Flavorful Crockpot Bang Bang Shrimp

I’ve always loved bang bang shrimp from restaurants, but let me tell you, making it at home in a crockpot? That’s a different story altogether. The best part is coming home to dinner already done, with shrimp cooked just right and pasta that soaks up all those spicy, creamy flavors while you’ve been doing literally anything else.

This recipe takes that sweet and spicy bang bang sauce everyone loves and turns it into a full meal. I toss in plenty of vegetables because I like knowing my family is getting more than just pasta and shrimp. The crockpot does all the heavy lifting, which means I can prep everything in the morning and forget about it until dinner.

Want something easy that tastes like takeout? This is it. Need to feed your family without standing over the stove? Same. The cleanup is easier too, which is always a win in my book.

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What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For this crockpot recipe, you’ll want to use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp to save yourself some prep time. Medium to large shrimp (around 31-40 count per pound) work really well since they hold up better during the slow cooking process without getting rubbery. Fresh shrimp is great if you can get it, but frozen shrimp is totally fine too – just make sure to thaw it completely and pat it dry before adding it to your crockpot. One important tip: add your shrimp during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking rather than at the beginning, since shrimp cooks quickly and you don’t want it to get tough and overcooked.

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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: You can use frozen shrimp instead of fresh – just thaw them completely and pat dry before adding. If you’re not a shrimp fan, chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces works great too, though you’ll want to add it earlier in the cooking process.
• Sweet bell peppers: Any color bell pepper works here – red, yellow, orange, or green. You can also use a frozen pepper blend if that’s what you have on hand.
• Cajun spice: Don’t have cajun seasoning? Mix together paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Start with less cayenne if you’re sensitive to heat.
• Chicken broth: Water works in a pinch, but you’ll want to add an extra teaspoon of cajun spice and maybe a bouillon cube to make up for the lost flavor.
• Pasta: Most pasta shapes work well here – penne, rotini, shells, or even broken spaghetti. Just keep the cooking time similar to what the package suggests.
• Canned tomatoes: Diced, crushed, or whole tomatoes all work. If using whole, just break them up a bit with your spoon while cooking.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this crockpot recipe is adding the shrimp too early, which will turn them rubbery and overcooked – always wait until the very end and cook them for just 10-15 minutes until they’re pink and opaque. Another common error is using too little liquid, so make sure your pasta is fully submerged in the broth before cooking, and add an extra cup if needed since the pasta will absorb quite a bit. Don’t skip sautéing the vegetables first in step one, as this builds flavor that you can’t get by just dumping everything in at once. Finally, stir the casserole every 15 minutes or so during cooking to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom and ensure even cooking throughout.

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What to Serve With Bang Bang Shrimp?

This crockpot bang bang shrimp is already pretty filling since it has pasta built right in, but I love serving it with some crusty French bread or garlic bread on the side for soaking up all that spicy, flavorful sauce. A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness and heat from the cajun spices. If you want to make it a bigger spread, some roasted or steamed green beans work great alongside, or you could even add a side of coleslaw for a cool, crunchy contrast to the warm, spicy shrimp.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover bang bang shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta will soak up more of the sauce as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen things up a bit.

Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this one since shrimp and pasta can get a bit mushy after thawing. If you do want to freeze it, it’ll keep for about a month, but the texture won’t be quite the same as fresh.

Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a little extra broth to keep it from drying out.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2050-2250
• Protein: 95-110 g
• Fat: 30-38 g
• Carbohydrates: 340-370 g

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 cup bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch squares
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 16 oz diced tomatoes
• 1 lb penne pasta
• 5 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp honey

Step 1: Prepare the Aromatics and Build the Flavor Base

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 cup bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch squares
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

Dice the onion into fine pieces, chop the bell peppers into 1/2-inch squares, dice the carrots, slice the celery, seed and mince the jalapeno, and mince the garlic cloves.

Heat the olive oil in your crockpot on high for 2 minutes, then add the onion, bell peppers, carrots, celery, and jalapeno.

Cook for 10 minutes on high, stirring occasionally, to soften the vegetables and release their aromatic compounds.

This caramelization creates a flavorful base for the entire dish.

Step 2: Build the Sauce and Cook the Pasta

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 16 oz diced tomatoes
• 6 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 5 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb penne pasta

Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and chicken broth to the crockpot.

Stir everything together to combine the spices evenly throughout the liquid.

Add the penne pasta directly to the crockpot and stir to separate the noodles.

Cook on high for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the flavorful broth.

I like to keep the pasta slightly al dente since it will continue absorbing liquid as it cools.

Step 3: Add the Shrimp and Finish with Cream

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the crockpot along with the honey and heavy cream, stirring gently to combine.

Cook on high for 10-15 minutes until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through—they’ll turn from translucent gray to pink and white when done.

The honey adds a subtle sweetness that balances the Cajun spice, while the cream creates a rich, silky sauce.

I always add the shrimp last to prevent overcooking, which can make them tough and rubbery.

Flavorful Crockpot Bang Bang Shrimp

Delicious Flavorful Crockpot Bang Bang Shrimp recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 2150 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 cup bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch squares
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 16 oz diced tomatoes
• 1 lb penne pasta
• 5 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp honey

Instructions

 

• Dice the onion into fine pieces, chop the bell peppers into 1/2-inch squares, dice the carrots, slice the celery, seed and mince the jalapeno, and mince the garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil in your crockpot on high for 2 minutes, then add the onion, bell peppers, carrots, celery, and jalapeno. Cook for 10 minutes on high, stirring occasionally, to soften the vegetables and release their aromatic compounds. This caramelization creates a flavorful base for the entire dish.
• Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and chicken broth to the crockpot. Stir everything together to combine the spices evenly throughout the liquid. Add the penne pasta directly to the crockpot and stir to separate the noodles. Cook on high for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the flavorful broth. I like to keep the pasta slightly al dente since it will continue absorbing liquid as it cools.
• Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the crockpot along with the honey and heavy cream, stirring gently to combine. Cook on high for 10-15 minutes until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through—they'll turn from translucent gray to pink and white when done. The honey adds a subtle sweetness that balances the Cajun spice, while the cream creates a rich, silky sauce. I always add the shrimp last to prevent overcooking, which can make them tough and rubbery.