Delicious Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

I’ve been making tacos every which way for years now, but these Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos are the ones my kids ask for on repeat. There’s something about crispy fried shrimp tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce that just works. Plus, they’re fun to eat, which means less complaining at the dinner table.

The secret is in that sauce. It’s creamy with a little heat and just enough sweetness to balance everything out. And don’t worry about the frying part. I know it sounds like a lot, but once you get the hang of it, these come together pretty quick. I like to set up all my toppings while the oil heats up.

Want them spicier? Add more jalapeños. Not a fan of heat? Skip them entirely and load up on the cabbage and radishes instead. These tacos are easy to customize, which is exactly what I need on a busy weeknight.

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What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to grab extra-large shrimp in the 26-30 count range, which means you’ll get about 26 to 30 shrimp per pound. You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp – just make sure frozen shrimp are completely thawed and patted dry before you start cooking. Whether you buy them already peeled and deveined or do it yourself is totally up to you, but having that prep work done ahead of time will save you some effort. If you can only find a different size like jumbo or large shrimp, they’ll still work fine, though you might need to adjust your cooking time slightly to make sure they’re cooked through without getting rubbery.

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Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Shrimp: If shrimp isn’t your thing or you can’t find it, try using cubed firm white fish like cod or halibut. You can also use chicken tenders cut into bite-sized pieces – just adjust the frying time accordingly.
• Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Mix 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. You’ll get the same tangy effect.
• Chili garlic sauce: If you don’t have chili garlic sauce, you can use sweet chili sauce mixed with a bit of minced garlic, or even just extra Sriracha with a teaspoon of honey to balance it out.
• Flour tortillas: Corn tortillas work great if you prefer them, or go with Bibb lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb option. The recipe mentions this as an alternative already.
• Vegetable oil: Canola oil or peanut oil are good substitutes for frying. Both have high smoke points and will give you that crispy texture.
• Toppings: Feel free to mix up the toppings based on what you have. Shredded lettuce can replace cabbage, lime wedges add brightness, and pickled onions work if you’re out of radishes.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when frying shrimp is overcrowding the pot, which drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy, soggy coating instead of crispy perfection – fry in small batches and let the oil return to 350°F between each round.

Skipping the drying time after coating the shrimp in flour is another common error that results in the breading falling off during frying, so give them at least 5-10 minutes on the rack before they hit the oil.

Don’t toss the shrimp in the bang bang sauce until right before serving, as coating them too early will make that crispy exterior turn soft and mushy.

Finally, make sure your oil is actually at 350°F using a thermometer – eyeballing the temperature usually means either undercooked, doughy shrimp or burnt coating with raw centers.

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What to Serve With Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos?

These tacos are pretty filling on their own, but I love serving them with a side of Mexican street corn (elote) or a simple corn salad with lime and cotija cheese. A bowl of black beans or refried beans makes a great addition if you’re feeding a crowd and want to stretch the meal a bit further. For something lighter, try a quick cucumber and avocado salad with a squeeze of lime – it helps balance out the richness of the fried shrimp and creamy sauce. Don’t forget to set out some lime wedges and extra hot sauce on the side for people who like things spicy!

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover bang bang sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The fried shrimp are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have extras, store them separately from the toppings in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just know they won’t be as crispy as when they’re freshly made.

Prep Ahead: You can make the bang bang sauce up to 3 days in advance and keep it chilled until you’re ready to use it. The shredded cabbage and other toppings can also be prepped a day ahead and stored in separate containers in the fridge, which makes taco night super quick and easy.

Reheat: If you need to reheat the shrimp, your best bet is the oven or air fryer at 375°F for about 5-7 minutes to help them crisp back up. The microwave will make them soggy, so I’d skip that option if you want them to taste good.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3600-4000
• Protein: 120-140 g
• Fat: 210-250 g
• Carbohydrates: 340-380 g

Ingredients

For the bang bang sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise)
• 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce (I use Huy Fong for the best kick)
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey

For the shrimp and coating:

• 1 1/2 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch (makes the coating extra crispy)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 6 cups vegetable oil

For the assembly and garnish:

• 10 tortillas (warmed slightly before serving)
• 8 oz cabbage (shredded into thin strips for better texture)
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Step 1: Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce and Mise en Place

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey
• 8 oz cabbage, shredded
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, and honey until smooth and well combined.

Set aside 1 cup of this sauce for coating the shrimp, and reserve the remainder for serving.

While the sauce rests, prepare all your vegetables: shred the cabbage into thin strips, thinly slice the radishes and jalapeños, slice the scallions, chop the fresh coriander, and cut the lime into wedges.

Arrange all prepped ingredients on your work surface for quick assembly later.

