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You are here: Home / Appetizers / Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe – Bonefish Grill

Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe – Bonefish Grill

July 14, 2016 By Joe Boyle 59 Comments

6.1K shares
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Last Updated on April 21, 2025

Are you a fan of the mouthwatering bang bang shrimp from Bonefish Grill? If you’ve ever tasted this popular appetizer, you know just how addictive it can be.

But what if you could recreate that Crispy, tangy, and spicy goodness in your own kitchen? Well, you’re in luck! In this blog post, we’re going to share with you a copycat bang bang shrimp recipe that will satisfy your cravings and impress your family and friends.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

Bang bang shrimp copycat recipe with shrimp ready to eat.

Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp, $12.90 for an order. Mary Jo and I like to get an order for each of us, a side Salad, and call it supper.  

Add to that a happy hour-priced chardonnay, (4 pm until 6:30 pm in Florida). Yummy eats.  

I’ve wanted to re-create this and finally got around to it.  This recipe is pretty darn close to the original recipe from Bonefish Grill.

Sauce ingredients for the bang bang sauce.

Jump To Contents:

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  • Bang Bang Shrimp Ingredients
  • Creating The Crunchy Coating
  • Preparing and Frying the Shrimp Appetizer
  • Alternative Ways To Serve The Bang Bang Shrimp
  • Looking for more Seafood recipe ideas?
  • Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

Bang Bang Shrimp Ingredients

To start, let’s gather the ingredients you’ll need for this delicious Appetizer. Don’t worry; you can usually find these items easily at your local grocery store.

For the bang bang sauce, you’ll need mayonnaise, Mae Ploy Brand Thai sweet chili sauce, and Huy Fong Chili garlic sauce. These ingredients come together to create a creamy and spicy Sauce that perfectly complements the shrimp.

You may like a little more heat in the sauce so you could add some Sriracha to the mayonnaise hot sauce if desired.

Now, let’s move on to the star of the showโ€”the shrimp! Bonefish Grill uses small shrimp for their Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer. 

I use frozen, 60-80-size raw shrimp that is peeled and ready to use once it is thawed. My Walmart sells a 12-ounce bag of these shrimp for around $5.00. (This is the shrimp used in the photos).

Larger shrimps are fine to use also but the frying time would be a little bit longer.

Creating The Crunchy Coating

The breading ingredients are cornstarch, Panko Breadcrumbs, and baking soda.

Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp has a distinct Crunch, and this was a little harder to recreate.  

I tried Breading with all-purpose flour, straight cornstarch, flour/cornstarch combined, then cornstarch with some panko breadcrumbs.  

Straight Cornstarch is pretty good, but adding some panko breadcrumbs gave the shrimp a nice crunch that was closer to Bonefish Grill Bang Bang shrimp.

After making the recipe again, I added 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the cornstarch dredge and the shrimp browned much better.

It makes a really nicely browned shrimp.

Breaded shrimp ready to fry on a kitchen spider.

Preparing and Frying the Shrimp Appetizer

First, place the shrimp in a bowl with 1 to 1 1/2 cups of Buttermilk. Let them soak for about 30 minutes.

This will prevent any off-flavors and take the place of an Egg Wash. The moisture from the milk will be just enough to get a thin coating of the cornstarch/Panko breadcrumb mixture.

Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan with sunflower or Peanut Oil over medium heat. You want the oil to reach a temperature of around 350ยฐF for optimal frying.

In a shallow bowl. mix the cornstarch, Panko breadcrumbs, and baking soda.

Work in batches of about 10 to 12 small shrimp or 6 or 8 larger shrimp. Remove them from the buttermilk and allow them to drip excess milk and then place them into the cornstarch mixture to coat. 

Carefully place them into the Hot Oil to fry for 2 to 3 minutes until browned.

It is easiest to use a kitchen spider (ad), to dip the shrimp into the oil. Otherwise, a large, slotted spoon could also be used.

Deep fryer bubbling away frying the shrimp.

