This homemade Bang Bang Shrimp is crispy and saucy at the same time. This shrimp can be served so many ways, but it’s especially satisfying as Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos drizzled with the bang bang sauce.

Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to recreate this restaurant favorite.

Bang bang shrimp tacos drizzled with bang bang sauce

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This recipe will elevate your taco Tuesdays. If you love tacos as much as we do, be sure to add our famous Fish Tacos to your rotation. You can also change things up with Taco Salad or even Taco Soup!

Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos Video

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What is Bang Bang Shrimp?

Bang Bang Shrimp was made popular by Bonefish Grill. They are also called Dynamite Shrimp which was made popular by Cheesecake Factory restaurant.

The shrimp are battered and fried until extra crispy then tossed in a sweet and spicy creamy sauce. It’s just three ingredients for this easy and tasty sauce: mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha hot chili sauce. We can’t help but add a little extra hot sauce for more heat.

Bang Bang Shrimp tossed with Bang bang sauce in a bowl

Ingredients

The key to making great bang bang shrimp is in dredging with corn starch. It makes the crispiest exterior that stays crispy even after adding the sauce. It’s pretty fantastic!

  • Shrimp – we use large 21-25 count raw shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed. Prep is much faster and easier if you get pre-peeled shrimp.
  • Marinade – Combine buttermilk, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to form a flavorful marinade. The buttermilk tenderizes the shrimp, adds flavor, and helps the corn starch stick to the shrimp to form a crust.
  • Corn Starch – creates a golden color and extreme crunchiness.
  • Oil – fry the shrimp in 1 to 1 1/2 inches of high heat oil such as peanut oil or canola oil.
  • Bang Bang Sauce – made of just 3 ingredients: mayo, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha
Ingredients with shrimp, buttermilk, corn starch and seasonings

How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp

  1. Bang Bang Sauce – Combine mayo, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha.
  2. Marinate – combine marinade ingredients and pour over shrimp. Stir and let sit while you heat the oil to 375˚F on a clip-on pot thermometer.
  3. Dredge – Remove shrimp from marinade one at a time, letting excess drip off. Dip in corn starch, tapping off the excess.
  4. Fry – Once all shrimp are breaded, fry in 3 batches for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. Use a strainer to transfer shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate.
  5. Add Sauce – Transfer warm shrimp to a mixing bowl and drizzle with half of the sauce.
  6. Make Tacos – toast corn tortillas, add toppings, shrimp and drizzle with remaining sauce. Serve with fresh lime wedges to squeeze over the top.
How to make Bang Bang Shrimp

Pro Tip: Use a clip-on pot thermometer to keep the temperature of the oil steady at 375˚F and be sure to bring the oil back to temperature before adding the next batch. If the oil cools too much, the shrimp will absorb more oil, if it gets too hot, the shrimp may burn.

How to Serve Bang Bang Shrimp

People have gotten so creative with Bang Bang Shrimp over the years, serving it as a starter or main course.

  • Appetizer – garnish with chives and serve right out of the bowl with toothpicks.
  • Tacos – we love this option because the shrimp already come with a creamy sauce you can drizzle over the assembled tacos.
  • Pasta – toss the saucy shrimp with your favorite pasta. Try adding a squeeze of lime juice over the dish as we did with tacos.
  • Rice Bowls – Serve shrimp over a bowl of cooked white rice, add the same toppings as for tacos, and drizzle with sauce.
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos served on a platter

Pro Tip: To make it easy to drizzle sauce over tacos, transfer it to a ziploc bag and seal. Snip off the tip of the bag with scissors then drizzle sauce over tacos.

Up close juicy bang bang shrimp on a taco

The combination of flavors and textures in Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos is ‘dynamite’ and you’ll fall in love with the bang bang sauce.