Step 2: Soak Shrimp and Prepare Coating Mixture

• 1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them, gently tossing to coat evenly.

Let soak for 20 minutes—this tenderizes the shrimp and helps the coating adhere better.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 200°F and have a wire rack set over a baking sheet ready for draining the fried shrimp.

Step 3: Coat and Dry the Shrimp

• shrimp from Step 2
• dry coating mixture from Step 2

Drain the shrimp from the buttermilk, discarding the liquid.

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, toss the drained shrimp in the flour-cornstarch mixture from Step 2 until evenly coated on all sides.

Place the coated shrimp on a clean wire rack and let them sit for 5-10 minutes—this allows the coating to set and creates an extra crispy exterior when fried.

I find this resting period makes a real difference in texture; don’t skip it.

Step 4: Heat Oil and Fry Shrimp in Batches

• 6 cups vegetable oil
• coated shrimp from Step 3

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or deep skillet to 350°F, using a thermometer to ensure accurate temperature.

Working in batches of 5-6 shrimp at a time to maintain oil temperature, carefully add the coated shrimp and fry for 4 to 4½ minutes until the coating is deep golden brown and crispy.

Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and transfer to the wire rack over paper towels.

Place the rack directly into the warm 200°F oven to keep the shrimp hot and crispy while you finish frying the remaining batches.

Step 5: Coat Shrimp in Bang Bang Sauce

• fried shrimp from Step 4
• 1 cup bang bang sauce from Step 1

Once all shrimp are fried and warm, transfer them to a large mixing bowl.

Pour the reserved 1 cup of bang bang sauce from Step 1 over the hot shrimp and gently toss until each piece is evenly coated.

The residual heat will help the sauce adhere and warm it through, creating the signature creamy, spicy coating.

Step 6: Assemble and Serve Tacos

• 10 tortillas, warmed
• cabbage from Step 1
• sauce-coated shrimp from Step 5
• reserved bang bang sauce from Step 1
• radishes, jalapeños, scallions, and coriander from Step 1
• lime wedges from Step 1

Warm the tortillas slightly and lay them out on your serving surface.

Divide the shredded cabbage from Step 1 among the tortillas, then top each with a generous handful of the sauce-coated shrimp from Step 5.

Drizzle additional reserved sauce over each taco, then garnish with the sliced radishes, jalapeños, scallions, and fresh coriander from Step 1.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Delicious Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Delicious Delicious Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 10 servings

Calories 3800 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the bang bang sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's mayonnaise)
• 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce (I use Huy Fong for the best kick)
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey

For the shrimp and coating:

• 1 1/2 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch (makes the coating extra crispy)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 6 cups vegetable oil

For the assembly and garnish:

• 10 tortillas (warmed slightly before serving)
• 8 oz cabbage (shredded into thin strips for better texture)
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, and honey until smooth and well combined. Set aside 1 cup of this sauce for coating the shrimp, and reserve the remainder for serving. While the sauce rests, prepare all your vegetables: shred the cabbage into thin strips, thinly slice the radishes and jalapeños, slice the scallions, chop the fresh coriander, and cut the lime into wedges. Arrange all prepped ingredients on your work surface for quick assembly later.
• Place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them, gently tossing to coat evenly. Let soak for 20 minutes—this tenderizes the shrimp and helps the coating adhere better. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Preheat your oven to 200°F and have a wire rack set over a baking sheet ready for draining the fried shrimp.
• Drain the shrimp from the buttermilk, discarding the liquid. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, toss the drained shrimp in the flour-cornstarch mixture from Step 2 until evenly coated on all sides. Place the coated shrimp on a clean wire rack and let them sit for 5-10 minutes—this allows the coating to set and creates an extra crispy exterior when fried. I find this resting period makes a real difference in texture; don't skip it.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or deep skillet to 350°F, using a thermometer to ensure accurate temperature. Working in batches of 5-6 shrimp at a time to maintain oil temperature, carefully add the coated shrimp and fry for 4 to 4½ minutes until the coating is deep golden brown and crispy. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and transfer to the wire rack over paper towels. Place the rack directly into the warm 200°F oven to keep the shrimp hot and crispy while you finish frying the remaining batches.
• Once all shrimp are fried and warm, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Pour the reserved 1 cup of bang bang sauce from Step 1 over the hot shrimp and gently toss until each piece is evenly coated. The residual heat will help the sauce adhere and warm it through, creating the signature creamy, spicy coating.
• Warm the tortillas slightly and lay them out on your serving surface. Divide the shredded cabbage from Step 1 among the tortillas, then top each with a generous handful of the sauce-coated shrimp from Step 5. Drizzle additional reserved sauce over each taco, then garnish with the sliced radishes, jalapeños, scallions, and fresh coriander from Step 1. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.