I am so in love with these crispy Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos. Every bite is crispy, sweet, tangy, fresh, and a little bit spicy.
The shrimp is fried until extra crispy and tossed with a homemade bang bang sauce. We love to serve these on flour tortillas and a creamy, tangy, and crunchy slaw.
This easy recipe is also prep-ahead friendly!
It’s a party over here whenever we make Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos! They are just so delicious – the bang bang sauce is to die for!
There’s so much great texture going on here! Crispy golden brown shrimp served over soft flour tortillas…and topped with a crunchy, creamy, and tangy coleslaw. This is some SERIOUSLY good stuff!
Here’s why I love these Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos:
- Great texture! Deep fried until extra crispy, served with crunchy and creamy slaw.
- The bang bang sauce is delicious: Creamy, sweet, tangy, and a little bit spicy.
- Fresh and bright, thanks to the fresh coleslaw and lime juice.
- Prep-ahead friendly!
Serve bang bang shrimp tacos with coconut jasmine rice plus a generous serving of the coleslaw on the side.
We love cooking seafood over here! Aside from these bang bang shrimp tacos, try these crispy coconut shrimp (served with 2 dipping sauces!), Baja fish tacos, or chili lime shrimp cups.
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What is Bang Bang Shrimp?
Bang Bang Shrimp is a dish made famous by Bonefish Grill, one of our favorite restaurants! It’s one of my favorite menu items, so I had to recreate it at home.
They are basically deep-fried shrimp tossed with a Bang Bang sauce, a creamy Thai sweet chili sauce based sauce. They are served on flour tortillas and topped with slaw. These bang bang shrimp tacos are seriously amazing!
Tips for Making Crispy Fried Shrimp
Deep frying is the easiest and surest way to get super crispy shrimp. This is essential so that the sauce holds up once it’s tossed with the shrimp, and so that it doesn’t get soggy.
Here are a few tips for deep frying:
- Wait for the oil to reach the right temperature: Deep frying should be done between 350 to 375 degrees F to ensure the food comes out crispy and golden brown. Use a candy thermometer.
- Use a cast iron pan, as it retains heat very well.
- Use vegetable oil: Vegetable oil has a higher smoke point than, say, olive oil.
- Fry in batches: Every time you add food, oil temperature drops. Frying in batches makes it easier to bring the right oil temperature back.
- Coat the shrimp immediately before frying: You want a generous coating of cornstarch on the outside to maximize a crispy exterior. Don’t precoat all the shrimp in advance, as you don’t want it to get soggy while waiting in between batches.
Ingredient Notes
For the shrimp and tacos:
- Large shrimp: Deveined and tails off. I like to buy 25 count 1-pound bag of shrimp.
- Buttermilk: Tenderizes the shrimp and helps the cornstarch to adhere.
- Cornstarch: Yields extra crispy fried shrimp.
- Vegetable oil for frying. Do not use olive oil.
For the slaw and bang bang sauce:
- Thai sweet chili sauce: It’s sweet and a little bit spicy. You can find it in the Asian foods aisle at grocery stores or in Asian markets.
- Sriracha: For a little bit of spice.
- Cabbage, cilantro, scallions: I use a blend of green and purple cabbage. Pre-shredded slaw mix also works.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream: For both the sauce and the slaw dressing.
- Limes: For an extra touch of brightness and freshness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 | Make the bang bang sauce
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha.
Step 2 | Make the coleslaw
Mix the sliced cabbage, cilantro, and scallions with sour cream, mayonnaise, and a few squeezes of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3 | Prepare and coat the shrimp
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper
- Combine shrimp with buttermilk
- In batches, coat shrimp with cornstarch on one side
- Coat the other side thoroughly, shaking off excess.
Step 4 | Deep fry
As you coat the shrimp, deep fry them in hot oil (365 to 375 degrees F, use a candy thermometer clipped to the pan). Do it in batches to avoid overcrowding, as adding too much food will lower the temperature of the oil too much.
Tip: Don’t let the coated shrimp sit for too long in the bowl. Coat the shrimp immediately before dropping them in the hot oil.
Step 5 | Toss shrimp with sauce
Toss the fried shrimp with about ⅔ of the bang bang sauce.
Step 6 | Assemble and serve
Warm up the tortillas and place 2-3 pieces of shrimp. Top with the prepared coleslaw, drizzle with extra bang bang sauce. Squeeze some fresh lime juice over the bang bang shrimp tacos.
Make Ahead Tips
The bang bang sauce can be made up to 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container.
The slaw ingredients and dressing can be prepared 1-2 days before and refrigerated. Do not toss slaw with the dressing until ready to serve (it will get soggy overnight).
As for the shrimp, I’d recommend making it right before serving. Deep fried food doesn’t keep very well overnight.
Serving and Pairing Ideas
I love to serve bang bang shrimp tacos with a side of this easy coconut jasmine rice. You can also this Thai Chicken Salad, if you’re looking for something to pair it with.
As for topping variations for the bang bang shrimp tacos, try these:
- Mango salsa
- Avocado slices
- Radish slices, cilantro, scallions
- Shredded lettuce (iceberg or romaine work well) and diced tomatoes
More amazing shrimp recipes to try:
Recipe FAQs
Use a candy thermometer, which can be clipped on the pan. This way, you can monitor the oil temperature throughout the cooking process and adjust the heat as needed.