More Asian Recipes

If you love to recreate your favorite Asian takeout recipes, then you won’t want to miss these recipes:

Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos (Dynamite Shrimp)

4.99 from 242 votes
Bang Bang Shrimp served as tacos
Bang Bang Shrimp are crispy, creamy, sweet, and spicy. They are so satisfying served as Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos drizzled with that famous sauce.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 tacos (or 12 smaller tacos)

Bang Bang Shrimp:

  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 cup corn starch
  • Peanut oil or Canola oil for frying shrimp

Sauce Ingredients

Taco Toppings:

  • 8 to 12 Small White Corn Tortillas, or Hard Taco Shells
  • 3 cups Purple or Green Cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

Instructions

How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp:

  • In a small bowl, stir together Bang Bang Sauce ingredients and set aside.
  • Make the marinade by combining buttermilk, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. Pour over peeled and deviled shrimp and stir to coat. Set aside while you start preheating your oil.
  • Remove shrimp from the marinade one at a time, letting excess marinade drip off. Dip both sides in cornstarch until fully coated, tap off the excess and arrange breaded shrimp on a platter.
  • Heat 1 1/2” of oil in a dutch oven or pot to 375˚F. Fry shrimp in 3 batches, cooking for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until golden brown, crispy and cooked through (turn halfway if needed). Use a strainer to transfer shrimp to rest on a paper towel-lined plate for a few minutes.
  • Transfer shrimp to a bowl and drizzle half of the sauce over warm shrimp. Toss gently until shrimp are coated and rest for 10 minutes to absorb the sauce.

How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos:

  • Lightly toast corn tortillas on a griddle, skillet for 30 seconds per side, or over a gas flame if you want some charring.
  • Add desired taco toppings, top with 2-3 shrimp per taco and drizzle with remaining sauce.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Notes

The nutrition label (fat content and overall calories) is only an estimate since it’s difficult to gauge oil absorption for shrimp.

Nutrition Per Serving

362kcal Calories30g Carbs14g Protein21g Fat4g Saturated Fat1g Trans Fat150mg Cholesterol744mg Sodium242mg Potassium3g Fiber6g Sugar571IU Vitamin A25mg Vitamin C140mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos (Dynamite Shrimp)
Amount per Serving
Calories
362
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
21
g
32
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
150
mg
50
%
Sodium
 
744
mg
32
%
Potassium
 
242
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
 
30
g
10
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
6
g
7
%
Protein
 
14
g
28
%
Vitamin A
 
571
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
25
mg
30
%
Calcium
 
140
mg
14
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: bang bang shrimp, bang bang shrimp tacos, dynamite shrimp
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 362
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.99 from 242 votes (150 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Rachel Geltman
    May 27, 2021

    These bang bang shrimp tacos were beyond amazing. Thank you Natasha.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 27, 2021

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Rachel!

      Reply

  • Kathy
    May 25, 2021

    Can this recipe be adapted for air fryer?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 25, 2021

      HI Kathy, I haven’t tried making air fryer bang bang shrimp so I don’t have specific instructions for it.

      Reply

  • aG
    May 25, 2021

    I love shrimp tacos and look forward to making these but I must say that I desperately miss Slavic recipes !! Please please post more food from that region. There are so many Slavic and Slavic adjacent foods to explore . I miss those recipes.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 25, 2021

      I hope you love this recipe aG! We sure love our Slavic recipes too! You can find them all HERE.

      Reply

  • Lena
    May 25, 2021

    These probably cant be made ahead, huh?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 25, 2021

      I honestly haven’t tried making this ahead to advise. We usually consume it on the same day we make it.

      Reply

  • Valerie F
    May 25, 2021

    Hi Natasha, Thank you for taking your time and making this wonderful recipe. We had it with my family tonight, and it was delicious and very easy to make. I make almost all my meals from your website so easy and delicious!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 25, 2021

      Hello Valerie, I’m glad the recipe was a hit! I hope you and your family will love all the recipes that you will try.

      Reply

  • Marsha
    May 24, 2021

    Anything I can substitute For the Mayo, allergic?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 25, 2021

      Hi Marsha, I honestly haven’t tried anything else to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • Phyllis R. Charney
    May 23, 2021

    I can’t wait to make Bang Bang Shrimp! But I have a question: why do your shrimp pictured look BLUE? Well, I’m MY monitor anyway, ;>D

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 23, 2021

      It doesn’t look blue to me at all. I hope you like it!