After frying, place the fried shrimp onto a Cooling Rack that has paper toweling under it to catch any oil drips. The cooling rack will prevent the shrimp from becoming soggy as if placed directly on paper towels.

Continue with the remaining shrimp.

Combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a medium-sized bowl. Place the fried shrimp into the Bang Bang Sauce and stir to coat. The tangy and Spicy sauce will take the flavor of the shrimp to a whole new level.

Serve the Bang Bang Shrimp in a bowl with shredded Lettuce and chopped Green Onion.

Bang bang shrimp with chopped green onion.

Alternative Ways To Serve The Bang Bang Shrimp

You can enjoy the bang bang shrimp as a standalone Appetizer or get creative with different serving options.

For a delightful twist, try using the shrimp in shrimp tacos or as a topping for a refreshing shrimp salad.

You can even turn it into a Main Course by pairing it with brown rice and a side of steamed vegetables.

 

Close up of the fried shrimp.

Serve the shrimp with dry white wine or not-too-sweet rosรฉ wine. 

For a non-alcoholic drink, have some water with a wedge of lemon.

This is the type of appetizer to make if you are having an informal gathering with friends. 

Once all the ingredients are laid out, the frying goes quickly, and you want to eat these soon after they’re done.  

Serve on a bed of chopped lettuce and garnish with some green onions.  This is delicious!

Looking for more Seafood recipe ideas?

  • Air Fryer Shrimp
  • Perfect Salmon Loaf
  • Shrimp Penne with Vodka Sauce
  • Crepes St Jacques
Bowl of bang bang shrimp ready to eat.

Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

This recipe comes pretty close to the taste and texture of the original Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp.
4.56 from 25 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bang bang shrimp, bonefish grill bang bang shrimp
Prep Time: 50 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 2 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 276kcal
Author: Joe Boyle

Ingredients

  • 12 oz . shrimp , 60-80 size, raw, shelled and de-veined, thawed
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 3 to 4 cups sunflower or peanut oil (or other high smoke point oil)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • Lettuce shredded for serving
  • green onions chopped as garnish

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise , (or Miracle Whip for slightly sweeter sauce)
  • 3 tbsp Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp Huy Fong chili garlic sauce
  • Sriracha sauce if more heat is desired
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Instructions

  • Place thawed shrimp in a bowl and cover with buttermilk, soak for 30 minutes or more.
  • Mix cornstarch, panko crumbs and baking soda in a shallow bowl.
  • Place cooking oil in a 2-quart saucepan or Dutch oven and heat oil to 350ยฐ.
  • Remove 10 to 12 shrimp from the buttermilk, pat dry on paper towels, coat with cornstarch/panko mixture, place shrimp in a spider mesh basket and lower into hot oil. (You can also carefully lower the shrimp into the oil one at a time, fry and remove from the oil with a slotted spoon).
  • Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp is medium browned.
  • Remove the shrimp with the spider and place them on a cooling rack that has paper towels under it.
  • Repeat for the remaining shrimp.
  • Place the fried shrimp into the bang bang sauce and stir to coat.
    Serve in a bowl with shredded lettuce and green onions to garnish.

Sauce

  • Mix ingredients well in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Notes

  1. Nutrition information is estimated.
  2. Larger shrimp can be used but I was trying to duplicate the authentic Bonefish Grill size. Larger shrimp may take a bit more time to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal
 

Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp collage.
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Filed Under: Appetizers, Seafood, Shrimp

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Comments

  1. Susanne Ridolfi

    May 23, 2022 at 7:42 am

    5 stars
    Made this recipe last night. Delicious! So easy and fast. Will definitely make again. May try this recipe with boneless chicken. Not everyone in my family likes shrimp.

    Reply
    • Joe

      May 23, 2022 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Susanne. Thanks for the comment. This recipe works really well with small chicken bites.

      Reply
  2. Natalie

    January 9, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    Do you think this would do well as an airfryer recipe?

