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This Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer is crispy, fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy and slightly sweet sauce and served with a crunchy refreshing cabbage slaw. Make it for an appetizer or serve with steamed rice to make it an entree.
I love fried food. But it has to be worth the fry. And let me tell you my crunchy ground beef tacos, fried calamari and churros are all worth it. These shrimp fall in that category too.
Every Japanese-inspired restaurant I go to, I have to try their rock shrimp or bang bang shrimp. I think Nobu‘s and Yunomi versions are amazing and this version is inspired by theirs.
Ingredients for Bang Bang Shrimp
- Shrimp – I like using medium to large size. I like remove shell and tail for frying.
- Sparkling water – This makes for a super light batter. I like using San Pellegrino or a can of club soda. This batter is similar to my Baja Fish Tacos recipe.
- Thai Sweet Sauce – This is going to give our bang bang shrimp sauce the perfect color and balance of spicy and sweet.
- Sesame oil – I love adding this to the cabbage slaw because it adds the most delicious savory flavor.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp
- Mix together the white wine vinegar, sesame oil, salt and white pepper.
- Toss with the sliced cabbage and set aside.
3. Whisk the bang bang sauce together: mayonnaise, thai chili sweet sauce, sriracha and rice wine vinegar.
4. Make the batter by mixing the flour, salt and sparkling water.
5. Drop the shrimp into the batter.
6. I like to make sure the excess batter runs off the shrimp.
7. Drop it in the hot oil. And fry it for about 3 to 4 minutes, until it’s golden brown.
8. Place the shrimp on a bed of paper towels.
9. Immediately toss it with the sauce. And mix it up!
10. Serve it immediately. I like to garnish it with sesame seeds, sliced green onions. And then serve it with the cabbage slaw.
Recipe Tip
- Medium size shrimp vs. large size shrimp. I prefer medium size. Both will work great but medium size kind of gives you a more bite-size appetizer.
- Serve this as tacos or in a sandwich. I’ve made them both ways and they’re delicious!
Recipe FAQs
I first ate it at Bonefish Grill. It’s so good there! I have also had it at Nobu (they call it rock shrimp).
Bang bang shrimp will be delicious with steamed rice or the (pictured)cabbage slaw.
Bonefish Grill.
I’m gonna shoot it straight to you: it doesn’t taste that good when it gets cold. It really needs to be eaten hot. You could drop it in hot oil again and refry it and then toss it again with the sauce.
More Cozy Appetizers
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To Make the Cabbage Salad:
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In a medium bowl, mix together the white wine vinegar, sesame oil, kosher salt, white pepper and whisk. Add in the cabbage salad and set aside.
To Make the Bang Bang Sauce:
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To a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, thai sweet sauce, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar and set aside.
To Make the Batter and Fry the Shrimp:
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt and sparkling water. This is our batter.
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In a pan, pour in two to three inches of oil. Heat to 325F to 350F.
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Frying this in batches, dip a handful of shrimp into the batter. Allow the excess batter to drip off. Then drop in the oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a bed of paper towels.
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Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 78IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
