sauce thinned with a little reserved pasta water — it becomes a restaurant-worthy pasta dish in under 25 minutes. For tacos, pile the shrimp into warm flour tortillas with shredded cabbage, a drizzle of extra sauce, and a squeeze of lime. For something lighter and grain-forward, serve over steamed jasmine rice with sliced cucumber and a few drops of sesame oil. Each version is genuinely great; it simply depends what mood you’re cooking for.

How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp at Home in Minutes

Meal prep and pro tips for leftovers

Bang Bang Shrimp is undeniably at its peak the moment it’s made — hot from the oil, freshly tossed in sauce, with that crust still crackling. But with a little forward planning, you can dramatically reduce the effort on the day you serve it. Both the dredge mixture and the bang bang sauce can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and kept separately in the refrigerator. When cook time arrives, all that remains is the frying itself.

Leftover Bang Bang Shrimp keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. For longer storage, freeze for up to three months — provided the shrimp were not previously frozen, since refreezing compromises texture and flavor significantly. To reheat, skip the microwave entirely. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on a wire rack over a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The circulating hot air revives the crust without drying the shrimp out, restoring something very close to that just-fried quality.

Once you’ve made this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe for the first time, it earns a permanent spot in the rotation. Fast enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for company — and far too good to save only for restaurant visits.