    Appreciate your help and output ahead of time.

    Reply
    • Joe

      January 9, 2020 at 10:49 pm

      Hi Natalie, thanks for the comment. Sorry but an air fryer would not give you the the same results as deep frying.

      Reply
  3. Julie

    July 13, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    So I wanted to make this tonight for dinner and found shrimp on sale but it was 26-30 count. Should I cook them whole or cut them in half? Can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    • Joe

      July 13, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      Julie, just keep them whole. Since they are larger, they may take a few seconds longer to cook, but they will be fine. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Davey

    February 26, 2018 at 10:47 pm

    I would like to try this recipe but seafood has an image problem for me they live in their own toilet lol we have a bonefish grill here in Cleveland but I have never been I was wondering can I use my Dutch oven to fry the shrimp in? That is my go to fryer no basket please advise.

    Reply
    • Joe

      February 26, 2018 at 11:10 pm

      Hey Davey…if you don’t agree with shrimp, best not eat this,lol. A dutch oven is perfect for frying in. A basket strainer is the best tool to use for frying these shrimp, but a large slotted spoon would work too. Just work in smaller batches. With the spicy sauce, I think you will love it. Don’t skimp on the sauce ingredients. I don’t know of or recommend substitutes.

      Reply
    • Dean

      June 16, 2018 at 9:41 am

      5 stars
      Chicken works great with this recipe for those who do not like seafood,

      Reply
      • Joe

        June 16, 2018 at 10:01 am

        Thanks Dean. That sounds good.

        Reply
  5. Peg McCarthy

    February 22, 2018 at 12:45 pm

    5 stars
    Daughter Made these last night and they came out terrific. We have them as a whole meal so used larger shrimp and cut in half, used 46 shrimp. Use an electric wok at 375 degrees in canola oil, a small jar was more than enough oil. Cooked crispy 2 minutes each batch and used the mesh spoon to get them out. Otherwise followed his directions. They were spot on delicious. Thank you for the recipe. Looking for more ideas.

    Reply
    • Joe

      February 22, 2018 at 1:14 pm

      Hi Peg. Thanks for the nice comment. Glad you liked the shrimp.

      Reply
  6. Jenn

    February 3, 2018 at 11:23 pm

    Do you use egg at all before placing shrimp
    in the Panko dredge? Making this for Super Bowl!????????

    Reply
    • Joe

      February 4, 2018 at 12:17 am

      Hi Jenn…no egg is used for these. If you soak the shrimp in buttermilk, just pat them with paper towels but keep the shrimp slightly moist. The batter mixture will stick to the shrimp really well.

      Reply
  7. Nikki

    January 13, 2018 at 4:49 am

    5 stars
    I made this for my family and they loved the recipe so much they asked for it the next night as well. Quick and easy meal, thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Joe

      January 13, 2018 at 7:16 am

      Thanks Nikki. Glad you and your family liked it.

      Reply
  8. Leann

    December 14, 2017 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    In searching for Bang Bang recipes I found one prior to yours wherein an actual employee confirmed the ingredients. I was leery. Then I saw yours which had the exact same ingredient but added panko. I think you nailed it!

    Reply
    • Joe

      December 14, 2017 at 2:03 pm

      Hi Leann. Thank you for the nice comment.

      Reply
  9. Shelia

    December 5, 2017 at 7:28 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for the tips. I used the basket to fry mine. The breading was great and crunchy. I cut down the spicy a bit but we loved this recipe. We did more shrimp and put it on lettuce like a salad. Delicious.

    Reply
    • Joe

      December 5, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      Thanks for the comment Sheila. Glad you liked it.

      Reply
  10. Johanna

    November 16, 2017 at 5:47 pm

    5 stars
    We made this last night for appetizer as written and hubby went out of his mind ????. He thought it was better than bonefish. Loved the sauce. Thank you for the tips and tricks.

