Juicy Bang Bang Shrimp

I’ll be honest—when I first started Whole30, I thought I’d have to give up all my favorite restaurant foods. Bang bang shrimp was at the top of that sad, imaginary list. You know, that crispy, saucy, can’t-stop-eating-it appetizer that’s basically the reason to go out for dinner?

Turns out, I was wrong. You can totally make bang bang shrimp at home and keep it Whole30 compliant. The secret is swapping out the usual breading for coconut flour and arrowroot powder, and making sure your sauce ingredients don’t have any sneaky added sugar. The result tastes just like the restaurant version—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and covered in that sweet-spicy sauce that makes you reach for just one more piece.

What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For this bang bang shrimp recipe, you can use either fresh or frozen shrimp – just make sure frozen shrimp is completely thawed and patted dry before you start cooking. Size-wise, medium to large shrimp (around 31-40 count per pound) work great because they’re easy to coat and fry without overcooking. If you can find wild-caught shrimp, that’s always a good choice, but farm-raised will work just fine too. The most important thing is making sure your shrimp are already peeled and deveined so you can get straight to the fun part of making this recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty adaptable, so here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Shrimp: You can use chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces or even cauliflower florets if you want a vegetarian version. Just adjust the cooking time – chicken will take a bit longer to cook through.
• Coconut flour: Almond flour works as a substitute, though the coating won’t be quite as crispy. You can also use regular all-purpose flour if you’re not following Whole30.
• Arrowroot powder: Tapioca starch is basically the same thing and works perfectly. If you’re not doing Whole30, cornstarch is another option.
• Whole30 mayonnaise: Regular mayo works fine if you’re not strictly following Whole30. You can also make your own mayo at home with an egg, oil, and lemon juice.
• Coconut aminos: Soy sauce or tamari can replace coconut aminos if you’re not worried about keeping it Whole30 compliant. Use the same amount.
• Ketchup: For Whole30, make sure your ketchup has no added sugar. Otherwise, you can use tomato paste mixed with a tiny bit of honey or maple syrup.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making bang bang shrimp is overcrowding the pan, which causes the oil temperature to drop and results in greasy, soggy shrimp instead of crispy ones – fry in small batches and give each piece plenty of space.

Overcooking is another common issue since shrimp cook incredibly fast, usually just 1-2 minutes per side, and they’ll turn rubbery if left in the oil too long – look for them to turn pink and opaque.

Make sure your oil is hot enough before adding the shrimp (around 350°F is ideal), and test it by dropping in a small piece of the coating – it should sizzle immediately.

Finally, toss the shrimp with the sauce right before serving rather than letting them sit, as the coating will lose its crispiness if it soaks in the sauce for too long.

What to Serve With Bang Bang Shrimp?

Since this bang bang shrimp is Whole30-friendly, I love serving it over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles to keep the meal compliant and light. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame oil makes a great cooling side that balances out the spicy sauce perfectly. If you’re not strictly following Whole30, this shrimp is also amazing in lettuce wraps with shredded cabbage and carrots, or served alongside roasted sweet potato wedges for a more filling meal. For extra crunch and freshness, add some sliced avocado and cilantro on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover bang bang shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I like to store the shrimp and sauce separately so the coating doesn’t get too soggy. The sauce will keep for about a week in the fridge, which is great if you want to use it on other things!

Reheat: To get that crispy coating back, reheat the shrimp in the oven at 375°F for about 8-10 minutes, or pop them in an air fryer at 350°F for 4-5 minutes. The microwave will work in a pinch, but the shrimp won’t be as crispy. Toss with fresh sauce right before serving.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1050-1200
• Protein: 55-65 g
• Fat: 65-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 35-45 g

Ingredients

For the shrimp:

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails removed)
• 2 large eggs (whisked)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (I always use Anthony’s for a fine texture)
• 2/3 cup arrowroot powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• coconut oil (for frying, enough to cover 1/4 inch of the pan)
• green onions (thinly sliced on a bias)
• sesame seeds

For the sauce:

• 6 tbsp mayonnaise (I prefer Primal Kitchen for Whole30 compliance)
• 1 tbsp sriracha (Whole30 compliant)
• 2.25 tbsp ketchup (Unsweetened/Whole30 compliant)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp coconut aminos
• 1 garlic clove (freshly pressed for a sharper bite)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Step 1: Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce

• 6 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 2.25 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp coconut aminos
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, ketchup, lime juice, coconut aminos, pressed garlic clove, and salt until smooth and well combined.

Set aside at room temperature.

