Shop
My
Custom
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOWMy Protein-Packed Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe Tastes Like Bonefish
I’ve had bang bang shrimp at both Bonefish Grill and Cheesecake Factory, and while I like both, I always wanted to make a version at home that uses cleaner ingredients. This bang bang shrimp recipe is closest to the Bonefish one in flavor, but I upgraded the texture of the batter, and honestly, I think this one tastes even better. Here’s why:
- Sweet, spicy flavor – These have a little kick, but the creamy bang bang shrimp sauce balances it perfectly. I’ve even used the sauce on coconut shrimp and it works so well.
- Protein powder with a purpose – I didn’t just toss it in for the protein, although this dish does pack over 33 grams of protein per serving. Whey protein powder makes the batter light and crispy… especially with a splash of sparkling water!
- Better for you ingredients – Bonefish Grill’s version isn’t gluten free, and most bang bang shrimp recipes use regular flour and sugar. This version gives you crispy shrimp that’s naturally gluten free and sugar free, while still keeping all the flavor.
- Easy one-step batter – No dredging, no dipping in separate bowls. Just whisk it all together, coat the shrimp, and fry. With a 10 minute prep time and cook time, it’s ready in about 20 minutes.
My copycat bang bang shrimp is protein-packed, better for you, and so easy to make. Make it with me, and serve it as a healthy dinner or a fun appetizer!
What Is Bang Bang Shrimp?
Bang bang shrimp is crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce. It’s best known from Bonefish Grill, but Cheesecake Factory has a similar version called dynamite shrimp. I’ve had it at both places and loved it so much, I had to come up with my own at home!
“We ALWAYS order the bang bang shrimp when we eat at Bonefish and my family said this recipe tastes even better! I can’t wait to make this dish again and again!”
-Taylor
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my bang bang shrimp recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce:
- Mayonnaise – The sauce base. You can use my homemade mayo or your favorite store-bought brand (this is the brand I use).
- Chili Garlic Sauce – This bold, garlicky chili paste gives the sauce its signature flavor. It’s not the same as Thai sweet chili sauce, because it has no added sugar, although you can use that if it fits your needs. You can also sprinkle in more garlic powder if you really love garlic!
- Sriracha – Adds a nice kick. You can adjust the amount depending on how spicy you want your bang bang shrimp to be.
- Sweetener – I always use Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend because it dissolves so easily into the bang bang shrimp sauce (other sweeteners don’t do that!) with zero sugar or aftertaste. Unless you use real sugar, most other options crystallize if you make the sauce ahead. Sugar-free honey (or regular honey) is another good option.
Light Breaded Shrimp:
- Shrimp – I use medium shrimp that are peeled and deveined, usually with the tails on for extra flavor. See more about choosing shrimp here. If someone in your house isn’t into shrimp, you can swap in small pieces of chicken instead.
- Coating Options – I like to use a mix of Wholesome Yum Almond Flour and Coconut Flour for the batter, but cornstarch also works if that fits your needs. You can swap almond flour 1:1 with cornstarch, and for coconut flour, use 1/3 cup cornstarch in its place.
- Whey Protein Powder – This is the secret to a light, crispy coating. I’ve tested other protein powders like egg white, collagen, and plant-based protein, but they make the batter chewy. Stick with whey for best results here.
- Eggs – I mix them right into the batter to help it stick. Some recipes use buttermilk, but this way is simpler.
- Sparkling Water – This little trick makes the batter extra airy and crisp. Just make sure it’s plain and unflavored.
- Avocado Oil (for frying), Salt, and Pepper
How To Make Bang Bang Shrimp
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, and Besti, until smooth.
- Mix the batter. In a larger bowl, combine the flours, protein powder, salt, and pepper. Add the eggs and sparkling water and whisk until smooth.
- Heat the oil. Warm your oil in a deep pot (I used a Dutch oven) until it’s hot enough to sizzle a drop of batter.
- Coat and fry the shrimp. Dip the shrimp in the batter, let the excess drip off, and fry in batches until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Toss and serve. Add the cooked shrimp to a bowl, pour the sauce over the top, and gently toss to coat. Serve your bang bang shrimp right away while it’s still hot and crispy!
My Recipe Tips
- The sauce actually tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make it ahead. However, the shrimp is best fresh.
- I don’t deep fry often, but I did for this recipe to get it closest to traditional bang bang shrimp. You can shallow fry, sauté, or even air fry the shrimp if you prefer.
- Any deep, heavy-bottomed pot works well for frying. A deep fryer is great if you have one, but I don’t and it’s not required. I used this Dutch oven because it holds heat well and keeps the oil temperature steady.
- The ideal oil temperature for frying is around 350 degrees F, but anywhere from 325-375 degrees F works. Lower than that makes soggy shrimp, and too high can burn. I use this clip-on candy thermometer to keep it in check.
