Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
It's always a party over here when we make Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos! Crispy shrimp tossed with a homemade bang bang sauce, served over soft flour tortillas, and topped with crunchy, creamy, and tangy coleslaw. So good!
Servings: 12 tacos
Calories: 368kcal
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg