Bang Bang Sauce is the key ingredient to Bang Bang Shrimp, and it is to die for. Made with just four ingredients, you will fall in love with this easy sauce.
If you have been following me for a bit, you know that I love making homemade sauces. They are the perfect way to control the ingredients, and typically my homemade sauces are made with easy to find ingredients.
This sauce is no exception. It is absolutely delicious, and we have a whole section below to help you make to suit your exact tastes. Additionally, we have a list towards the bottom of the post of all the great ways to use it!
What is Bang Bang Sauce
Bang Bang Sauce is a delicious creamy sauce that coats Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer, a fried shrimp dish famously enjoyed at Bonefish Grill. Made with mayonnaise, Thai-style sweet red chili sauce, Sriracha, and rice wine vinegar, it is the perfect balance of tangy and sweet. While it is a key part of Bang Bang Shrimp, it can also be enjoyed with various meats, veggies, or seafood. This Bang Bang Sauce recipe is easily made at home!
Bang Bang Shrimp
Bang Bang Sauce Ingredients
Let’s break down each ingredient and other recipes to use them in.
- Mayonnaise: I used low-fat mayonnaise. You can also use the original, but I would not recommend using fat-free.
- Thai-style Sweet Red Chili Sauce: This sauce is noticeably sweet. Regular chili sauce, like in my Pork Lo Mein, is not at all sweet and has a kick. You will want the label to say Thai-style Sweet Red Chili Sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: It balances the sweetness of the chili sauce and has a wonderfully unique taste. You will also love rice vinegar in my delicious Chicken Lettuce Wraps.
- Sriracha Sauce: This sauce, a type of hot sauce, gives the recipe a little heat. You can also use it in my Fish Taco recipe.
Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce
How to Make Bang Bang Sauce
This Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce comes together quickly and is so delicious. For the full recipe including all measurements, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Whisk together ingredients. Make sure everything is mixed in well.
- Add salt to taste. Start with just a pinch, mix, and taste again. See more on balancing a sauce below.
How to Balance a Sauce
I think this sauce is perfect as written (with that little pinch of salt). However, everyone’s taste preferences are slightly different. You may taste it and find that it is too tart. You can balance this by adding more chili sauce. Or, if you find it too sweet, you can balance this with more sriracha or more rice wine vinegar.
Whenever you are balancing a recipe at the end to suit your own personal tastes, there are two keys to remember. The first is that sweet is balanced by sour, and vice versa. You can also use salt to balance acidity and vice versa. The second thing to remember is that a little goes a long way. Start by just adding a pinch of whatever you are using to balance and taste again. Keep going with very small additions until you have it just right.
FAQ
No. Both are creamy sauces, however, Bang Bang Sauce has a sweeter flavor while Yum Yum has a subtle tomato flavor.
Yes. It is also dairy free.
This recipe makes 12 tablespoons or 3/4 cup.
Storing Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce
Store any leftover Bang Bang Sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Always use your best judgment when storing and eating leftovers. If you use an ingredient that is close to its expiration date, that storage time could be shortened. If it smells or looks off, toss it.
What to Eat With Bang Bang Sauce
The possibilities are endless for ways to enjoy this homemade sauce. In addition to enjoying shrimp with Bang Bang Sauce, top your favorite sandwich or wrap or dip some raw veggies for a flavor-packed meal. Here are some other ideas for what to eat with Bang Bang Sauce.
- Use it as a yummy dipping sauce for Easy French Fries and Air Fryer Chicken Tenders.
- I love eating it drizzled on Blackened Shrimp and Blackened Chicken.
- The perfect compliment to Air Fryer Green Beans or Baked Zucchini Fries.
Other Great Sauce Recipes
Homemade sauces are wonderful because you can adjust them to your taste preference and skip the added preservatives and sugars. Here are a few kitchen staple sauces:
If you try this Bang Bang Sauce recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and tell me what you think. I love hearing from you!
Bang Bang Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used low fat)
- 2 tablespoons Thai-style sweet red chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Sriracha sauce. Taste and adjust flavors – add a pinch of salt if needed and add more chili sauce if you want it sweeter. Add more rice wine vinegar if it is too sweet. (Read more about how to balance a sauce here.) Set aside the sauce.
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