- Be very gentle when flipping, so the breading doesn’t fall off. I find tongs helpful.
- Shrimp has more flavor when you cook it with the tails on, even though you don’t eat them. But if you’re serving these as bang bang shrimp tacos or on a salad, it’s easier to remove the tails before battering.
- Should you give it time to marinate? I cooked the bang bang shrimp right away to keep things simple, but if you want extra flavor, you can marinate the shrimp in the batter for about 30 minutes before cooking.
Bang Bang Shrimp (High Protein Recipe)
My bang bang shrimp recipe has a crispy, protein-packed coating and creamy, spicy sauce. A simple, lighter take on the Bonefish favorite!
Remove Ads
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Bang Bang Sauce:
Bang Bang Shrimp:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Make the bang bang sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, and Besti. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl, mix together the whey protein powder, almond flour or cornstarch, coconut flour, sea salt, and black pepper. Add the eggs and sparkling water. Whisk until batter is fully combined.
-
Heat the avocado oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove for about 5 minutes, or until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
-
Dip the shrimp into the batter to coat. Let the excess batter drip off, and add the shrimp to the hot oil in a single layer. Fry for about 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Working in batches, repeat with the remaining shrimp.
-
Place the cooked shrimp in a bowl. Add the bang bang sauce and gently toss to coat. Serve bang bang shrimp immediately.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 of entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture, avoid soggy breading, and make your bang bang shrimp turn out just right every time!
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you know you’ll have extras, keep the shrimp and sauce separate.
- Reheat: Warm in a 350 degree F oven until heated through.
- Freeze: The sauce doesn’t freeze well, but the breaded shrimp can. Freeze in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Keeps for up to 3 months.
- Note on nutrition info: I only included 1/4 cup of oil in these numbers, because most of the oil is discarded and not eaten. It’ll be even lighter if you shallow fry instead of deep frying.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Bang Bang Shrimp
Serving Ideas
There are so many fun ways to enjoy bang bang shrimp. I’ve made it for date nights, weeknight dinners, and even tossed it on party platters. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Rice & Such – I usually pair these with jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or even shirataki rice if I want something lighter. Rice noodles work too if you’re in the mood for something slurpable.
- Shrimp Tacos – These make amazing tacos! Just add taco slaw and your favorite tortillas. I’ve also wrapped them in lettuce leaves when I want something a little lighter, like I do for my shrimp lettuce wraps.
- Appetizer-Style Spread – This shrimp dish is perfect on a game day or party snack board with jalapeno poppers, buffalo cauliflower, spinach stuffed mushrooms, or even my sushi bake.
19 Comments
Me
1Excellent! I was so pleasantly surprised! I highly recommend! This may be better than Bonefish! I consider myself a connoisseur.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Wow, thank you so much for saying that! I’m so happy you liked my bang bang shrimp so much. Hope you make it again soon!
Taylor
1We ALWAYS order the bang bang shrimp when we eat at Bonefish and my family said this recipe tastes even better! I can’t wait to make this dish again and again!
Jill R
0Have made the shrimp, and love it. Tonight I used this batter to fry cod. My Aussie husband groaned, almond flour – really? Told him he could eat it or make his own dinner lol. Cooked the cod and served him – he loved it, said it reminded him of home only better because the batter was so light. Thanks again for making our journey so tasty!
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad this one won him over, Jill! Almond flour batter can be a hard sell at first, but when it fries up light and crisp like that, it totally surprises people. Loved hearing it even reminded your husband of home… that’s such a sweet compliment. And using it on cod was a great idea!
Priss
0Can you airfry instead of frying it in avocado oil?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Priss, Yes, you can. Follow my air fried shrimp cook time.
Dan Brady
0Looks awesome. Is your recipe requiring cooked or uncooked shrimp? Thanks
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dan, You will want to use raw, peeled and deveined shrimp.
Kristyn
0This is such a crowd-pleasing appetizer!! Full of flavor & crisp! They are so good!
Agnes
0So cool to see a keto version of bang bang shrimp! My husband has gone keto in the past and this is a great recipe to have on hand for that!
Cheryl
0This bang bang shrimp is amazing! thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it is so good!
Kathleen
0Do you use cooked shrimp or raw?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kathleen, You will want to use raw shrimp.
Natasha
0This recipe turned out to be as easy and tasty as everyone said it would be. I would definitely make this again and follow the directions exactly as provided. Thanks for sharing another winning keto-friendly recipe!
Amy L Huntley
0This is one of my favorite recipes! I love that this is Keto! So filling and delicious!
Kristyn
0Ok, the sauce makes this recipe!! It is so good!! I won’t be having shrimp any other way!
Taylor
0This tastes JUST like the bang bang shrimp from Bonefish! Oh my, so good! Love that bang bang sauce on top, so creamy and flavorful!
Gina Ceraso
0Oh my goodness! The flavors in this are amazing! Thank you!