This grilled Bang Bang Shrimp recipe is the perfect appetizer or main dish to add to your summer grilling list. The shrimp are marinated, grilled, and covered in sweet and spicy bang bang sauce that is packed with flavor.
This is a copycat recipe from Bonefish Grill where this super popular appetizer originated. In order to get the flavor as close as possible, stick to the recommended brands in the ingredients list as that is what gives it that signature flavor. If you love bang bang sauce, you can also try our Bang Bang Chicken Skewers.
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Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe
If you are looking for a meal that checks all of the boxes, these grilled Bang Bang Shrimp skewers are where it’s at. They come together in just a few minutes, take no time to cook, and pack a flavorful punch.
The sweet and spicy bang bang shrimp sauce is made with mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and a bit of honey. Feel free to adjust the level of spiciness by adding more or less sriracha. I love serving these shrimp with a little extra bang bang sauce, sliced green onions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. It tastes great alongside rice, grilled veggies, or even inside soft taco shells.
Key Ingredients
- Shrimp - For grilling, I like to use medium or jumbo shrimp so that they stay on the skewers and don’t run as great a risk of overcooking. You can use fresh or frozen, just make sure to thaw frozen shrimps ahead of time. Before grilling, you will need to peel and devein the shrimps.
- Marinade Spices: this marinade recipe calls for a combination of chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Mayonnaise - if you can find Kewpie mayo, I recommend using that. Otherwise, any type of regular mayo will work great.
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce - Thai sweet chili sauce is sweet, sour, and a little spicy. It’s one of the key ingredients in the original Bonefish recipe for bang bang sauce.
- Sriracha - Sriracha is what I prefer, but you could substitute Frank’s Red Hot Sauce or your favorite brand.
- Honey - this is another signature ingredient in bang bang sauce that adds a little extra sweetness.
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp
- Marinate the shrimp. In a large glass mixing bowl, add the shrimp, seasoning, and olive oil. Mix, then cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour.
- Assemble the kabobs. Remove the shrimp from the marinade, then thread onto the soaked wooden skewers.
- Make the bang bang sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, Sriracha, honey, salt, and pepper to make the Bang Bang sauce.
- Cook. Cook on the grill over medium high heat for about 2 minutes, then turn over and brush with the Bang Bang sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until bright pink and cooked through.
- Serve. Once cooked, remove from the grill and let them rest on a platter for a few minutes. Serve Bang Bang Shrimp warm with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or sliced green onions. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations and Tips
- Serve crispy Bang Bang shrimp tacos in warm tortillas with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a drizzle of Bang Bang sauce.
- Toss your Bang Bang Shrimp with cooked pasta and a creamy Alfredo sauce for a comforting and indulgent meal. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra sauce.
- Create a rice bowl by serving over steamed rice. Add steamed broccoli, sliced green onions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- For a vegetarian option, use cauliflower florets in place of shrimp. Roast the cauliflower until golden brown, then coat them in the creamy Bang Bang sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
While bang bang sauce is actually a super popular Sichuan Chinese dish, this particular version is based on the cream sweet and spicy sauce made popular by restaurants like Bonefish Grill. It usually contains mayo, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha (or another hot sauce), and a little honey.
It should take you about 2-3 minutes per side to cook shrimp on the grill. You are looking for the shrimp to turn bright pink and opaque, but you also don’t want to overcook it. The cooking time depends on how large the shrimp are and how hot your grill is, so always keep a close eye on your grilled shrimp skewers.
Sure! If you want to make your Bang Bang Shrimp taste just like they do at Bonefish Grill, you can do a quick fry on them instead. Just dab the shrimp with paper towels to dry, coat in cornstarch, and fry shrimp in a cast iron skillet with about 2 inches of oil. The temperature of the oil should be around 375 degrees F. It should take about 2 minutes per side for them to brown.
Once cooked, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. Once any excess oil has drained, coat the fried shrimp in your bang bang sauce.
Yes! Just preheat the air fryer to about 400 degrees F, then place the marinated shrimp into a lightly greased air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they're golden brown and crispy.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: remove shrimp from the skewers and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat. If you have any extra bang bang sauce, you can brush it over the shrimp before reheating.
Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- about 40 medium Shrimp peeled and deveined
Shrimp Marinade
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise Kewpie Mayo if you can find it
- ¼ cup Chili Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
Marinate the Shrimp
- In a large glass mixing bowl, add the peeled and deveined shrimp, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and olive oil. Mix to combine, then cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour.
How to Cook the Shrimp Kabobs
- Preheat the grill to about 335 degrees.
- Place the wooden skewers into a shallow baking dish and cover with water. Soak for at least 30 minutes - 1 hour so the sticks don't burn while the shrimp cooks. (Note: wooden skewers work best for shrimp so the shrimp don't spin while cooking)
- Remove the shrimp from the marinade, then thread onto the kabob sticks being careful to evenly space so it will cook evenly.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, Sriracha, honey, salt, and pepper to make the Bang Bang sauce.
- Place the shrimp kabobs on the preheated grill. Cook for about 2 minutes, then turn over and brush with the Bang Bang sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until bright pink and cooked through.
- Once cooked, remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest on a platter for a few minutes. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Summer Kabob Recipes
- Bang Bang Chicken Kabobs
- Vegetable Kabobs
- Southwest Chicken Kabobs
- Chicken Bacon Pineapple Kabobs
- Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Kabobs
- Lemon Rosemary Chicken Kabobs
- Wedge Salad Kabobs
- Asian Beef Kabobs
- Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs
- More Summer Recipes
- More Easy Weeknight Meals
These sweet and spicy grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers are covered in creamy sauce and so delicious. They're the perfect quick and easy appetizer or main course.
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