      Reply

  • Victoria Addison
    May 23, 2021

    Hi Natasha, you are amazing!! Have tried probably 15-20 of your recipes and they are all “to die for”!! One question…can you use frozen cooked shrimp? I hate peeling and deveining, simply gross.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 23, 2021

      Hi Victoria, that’s nice to know! I’m glad that you’re enjoying my recipes, I imagine that would work too as long as you follow the instructions in the recipe.

      Reply

  • Malia Qury
    May 23, 2021

    Hi,
    I made bang bang shrimp tacos It is so easy to make it.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 23, 2021

      Thanks for sharing, Malia. How did you like the taste of it?

      Reply

  • Linda
    May 22, 2021

    We made these for dinner tonight and they were awesome. We will definitely make them again

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 22, 2021

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Linda!

      Reply

  • Sheetal Woods
    May 22, 2021

    This recipe looks amazing and I can hardly wait to try it. I wonder, however, if it is possible to do the shrimp in an air fryer rather than deep frying? Has anyone tried it that way, and if so, did it work out well?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 22, 2021

      Hi Sheetal, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

    • Karen
      May 23, 2021

      Was wondering the same thing. Did you try it in the air fryer? I think I would also use lettuce instead of cabbage as cabbage is not something I see in my grocery store.

      Reply

  • Madelene
    May 22, 2021

    Hi Natasha,
    What could I substitute buttermilk with? As we don’t have it available here, thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 22, 2021

      Hi Madelene, you can make buttermilk! We do this if we ever run out. Combine the milk or cream and some lemon, let stand 5-10 minutes, and use it in the recipe.

      Reply

  • Christine
    May 22, 2021

    I currently have a shellfish allergy, but this recipe sounds fantastic! Can I use Chicken chunks instead?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 22, 2021

      Hi Christine, I bet this could work with chicken. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

  • Lori
    May 22, 2021

    I just had breakfast now I need to eat this. I love shrimp. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 22, 2021

      We love shrimp too!! So good! I hope you love this recipe, Lori!

      Reply

  • Jo Robertson
    May 21, 2021

    Tacos were amazingly good. Shrimps were still really crispy after adding the Bang Bang Sauce. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 21, 2021

      You’re welcome, Jo! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with me!

      Reply

  • wilhelmina
    May 21, 2021

    Hands down the best shrimp tacos I have ever had! Scrumptious!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 21, 2021

      Yummy! My favorite too! Thank you so much for sharing that great review with me!

      Reply

    • Rose
      May 23, 2021

      Hi Natasha! Recipe looks great! I have a question that is nothing related to this (lol) but the question is, if I want to cook noodles for macaroni and cheese, what temp should I bring the water to? Thanks! 🙂

      Reply

  • Andrea Thueson
    May 21, 2021

    Oh my goodness, these shrimp were perfection! There were NO leftovers. They were that good!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 21, 2021

      Aren’t they THE best!! I’m so happy you enjoyed that Andrea. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Valentina
    May 21, 2021

    I LOVE this homemade bang bang shrimp tacos recipe! The shrimp is so easy to make and the sauce is AMAZING!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 21, 2021

      Yummy! They truly are the best! Thank you for sharing your lovely feedback with us, Valentina!

      Reply

  • Skylar
    May 21, 2021

    Looks good! For sure will try. I have some suggestions, can you do Auntie Anne’s mini pretzel dogs, turtle brownies, and a chocolate cake that has reese’s in the middle. And the cake has yellow frosting and on top of the cake is chocolate leaves. So the cake will look like a pineapple with the yellow icing and green, chocolate leave, and it will have a surprise inside, which is reese’s pieces! Thanks Natasha! Keep the recipes coming! 🙂 😀

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 21, 2021

      Oh my goodness that sounds amazing! Thanks for the suggestions. If I come up with something great, I will be sure to share it.

      Reply

  • Steven Kellerman
    May 21, 2021

    On this recipe, can you substitute tempura batter instead of corn starch? I’m going to make this but will use Frank’s Hot Suace instead of Sirachi. Thanks again.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 21, 2021

      Hi Steven, yes I think tempura would work great. It wouldn’t be quite as crisp as the corn starch but would still taste nice.

      Reply

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