    Reply
    • Joe

      November 16, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      Thanks Johanna. I really appreciate your nice comment. So glad it was a hit with your husband.

      Reply
  11. Mary C.

    October 7, 2017 at 12:28 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely perfect! I usually think “copycat” recipes are close but not quite….but this one is SPOT ON! Thank you for taking the time to decipher the perfect ingredients and directions! Love love love it! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Joe

      October 7, 2017 at 9:05 am

      Thanks Mary. So glad you liked it.

      Reply
  12. Andrea McVey

    July 22, 2017 at 11:17 pm

    5 stars
    My husband doesn’t care for shrimp and LOVED this recipe! I used a deep fryer with basket and they came out perfect and not greasy! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Joe

      July 23, 2017 at 12:03 am

      Fantastic Andrea, glad you liked this.

      Reply
  13. Jell

    June 9, 2017 at 9:01 am

    Hi! This looks sooo good! I’m making this tonight! Although I’d rather fry them, have you ever baked them? If so, how would you recommend doing it?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Joe

      June 9, 2017 at 10:37 am

      Hi Jell. I have not tried baking them. If I were to try this, I’d put a cooling rack into a baking sheet and spray with some non-stick and bake them at a high temperature like 450ยฐ. Keep a close eye on them, it may take 10 to 15 minutes to brown. Also, if you are using larger shrimp, you could try to broil them. Put them 6 or 8 inches from the broiler for a couple minutes, then turn and brown the other side. This is really a trial and error situation. Good luck. Let me know how it works out if you try this.

      Reply
      • Jell

        June 9, 2017 at 6:57 pm

        I ended up frying them. I had a problem problem with the breading falling off . I didn’t have a spider basket but next time I will try this method. Also, I couldn’t find sweet chili sauce , that was made in a peanut free facility, so I added plain sriracha chili sauce and added honey. This was very good! Looking forward to making it again and I’ll try baking them, also. Thank you for your recipe!

        Reply
        • Joe

          June 9, 2017 at 7:28 pm

          Hi Jell. I’m glad you tried it. If the cornstarch gets too thick, it will have a tendency to fall off. Next time you will do it perfectly!

          Reply
  14. Marcy

    May 18, 2017 at 12:18 pm

    I want to make this to take to a friend’s for an appetizer. How do I keep it hot for the 15 minute drive? And should I wait to put the sauce on the shrimp until I get there? Would it work to heat in the oven?

    Reply
    • Joe

      May 18, 2017 at 2:06 pm

      Hi Marcy. I would wait to add the shrimp to the sauce, heat the fried shrimp and sauce as necessary. An oven would be best for the shrimp to make sure it stays a little crispy. Microwave would be fine for the sauce. Then combine the two. Have a fun party.

      Reply
      • Marcy

        May 18, 2017 at 4:03 pm

        Perfect! Thanks!

        Reply
  15. C

    March 26, 2017 at 7:28 pm

    Great recipe! Made this, based on reviews, and it didn’t disappoint! My kids (who are not picky eaters, but know when it’s a good recipe) LOVED it! The only thing I did differently was using a cast-iron pan and frying with small amounts of oil in small batches. Still turned out great!

    Reply
  16. Amber Jackson

    March 17, 2017 at 6:56 pm

    Making this tonight for my husbands 30th Birthday dinner ๐Ÿ™‚ he requested bang bang shrimp from bonefish but didn’t want to go out so I found this recipe and we are so excited to try it!

    Reply
    • IPW

      March 25, 2017 at 4:44 pm

      How was it?!?!

      Reply
  17. Cynthia

    February 21, 2017 at 8:09 pm

    I had a typo in my precious email address-
    this is the correct one

    Reply
  18. Cynthia

    February 21, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    I made this tonight & it was amazing! I can’t imagine a better recipe for these shrimp. I read 3 or 4 copycat recipes before settiling on this one, and it is perfect! I followed your directions exactly, along with every tip you gave, and it was wonderful! I am a pretty good cook, & tweak a lot of recipes, but not this one-it is wonderful! Thank you, Joe!