You can’t use wet batter in an air fryer. If you want to air fry the shrimp, adjust the recipe to use a breading technique instead. Try following my coconut shrimp recipe for the breading technique, but leave out the coconut. Air fry for about 8-9 minutes at 390 degrees F.
You can make the sauce and the coleslaw in advance, but add the slaw dressing right before serving. I wouldn’t recommend frying the shrimp in advance.
Let the oil cool down and then carefully transfer it into an empty disposable and sealable container. Discard in the garbage.
This recipe was published in 2020 and updated in August 2022 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- Use large shrimp, as it tends to shrink while cooking.
- Use a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature of oil (they clip on the side of your pan). Deep frying should be done between 350 to 375 degrees F to ensure the food comes out crispy and golden brown.
- Use a cast iron deep pan, if possible. They retain heat very well. I used this 3.6-quart cast iron braiser because it’s shallow, but this 3.5 quart Dutch oven pot works too.
- For deep frying, use vegetable oil or any oil that has a high smoke point.
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Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
- Candy thermometer to check oil temperature
Ingredients
Bang bang sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce - I'd recommend the Mae Ploy brand, see note
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha - or to taste
Coleslaw topping
- 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Juice of 1 lime - or to taste
Shrimp tacos
- 1 pound large shrimp (25-count) - deveined, peeled and tails removed
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 to 2 cups cornstarch - or as needed
- Vegetable oil for frying - enough to fill about 2 inches deep in pan
- 12 soft flour tortillas - taco-sized
- Lime wedges - for serving
Instructions
Make the bang bang sauce
- In a medium bowl, mix the bang bang sauce ingredients (mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha) until evenly combined. Set aside.
Make the coleslaw topping
- In a large bowl, combine the slaw ingredients – green cabbage, purple cabbage, sliced scallions, cilantro, mayonnaise, sour cream, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Toss to combine evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Fry the shrimp
- Pat dry shrimp and season with ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Heat oil (about 2 inches deep) in a large Dutch oven until the oil’s temperature reaches 365 to 375 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer to measure the oil’s temperature.
- When the oil is approaching 365 to 375 degrees F, toss shrimp with buttermilk. Transfer the buttermilk-coated shrimp (one at a time) into a shallow bowl with cornstarch, leaving excess buttermilk behind. Generously coat the shrimp with cornstarch on both sides. Note: only coat the shrimp you’re going to fry in each batch at a time. Don’t precoat all the shrimp in advance, as it can get soggy while waiting in between batches.
- When the oil has reached 365 to 375 degrees F, deep fry shrimp in batches for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Transfer cooked shrimp to a plate lined with paper towel to soak any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, cooking in batches. Note: the oil temperature will drop whenever you add food – you can increase the heat, it will gradually come back up.
- In a large bowl, toss the fried shrimp with about ⅔ of the prepared bang bang sauce.
Assemble
- Top each warm flour tortilla with about 2 pieces of shrimp and top with the prepared coleslaw. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top and drizzle some of the remaining bang bang sauce on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Thai sweet chili sauce: I’d recommend using the Mae Ploy brand. They come in bottles in the Asian food section at most grocery stores. Sometimes, I use Thai chili garlic sauce interchangeably if I don’t have sweet chili sauce.
- Use large shrimp, since it tends to shrink when cooked. I always buy 25 count shrimp (1 pound).
- Use a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature of oil (they clip on the side of your pan). Deep frying should be done between 350 to 375 degrees F to ensure the food comes out crispy and golden brown.
- Use a cast iron pan – they retain heat very well, which is great for keeping the oil temperature high enough for frying.
- For deep frying, use vegetable oil or any oil that has a high smoke point. Don’t use olive oil because of its low smoke point, meaning it starts burning at lower temperatures.
- Prep ahead: Make the bang bang sauce and the coleslaw in advance, but add the slaw dressing right before serving. I wouldn’t recommend frying the shrimp in advance.
- Storing: Shrimp might get soggy when refrigerated overnight, but it will still be as delicious! Store in airtight containers.
- How to discard oil safely: Let the oil cool down and then carefully transfer it into an empty disposable and sealable container, such as an empty pasta jar. Discard in the garbage.
- Coleslaw: Pre-shredded bagged coleslaw mix.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream (for the slaw): Greek yogurt.
- Flour tortillas: Any type of taco-sized tortillas will work.
- Cornstarch: I’d highly recommend using cornstarch, as it results in crispier food compared to flour. Flour works too, although it may not be as crispy.
Denee says
This is a hit in my house, we are making it for the second time tonight, fish included. I didn’t know you could fry with cornstarch thanks for the free game
April says
This shrimp tacos is the bomb! Cut back on carbs using the 0 carb shells! Was looking for a shrimp tacos recipe and daughter liked it and my husband couldn’t stop eating it! 10 stars!
Cassandra says
My family loved these!!! Even my kiddo that doesn’t like shrimp loved them!!
Tania says
Thank you Cassandra! So happy to hear!