Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

Creamy Spicy and Bang On!

Bang bang shrimp is a copycat appetizer that originates from the popular Bonefish Grill chain of restaurants, but when you make it bang bang shrimp and pasta it becomes an entire meal perfect for any day of the week! Add some homemade egg rolls and you have a complete meal!

The shrimp is plump and juicy and cooked until crispy then it’s smothered in a creamy spicy sauce that coats every bit of the shrimp and noodles. It’s not the kind of creamy you’d find in creamy rigatoni pasta or creamy chicken pasta, for example, because in this recipe, the creaminess comes from mayo!

If you’ve ever had the bang bang shrimp, you’ll know that there’s no getting away with just making that. This bang bang shrimp taco recipe and bang bang shrimp pasta are always trailing behind on the weekly menu. The sauce is so addicting, you’ll be looking for more ways to use it!

If you’re a fan of spicy shrimp, you’ve got to try my kung pao shrimp recipe too!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Pasta: Any long noodle will work. Fettuccine is what I prefer but you could also use spaghetti noodles or angel hair pasta. I have some extra tips on how to cook pasta which gives you a bit more insight than the directions on the box.
• Shrimp: Fresh or thawed from frozen medium-sized shrimp. Peeled and deveined beforehand.
• Garlic & ginger: Together these two are widely used in Thai cuisine, so since we’re making a sauce that uses other Thai-inspired ingredients like coconut, lime, and Thai chili sauce, these aromatics are a must!
• Mayonnaise: This is the key ingredient to making the sauce thick and creamy. You can swap with heavy whipping cream if you’d prefer.
• Thai sweet chili sauce: This can be found at your local grocery store (or homemade if you know how). It looks a bit like the sweet “red sauce” you get at Chinese restaurants, however, there are noticeable red pepper flakes in it, which give it spiciness.
• Sriracha sauce: Another red spicy sauce! This one has a more intense heat from red peppers. It’s also a thicker and deeper red color.
• Lime juice: Love the bright zip this adds to the cream sauce. Lime always pairs well with seafood, where in a sauce, or used in a ceviche kind of way!
• For serving: Optional garnishes can include crushed peanuts, toasted coconut, green onions, and/or parsley. Cilantro is another popular finish to this dish.

Variations

• Make the sauce a bit sweeter by adding 1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup.
• You can also add more spice by sprinkling in some cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce.
• Instead of mayonnaise, you could use coconut milk instead. It’ll add another layer of Thai-inspired flavor and, of course, pair well with toasted coconut as a garnish.
• Other ways to substitute the mayonnaise is to use cream cheese or sour cream instead.
• If you want to make this bang bang shrimp recipe a bit more garlicky you can use more cloves of garlic.
• Not a shrimp fan? You could try scallops instead.

• Cook pasta to al dente. In a large pot, add water and a generous amount of salt. Bring to a boil and cook the fettuccine for 12 minutes, or until al dente. The salted water will add flavor to the pasta. Plus, salt water boils faster!
• Saute the shrimp. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir them to avoid burning. Both cook quickly. Then add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and no longer translucent. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
• Make the sauce. Add the mayo, chili sauce, sriracha, lime juice, and salt to the skillet and whisk until combined. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer on low for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Toss to combine. Drain the fettuccine and add it to the sauce along with the shrimp. Grab a pair of tongs and toss everything to make sure it’s all coated in the sauce. Serve with your choice of garnish. Enjoy!