Bang Bang Shrimp (Paleo, Whole30)

Bang Bang Shrimp is seriously addicting, made without buttermilk and completely gluten free, paleo and Whole30-friendly! Enjoy the crispy fried shrimp drizzled with creamy, spicy bang bang sauce as an appetizer, in tacos, or with pasta.

Did you know that it only takes 15 minutes and a handful of ingredients to make the best appetizer ever? It’s unbelievable how delicious this Bang Bang Shrimp really is, but it’s true; you’ll be digging into this crispy, crunchy, and slightly spicy snack in no time!

Bang bang shrimp is made with battered and fried shrimp and a subtly sweet and spicy bang bang sauce. Made with a handful of ingredients, the sauce is the real star in this recipe and can be enjoyed in more ways than one. Use it as a dip for chicken wings, drizzle it over tacos, or use it as a dressing for taco salad.

Hungry for more delicious shrimp dishes? Then you’ve gotta try my honey garlic shrimp stir fry and skinny shrimp alfredo bake.

Recipe features

• The recipe is made without breadcrumbs and is naturally gluten free, making it the perfect party appetizer.
• Made without buttermilk to keep this recipe light and healthy.
• A little spicy, deliciously savory, and all around irresistible!
• Swap the shrimp for cauliflower to vegetarian-ize the recipe.

Ingredient notes:

• Shrimp - Deep fried shrimp is the most popular pairing with bang bang sauce because it’s how the original recipe was served. You can easily replace it with chicken, cauliflower, salmon, broccoli, or anything else you like to deep fry.

• Egg - To help the tapioca flour stick to the shrimp.

• Tapioca flour - Also known as tapioca starch. Cornstarch works just as well.

• Bang bang sauce - My take on bang bang sauce is a little more layered and health-conscious than the original mayo, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha mix. Instead, I made it with homemade avocado oil mayonnaise, sriracha, ketchup, garlic powder, and coconut aminos for added flavor.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare the coating and oil. Place the egg in one shallow bowl and the tapioca flour in another. Heat your oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.

Step 2: Coat the shrimp. Dip some of your shrimp into the egg, then transfer it to the bowl with the tapioca starch. Toss to coat and repeat with the rest of the shrimp.

Step 3: Fry the shrimp. Next, place the coated shrimp into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes per side. Once they’re golden brown and crispy, transfer the fried shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Step 4: Make the bang bang sauce. Whisk the avocado mayo, sriracha, ketchup, coconut aminos, garlic powder, and salt together in a bowl.

Step 5: Dress in sauce and serve. Finally, either toss the fried shrimp in the sauce to coat fully, serve it on the side as a dip, or drizzle the sauce over top of the shrimp on a serving platter. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and FAQS

• Want to up your mayo game? Whip up this avocado mayonnaise instead of using store-bought.
• Don't want to use tapioca flour? Use arrowroot instead!
• Replace the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt to really lighten up the bang bang sauce.
• Bang bang sauce is SO delicious on its own. Use it anywhere you’d use sriracha mayo or chipotle aioli, like as a dipping sauce with chicken wings or tenders and potato wedges, drizzled over fish tacos, brushed onto chicken kabobs, or as a dressing for this bahn mi bowl.

What is bang bang shrimp?

The original bang bang shrimp recipe (also known as dynamite shrimp) came from the Bonefish Grill restaurant. It’s a crispy fried appetizer usually made with deep fried shrimp drizzled with creamy and spicy bang bang sauce.

What is bang bang sauce made of?

Traditionally, bang bang sauce is made of 3 ingredients: mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. My copycat version is made with avocado oil, sriracha, ketchup, coconut aminos, salt, and garlic powder.

Can you air fry the shrimp instead?

Sure! Once the shrimp are coated, lay them in an even layer (not touching) in the air fryer basket (work in batches if needed). Cook at 400ºF for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 more minutes.

How do you serve bang bang shrimp?

Bang bang shrimp is delicious on its own as a crispy appetizer or you can get a little more creative! Layer the cooked shrimp and sauce in tacos or lettuce wraps, top the shrimp on creamy pasta or salad, or in rice bowls or burrito bowls.

Storage

Bang bang shrimp is best served right away so you don’t lose out on the crispiness. If you do end up with leftovers, they can be stored separately from the sauce to enjoy later on:

• Refrigerator: Wrap the fried shrimp in foil and store them in an airtight container for 1 or 2 days. Keep the bang bang sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for about 1 week.

• Reheating: Reheat the fried shrimp in the air fryer or a skillet over medium heat to retain the crispiness.

More crispy appetizers and snacks

• Fried Tomatoes with Corn Salsa
• Air Fryer Scallops
• Zucchini Corn Fritters

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

The post Bang Bang Shrimp (Paleo, Whole30) appeared first on The Almond Eater.