Irresistible Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos: Crispy, Sweet, Spicy & Ready in 30 Minutes!

Prepare to transform your weeknight dinners with these incredible Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos! Forget about takeout; this flavor-packed dish is surprisingly easy to make and can be on your table in under 30 minutes. Imagine perfectly crispy fried shrimp coated in a vibrant, sweet, and tangy homemade Bang Bang sauce, all nestled in soft tortillas. It’s a culinary experience that rivals any restaurant, right in your own kitchen.

Ready to upgrade your next Taco Tuesday? These versatile shrimp tacos can be served on warm corn or flour tortillas, or even over a bed of pasta or rice for a satisfying meal that your entire family will absolutely adore. Get ready for a new favorite!

Why You’ll Love These Easy Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

These delicious Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with homemade sauce are more than just a meal; they’re an experience. Here’s why this recipe will quickly become a cherished part of your family’s meal rotation:

• Incredibly Fast: Get a bold and exciting dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for those busy weeknights when you need something quick, yet satisfying.
• Restaurant-Quality at Home: No need to venture out to a restaurant like Bonefish Grill. You can recreate that beloved crispy, sweet, and spicy Bang Bang shrimp experience in your very own kitchen with simple ingredients.
• Explosive Flavor Profile: The combination of crispy fried shrimp and the irresistible sweet, tangy, and spicy homemade Bang Bang sauce creates a truly addictive flavor that tantalizes your taste buds.
• Easy to Make: With straightforward steps and common ingredients, even novice cooks can master this dish. The simplicity ensures a stress-free cooking experience.
• Versatile Serving Options: While fantastic in corn or flour tortillas, this dish is incredibly adaptable. Serve the shrimp over rice, pasta, or even as a standalone appetizer.
• Family Favorite: Perfectly seasoned seafood topped with your favorite taco fixings ensures a customizable meal that caters to everyone’s preferences, making it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Just like our Chipotle Shrimp and Asparagus Tacos, this recipe delivers perfectly seasoned seafood that’s both flavorful and satisfying. If you’re always on the hunt for new taco inspirations, you’ll also want to explore our One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet or these delightful grilled Rockfish Tacos, packed with bold flavors and wrapped in your choice of tortillas.

For more fantastic shrimp dishes, don’t miss this delicious chicken and shrimp stir fry recipe, ready in 30 minutes for a nutritious and satisfying meal, or our savory Blackened Tilapia Tacos for another seafood twist.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Crafting these sensational Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos requires a few key components that come together to create a truly unforgettable flavor. Here’s what you’ll need, along with a bit about each ingredient’s role:

• Mayonnaise: This creamy ingredient forms the essential base for your rich and luscious Bang Bang sauce, providing a smooth texture and mild flavor to balance the heat.
• Thai Sweet Chili Sauce: A cornerstone of the Bang Bang sauce, this ingredient delivers a fantastic balance of sweetness and a gentle kick of heat, creating that signature sweet and spicy contrast.
• Old Bay Seasoning: A classic and indispensable seasoning for any seafood dish, Old Bay adds a unique, savory, and slightly spicy depth that perfectly complements the shrimp.
• Sriracha: For those who love an extra fiery punch, sriracha is your go-to! It amps up the heat level of the sauce, allowing you to customize it to your preferred spice intensity.
• Buttermilk: Essential for tenderizing the shrimp and helping the cornstarch adhere, buttermilk creates a light and flavorful coating that contributes to the shrimp’s crispiness.
• Cornstarch: The secret to truly crispy shrimp! Coating the shrimp in cornstarch before frying ensures a delightfully crunchy exterior that locks in moisture and flavor.
• Raw Shrimp: The star of the show! Opt for fresh or frozen (and thawed) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. Medium to large size works best for tacos.
• Oil: I prefer using avocado oil for its high smoke point and neutral flavor, but feel free to use your cooking oil of choice, such as canola or vegetable oil, for frying.
• Green Onions: These provide a beautiful pop of color and a subtle, fresh onion flavor that harmonizes wonderfully with the rich shrimp and spicy sauce.
• Tortillas: Soft flour tortillas are my personal preference for their pliable texture, but corn tortillas are an excellent, gluten-free alternative that also offer an authentic taco experience.
• Lettuce, Cabbage, and/or Carrots: (Optional but highly recommended!) These shredded vegetables add a refreshing crunch, vibrant color, and an extra layer of texture and nutrition to your tacos, making each bite more dynamic.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Crafting Your Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Making these amazing Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos is a breeze. Follow these simple steps for crispy shrimp and that irresistible homemade sauce:

1. Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Old Bay seasoning, and sriracha. Whisk everything together until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Set this flavorful sauce aside.
2. Prepare the Shrimp Coating: Place your buttermilk in one shallow bowl and the cornstarch in another. First, dip each shrimp into the buttermilk, ensuring it’s fully coated. Then, transfer the buttermilk-coated shrimp to the cornstarch and roll to fully coat, shaking off any excess.
3. Fry the Shrimp: Heat about 1 cup of your chosen oil (like avocado oil) in a deep pan or skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches approximately 375°F (190°C). You can test the oil by dropping a tiny pinch of cornstarch; if it sizzles immediately, it’s ready. Carefully add the shrimp to the hot oil, being mindful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until the shrimp turn golden brown and are deliciously crispy. You may need to cook in batches.
4. Drain Excess Oil: Once the shrimp are perfectly cooked, remove them from the pan with tongs and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or on paper towels to drain any excess oil. This helps maintain their crispiness.

5. Sauce the Shrimp: In a clean bowl, combine the drained crispy shrimp with approximately ¾ of the prepared Bang Bang sauce. Gently toss until all the shrimp are thoroughly coated in the sweet and spicy goodness.
6. Assemble Your Tacos: Warm your preferred tortillas. If using, spread the optional shredded vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, and/or carrots) onto each tortilla.
7. Add Toppings & Serve: Distribute the sauced shrimp evenly over the tortillas. Garnish generously with freshly chopped green onion. For an extra flourish and flavor, drizzle the remaining Bang Bang sauce over the top before serving immediately. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions About Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Serve these fantastic tacos alongside a side dish of flavorful Instant Pot Green Enchilada Rice for a complete meal. Your family will definitely thank you for this delicious pairing!

Expert Tips for the Best Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Achieving restaurant-quality Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos at home is easy with a few expert tips and tricks:

• Oil Selection: If you’re not using avocado oil (which I highly recommend for its neutral flavor and high smoke point), choose another cooking oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. This prevents the oil from burning and imparting an off-flavor to your shrimp.
• Appetizer Option: These spicy shrimp tacos are incredibly versatile! They also make a fantastic appetizer. Simply serve the sauced shrimp in smaller mini-tortillas or as a standalone bite with toothpicks for a crowd-pleasing party snack.
• Save on Prep Time: To significantly cut down on prep, purchase raw shrimp that are already peeled and deveined, ideally with the tails removed. This saves you valuable time and effort in the kitchen.
• Frying in Batches: To ensure your shrimp get uniformly crispy and cook evenly, avoid overcrowding the pan. It’s often necessary to fry the shrimp in batches, allowing a little space between each piece. Overcrowding can lower the oil temperature and lead to soggy shrimp.
• Optimal Crispy Texture: After frying, ensure you drain the shrimp on a wire rack, not directly on paper towels. A wire rack allows air to circulate around the shrimp, preventing them from steaming and losing their crispy coating.
• Leftover Creativity: Don’t let any leftover Bang Bang shrimp go to waste! They are delicious when tossed with some freshly cooked pasta for a quick meal, or as a flavorful topping for a fresh green salad the next day.

With a bold and spicy homemade bang bang sauce, these spicy shrimp tacos are a tantalizing dish that will have your whole family asking for seconds and thirds!