This sauce is the heart of the dish, so make sure the flavors are well balanced—taste it and adjust the sriracha or lime juice to your preference before using it.

Step 2: Set Up the Breading Station

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 2/3 cup arrowroot powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 large eggs

In a shallow bowl, combine the coconut flour, arrowroot powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.

Whisk together to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture.

Place the whisked eggs in another shallow bowl next to the breading mixture.

This setup makes the coating process quick and efficient.

Step 3: Coat the Shrimp

• 1 lb shrimp
• breading mixture from Step 2

Working with a few shrimp at a time, dip each shrimp into the whisked egg, allowing excess to drip off, then immediately dredge it in the breading mixture from Step 2, making sure both sides and the tail are fully coated.

Place coated shrimp on a clean plate.

I like to coat all the shrimp before I start frying—this way you’re not juggling raw shrimp and hot oil at the same time, which keeps things safer and more organized.

Step 4: Heat the Oil and Fry the Shrimp

• coconut oil
• coated shrimp from Step 3

Pour enough coconut oil into a large skillet to reach about 1/4 inch up the sides and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and is hot but not smoking (about 2-3 minutes).

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place coated shrimp into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on the first side until golden brown, then flip and fry for another 1-2 minutes until the second side is golden and the shrimp are cooked through.

Transfer cooked shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Step 5: Toss Shrimp with Bang Bang Sauce

• cooked shrimp from Step 4
• bang bang sauce from Step 1

Add all the cooked shrimp from Step 4 to a large bowl and pour the bang bang sauce from Step 1 over them.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently toss the shrimp until every piece is evenly coated with the creamy, spicy sauce.

The warmth of the freshly fried shrimp will help the sauce coat beautifully.

Step 6: Plate and Garnish

• green onions
• sesame seeds

Transfer the sauced shrimp to a serving platter or individual plates.

Scatter the thinly sliced green onions generously over the top, followed by a sprinkle of sesame seeds for color and a nutty finish.

Serve immediately while the shrimp are still warm—I find the contrast between the warm, crispy shrimp and the cool, creamy sauce is what makes this dish so irresistible.

Juicy Bang Bang Shrimp

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

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 1125

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the shrimp

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails removed)
• 2 large eggs (whisked)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (I always use Anthony’s for a fine texture)
• 2/3 cup arrowroot powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• coconut oil (for frying, enough to cover 1/4 inch of the pan)
• green onions (thinly sliced on a bias)
• sesame seeds

For the sauce

• 6 tbsp mayonnaise (I prefer Primal Kitchen for Whole30 compliance)
• 1 tbsp sriracha (Whole30 compliant)
• 2.25 tbsp ketchup (Unsweetened/Whole30 compliant)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp coconut aminos
• 1 garlic clove (freshly pressed for a sharper bite)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

 

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, ketchup, lime juice, coconut aminos, pressed garlic clove, and salt until smooth and well combined. Set aside at room temperature. This sauce is the heart of the dish, so make sure the flavors are well balanced—taste it and adjust the sriracha or lime juice to your preference before using it.
2. In a shallow bowl, combine the coconut flour, arrowroot powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Whisk together to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture. Place the whisked eggs in another shallow bowl next to the breading mixture. This setup makes the coating process quick and efficient.
3. Working with a few shrimp at a time, dip each shrimp into the whisked egg, allowing excess to drip off, then immediately dredge it in the breading mixture from Step 2, making sure both sides and the tail are fully coated. Place coated shrimp on a clean plate. I like to coat all the shrimp before I start frying—this way you're not juggling raw shrimp and hot oil at the same time, which keeps things safer and more organized.
4. Pour enough coconut oil into a large skillet to reach about 1/4 inch up the sides and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and is hot but not smoking (about 2-3 minutes). Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place coated shrimp into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on the first side until golden brown, then flip and fry for another 1-2 minutes until the second side is golden and the shrimp are cooked through. Transfer cooked shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
5. Add all the cooked shrimp from Step 4 to a large bowl and pour the bang bang sauce from Step 1 over them. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently toss the shrimp until every piece is evenly coated with the creamy, spicy sauce. The warmth of the freshly fried shrimp will help the sauce coat beautifully.
6. Transfer the sauced shrimp to a serving platter or individual plates. Scatter the thinly sliced green onions generously over the top, followed by a sprinkle of sesame seeds for color and a nutty finish. Serve immediately while the shrimp are still warm—I find the contrast between the warm, crispy shrimp and the cool, creamy sauce is what makes this dish so irresistible.