    Reply
    • Joe

      February 21, 2017 at 8:56 pm

      Hi Cynthia. Thank you for the nice review. Glad you liked it.

      Reply
  19. Ryan

    February 18, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    5 stars
    I Love this recipe. One small change that I think makes it more bang bang like… PEANUT BUTTER. One tablespoon to the sauce gave it that Thai peanut flavor to mix with everything else. I never comment on recipes but the world needs to know about this. One of the best things to ever come out of my kitchen!!

    Reply
    • Joe

      February 18, 2017 at 10:05 pm

      Hey Ryan thanks for the comment. I’ll have to try the peanut butter next time I make this. Interesting flavor profile I’m sure.

      Reply
  20. Sherrie Marie

    February 10, 2017 at 10:03 am

    I am excited to try this tonight after seeing all the nice comments from people , I have never had bang bang Shrimp But I have always heard they were delicious ! Thank you for sharing

    Reply
  21. Caleb

    February 4, 2017 at 12:32 am

    Hello,

    I’ve never cooked shrimp at home before but this recipe inspires me to try! Can you clarify– is it supposed to be raw or pre-cooked frozen-shelled-de-veined shrimp?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Joe

      February 4, 2017 at 1:09 am

      Hi Caleb, to make this dish, use raw shrimp.

      Reply
  22. Anshu

    January 6, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    I so loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Joe

      January 6, 2017 at 10:00 pm

      Thanks for your comment Anshu, glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  23. Kelsey

    December 3, 2016 at 12:35 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! We use to live near a Bone Fish grille but since we moved further away we don’t go as often. I found this recipe one day when I was craving some bang bang shrimp and it tastes EXACTLY like the real thing. This is hands down the most successful copy cat recipe I’ve ever tried. Thank you so much for sharing!!!

    Reply
    • Joe

      December 3, 2016 at 3:45 pm

      Thanks Kelsey. What a nice comment!

      Reply
  24. Ellie Augustin

    November 7, 2016 at 11:56 am

    Oh my gosh! This looks SO good! I have to make this. Thanks so much for sharing! Now I’m hungry ha.

    Reply
    • Joe

      November 7, 2016 at 4:37 pm

      Hi Ellie. Thanks for the comment…and it is really good!

      Reply
  25. Marie

    October 24, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    I have been telling my boyfriend we need to go to Bonefish Grill since we moved near one. I think it’s time to cash in on this because those shrimp look banging….no pun intended lol

    Reply
    • Joe

      October 24, 2016 at 11:34 pm

      Ha Ha…Thanks Marie…Don’t want to come between you two, but try the Bonefish bang bang shrimp. I’ll think you’ll love it! Then try my recipe.!

      Reply
  26. Michaela

    October 24, 2016 at 8:59 pm

    This looks so yummy I need to try!

    Reply
    • Joe

      October 24, 2016 at 9:03 pm

      Michaela…Invite some friends and have a great appetizer

      Reply
  27. Laura

    August 17, 2016 at 12:46 pm

    5 stars
    My boyfriend and I made bang bang shrimp tacos last night using this recipe and they were fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Joe

      August 17, 2016 at 3:22 pm

      Thanks Laura…that sounds really tasty. I’ll have to try them as tacos.

      Reply
  28. Alison McLean

    August 2, 2016 at 7:32 pm

    It looks simply scrumptious!! Can’t wait to try.

    Reply
    • Joe

      August 3, 2016 at 11:34 pm

      Hi Allison, please let us know how it turns out for you. We love shrimp and this is one of our favorite meals with a salad and a glass of wine.
      Thanks for your nice comment!

      Reply
  29. MaryJo

    July 15, 2016 at 9:48 am

    5 stars
    If you like shrimp, it’s really worth your time to make this recipe. It’s really delicious!

    Reply
4.56 from 25 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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