Creative Substitutions and Delicious Variations

One of the best things about this Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos recipe is its adaptability. Feel free to get creative with these substitutions and variations to suit your taste or what you have on hand:

• Alternative Serving Styles: While amazing in tacos, you can easily change things up by serving the Bang Bang shrimp over fluffy white or brown rice for a satisfying bowl, or toss them with your favorite pasta for a unique seafood pasta dish.
• Lighter Sauce Option: For a lighter take on the sauce, substitute half or all of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. It will still provide creaminess with a tangy twist and reduced fat.
• Adjust the Spice Level: If you crave extra heat, don’t hesitate to increase the amount of sriracha in the Bang Bang sauce to your liking. For a milder version, reduce the sriracha or omit it entirely.
• Enhanced Shrimp Flavor: For an extra layer of seasoning on the shrimp itself, add a pinch of salt and black pepper to the cornstarch before coating the shrimp. You can also experiment with a dash of garlic powder or paprika.
• Customizable Toppings: Personalize your tacos with an array of fresh toppings! Consider adding diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, thinly sliced red cabbage for crunch, extra shredded carrots, thinly sliced radishes for a peppery bite, or pickled or fresh jalapeño peppers for more heat and tang. A squeeze of fresh lime juice is always a welcome addition!
• Grilled or Baked Shrimp: For a healthier alternative to frying, you can grill or bake the shrimp. Toss the cooked shrimp with the Bang Bang sauce afterwards. While the texture won’t be as crispy, the flavor will still be fantastic.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To enjoy your Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos later, proper storage and reheating are key to maintaining their deliciousness:

• Storage: Store any leftover cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It’s best to store the shrimp and tortillas separately to prevent the tortillas from becoming soggy. Keep any remaining Bang Bang sauce in a separate airtight container in the fridge as well.
• Reheating: For best results and to revive some of their crispiness, reheat the shrimp in a skillet over medium-low heat on the stovetop until heated through. Alternatively, you can warm them in an air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 3-5 minutes, or in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5-8 minutes. Avoid reheating in the microwave if you want to maintain a crispy texture. Once reheated, assemble your tacos with fresh tortillas and toppings.

Make Ahead Instructions for Easier Meal Prep

These Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos are perfect for busy schedules, and you can definitely do some prep work in advance to make assembly even quicker:

• Prepare the Sauce: The Bang Bang sauce can be made up to 2-3 days ahead of time. Simply mix all the sauce ingredients, store it in an airtight container in the fridge, and give it a good stir before using.
• Shrimp Preparation: If you bought raw shrimp that aren’t peeled and deveined, you can do this step a day in advance. Store the cleaned shrimp in the fridge. For optimal crispiness, I recommend coating and frying the shrimp just before serving.
• Vegetable Prep: Slice, chop, or shred any vegetables you plan to use as toppings (lettuce, cabbage, carrots, green onions, etc.) ahead of time. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator, ready to pull out when it’s time to build your delicious tacos.

What to Serve With These Amazing Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

These flavorful Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos are quite satisfying on their own, but pairing them with the right side dishes can turn a great meal into an extraordinary one. Here are some fantastic options:

• Cilantro Lime Rice: For a delicious and filling meal, serve your shrimp tacos alongside a zesty bowl of Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice. The bright flavors will perfectly complement the spicy shrimp.
• Roasted Vegetables: Add a healthy and easy side with Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables or crispy Air Fryer Green Beans. These offer a great textural contrast and nutritional boost.
• Fresh Salad: A vibrant and nutritious Quinoa Chickpea Salad can provide a refreshing and light balance to the rich flavors of the tacos.
• Black Beans or Refried Beans: Classic taco accompaniments like seasoned black beans or creamy refried beans are always a hit and add protein and fiber to your meal.
• Corn Salad or Salsa: A fresh corn salsa with avocado and red onion, or a simple side of grilled corn on the cob, would add sweetness and crunch.
• Chips and Guacamole: You can never go wrong with a side of crispy tortilla chips served with fresh guacamole or your favorite salsa.

Love tacos but don’t have shrimp on hand? No problem! Give these yummy Flank Steak Tacos a try, or check out these amazing Chicken Street Tacos, featuring juicy chicken marinated in lime juice and spices!

Or if you’re craving a different seafood fix, these amazing crab cakes with imitation or canned crab are incredibly easy to make and will impress anyone who tastes them!

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Homemade Bang Bang Sauce

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