You’ll love this recipe if you like this sheet pan shrimp boil and these spice rubbed chicken wings.
This Boom Boom Shrimp is large shrimp in a light, crackly soda-water batter, fried until golden and tossed in a creamy sweet-and-spicy boom boom sauce made from mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, lemon, and sriracha. It takes about 35 minutes and serves 4 as dinner over rice or 6 to 8 as an appetizer.
The batter is what makes this recipe. Cornstarch and carbonated water make a thin, bubbly coating that fries up crisp instead of bready, and frying at 375°F in small batches keeps the coating crisp. The sauce takes 2 minutes to whisk together.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- It costs a pound of shrimp plus sauces you likely already have in the fridge.
- The coating stays crisp. Cornstarch and soda water make a light batter that holds its crunch even after you add the sauce.
- The sauce takes 2 minutes and 6 ingredients: mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, lemon, and sriracha.
- You control the heat. Start with half a Tablespoon of sriracha and go up from there.
- Serve it as an appetizer or for dinner. Pile it on a platter with toothpicks for a party, or spoon it over rice with cucumbers for dinner.
- It is a crowd favorite at a game-day or holiday party, so make the full batch.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
Make the sauce first. Whisk the sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, lemon juice, mayonnaise, ketchup, and sriracha in a small bowl until smooth. Warm the peanut butter for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave first and it blends in without lumps. Start with ½ Tablespoon of sriracha and taste before adding more.
Heat the oil and set up a rack. Pour 2 to 3 inches of canola or vegetable oil into a large heavy pot and bring it to 375°F over medium to medium-high heat. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan next to the stove. A rack, not paper towels, is what keeps the bottoms crisp.
Season the shrimp. Pat the peeled shrimp very dry, then toss with the salt, garlic powder, pepper, and chili powder. Dry shrimp is what lets the batter stick.
Mix the batter right before frying. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder together, then whisk in the carbonated water until you have a thick batter. The bubbles fade, so do not make it ahead.
Fry in small batches. Dip a handful of shrimp in the batter, lift each one by the tail, and lower it into the oil. Fry about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side until golden and crisp, and the inside reads 145°F. Move to the rack and repeat, letting the oil come back to temperature between batches.
Sauce and serve. Drizzle the sauce over the shrimp, or toss the whole batch in a bowl with the sauce for full coverage. Finish with chopped peanuts, green onions, and lemon wedges.
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Shrimp: any large or jumbo shrimp, fresh or thawed frozen. Tail-on is easier to dip and fry; tail-off is easier to eat over rice.
- Peanut butter: for a nut-free sauce, use the same amount of SunButter (sunflower seed butter) and leave the chopped peanuts off the top.
- Sweet chili sauce: 2 Tablespoons honey plus a pinch of red pepper flakes gets close.
- Sriracha: any hot sauce, or a pinch of cayenne. Adjust up or down for the table.
- Carbonated water: club soda, seltzer, or a light beer all make the same crisp batter.
- Salt: the recipe uses kosher salt. With table salt or fine sea salt, use half the amount.
✨ Variations
- Air fryer: skip the wet batter. Toss the seasoned shrimp in the dry flour mix, spray well with oil, and air fry at 400°F for 7 to 9 minutes, shaking once. Less crunch, far less mess.
- Boom boom shrimp tacos: pile the sauced shrimp in warm flour tortillas with shredded cabbage and extra sauce.
- Boom boom shrimp bowls: rice, sliced cucumber, shredded carrot, and the shrimp on top, with the sauce drizzled over everything.
- Boom boom chicken: the same batter and sauce work on 1-inch chicken breast pieces. Fry 4 to 5 minutes until 165°F inside.
- Extra spicy: a full Tablespoon of sriracha in the sauce plus ½ teaspoon of cayenne in the shrimp seasoning.
〰️ How to serve
- As an appetizer: put it out on a platter next to chicken lollipop drumsticks and chicken bacon ranch pinwheels for a game-day spread.
- As dinner: over steamed rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice with sliced cucumbers on the side to cool the heat.
- Fresh alongside: black bean and corn salsa with chips balances the rich sauce.
- Garnish: chopped peanuts, sliced green onion, and a squeeze of lemon finish the shrimp. For nut-free, skip the peanuts.
💬 FAQs
What is boom boom sauce made of?
Mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, ketchup, some peanut butter, lemon juice, and sriracha, whisked together. It is creamy, sweet, and mildly spicy, and you can also use it as a dip for fries, chicken tenders, and fish.
How do I keep fried shrimp crispy?
Pat the shrimp very dry before seasoning, mix the batter right before you fry so the soda water is still bubbly, keep the oil at 375°F, fry in small batches, and drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels. Sauce it right before serving, not ahead.
Can I make boom boom shrimp in the air fryer?
Yes, with a dry coating instead of the wet batter. Toss the seasoned shrimp in the flour mixture, spray generously with oil, and air fry at 400°F for 7 to 9 minutes. It comes out lighter and less crunchy than deep-fried, but it is quick and there is no oil to deal with.
Can I make it ahead, and how do I store leftovers?
Make the sauce up to 5 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Fry the shrimp when you are ready to eat. Only sauce what you will eat, and store the rest un-sauced in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes so it crisps back up, then sauce.
Is boom boom shrimp spicy?
Mild to medium. Half a Tablespoon of sriracha in the sauce is a gentle warmth kids usually handle. A full Tablespoon is a noticeable kick. The sweet chili sauce and mayonnaise soften it either way.
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Boom Boom Shrimp
Ingredients
Boom boom sauce
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter, see notes
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- ½–1 Tablespoon sriracha, to taste
Shrimp
- canola or vegetable oil, for frying, 2 to 3 inches deep
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, thawed, and patted dry
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Batter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1½ cups carbonated water, club soda or seltzer
For serving
- chopped peanuts, optional
- green onions, chopped, optional
- lemon wedges, optional
Instructions
Boom boom sauce
- Whisk the sauce: Add the sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, lemon juice, mayonnaise, ketchup, and sriracha to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Start with ½ Tablespoon of sriracha and add more for a spicier sauce. Set aside.
Shrimp
- Heat the oil: Add 2 to 3 inches of oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Season the shrimp: While the oil heats, toss the shrimp with the salt, garlic powder, pepper, and chili powder.
- Make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk in the carbonated water until a thick batter forms.
- Fry: Toss a handful of shrimp in the batter to coat. Lift each one by the tail and lower it gently into the hot oil. Fry about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side, until the coating is crisp and golden and the inside reaches 145°F. Move to the wire rack and repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Sauce and serve: Drizzle the sauce over the shrimp, or place all the shrimp in a large bowl and toss with the sauce to coat evenly. Top with peanuts and green onions and serve with lemon wedges.
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