Name: Whole30 Bang Bang Shrimp: Paleo, Gluten Free, Low Carb
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/3 cup mayo; 3 tablespoons ketchup; 1 tablespoon buffalo sauce or hot sauce; 2 teaspoons coconut aminos; 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 pound peeled shrimp; 2 eggs, whisked until frothy; 1/2 cup coconut flour; 1/2 cup arrowroot flour; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; Avocado oil for shallow frying

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This Whole30 bang bang shrimp recipe is really easy to make but packed with so much flavor! It’s a great seafood recipe that’s low carb, gluten free, and dairy free. This copycat bang bang shrimp uses coconut flour, buffalo sauce and other common paleo ingredients. It will definitely be a new family favorite Whole30 dinner recipe to spice up your weeknight meals!

This is a dairy free, gluten free and low carb copycat recipe for the popular Bonefish Grill and Cheesecake Factory menu items. They’re lightly fried in avocado oil until they’re golden brown and crispy, and tossed with a creamy, zingy bang bang or “firecracker” sauce. It’s one of our family’s favorite meals, and an easy way to use up shrimp you may have in the freezer!

Whole30 Bang Bang Shrimp Ingredients

For the Bang Bang Sauce:

Making your own low carb and Whole30 bang bang sauce is incredibly simple. It also gives you total control over what ingredients go into the sauce, so you can cook without added sugar and control things like the salt and spice level.

For the sauce, you’ll need mayo. You can make your own keto, dairy-free and Whole30 mayo really easily, or use a brand such as Primal Kitchen mayo. Likewise, the ketchup and buffalo sauce needed for this recipe can also be made yourself, or from a Whole30 option like Primal Kitchen.

They are widely available in most major grocery stores, on online from places like Amazon, Thrive Market, or their website (code PALEOBAILEY gives you a discount at checkout).

You’ll also need a few teaspoons of coconut aminos, which is also available in stores, Amazon, or at a discount from Thrive Market. The only other two items are minced garlic and a pinch of salt.

For the Shrimp:

A 1 pound package of peeled and deveined shrimp is needed for your Whole30 bang bang shrimp recipe, although you could easily cut the recipe in half and use a half pound if you’re only serving two people. You’ll also need 2 eggs, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, salt and pepper.

How to Prep and Cook Bang Bang Shrimp

Start by first preparing your Whole30 bang bang sauce. This process is really quick and easy, and all you have to do is add all of the sauce ingredients into a small bowl. Once the sauce components are all in the bowl, use a whisk or a fork to incorporate everything. You may have to whisk for a minute or two until the mayo is well combined and not clumpy.

Set the sauce aside and begin setting up a little assembly line for dredging the shrimp. To do this, combine the coconut flour, arrowroot flour, salt and garlic powder in a wide and shallow bowl. In a smaller but also shallow bowl, beat the two eggs until they’re frothy.

Then you will start coating each shrimp. Have a plate, cutting board or baking sheet (any flat surface) ready. Begin by coating a shrimp in the egg, and then transferring it into the flour bowl. Coat it well on all sides and gently shake off any excess. Place it onto the plate or flat surface.

Repeat this process until all of the shrimp has been coated. Or, do half of the shrimp and then begin frying that batch. While frying, you can finish coating the remaining shrimp to make the process go faster.

To fry the shrimp, you will first heat a large skillet (I prefer cast iron for this) and add in enough avocado oil so that the oil is about the depth of a pinky finger nail. This is called shallow frying. You can, and likely will, add in more oil as you do more batches.

Let the oil heat up for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Then you will use tongs to carefully place the shrimp into the skillet. The shrimp can be close but don’t overcrowd them. You should see tiny little bubbles coming to the surface around the shrimp when you place it in. If not, the oil is not hot enough yet.

Shallow fry the shrimp for about 4 minutes per side. They will be ready to flip when the side in the oil is a light to medium golden brown. If the oil begins getting too low, add more as needed. After the first batch or two, you may also want to turn the heat down just a bit so the oil doesn’t get too hot. It should not be hot to the point of splattering.

Once the shrimps have been browned on both sides, transfer them to a plate and let cool a bit. Letting them cool for about 5 minutes before trying to toss them in the sauce will help to make sure the coating does not come off. Once all of the shrimp is done, gently toss the shrimp with the sauce, or use tongs to flip the shrimp in the sauce to cover all sides.

Serving and Storing Instructions

Whole30 bang bang shrimp is great served over cauliflower rice or broccoli rice. It’s also really delicious over a lightly sautéed broccoli slaw or kale salad mix. If you’re not keeping this Whole30 or low carb, but eat gluten free, serve this bang bang shrimp over white rice or basmati rice.

You can garnish the shrimp with white or black sesame seeds, chopped green onions or cilantro, and an extra drizzle of the sauce if you have any leftover!

This recipe is ideal when enjoyed right away, but you can store it in the refrigerator for a few days. It does reheat well in the microwave, but the shrimp coating will not be crispy anymore. I think it’s still great, though.

Or, if you store the shrimp separate from any rice or side, you can reheat it in the air fryer or a skillet for about 3-4 minutes until the coating is a bit crisped up and the shrimp is heated through.

Other Whole30 Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love:

Air Fryer Shrimp Fajitas

Spicy Shrimp Salad and Homemade Lime Dressing

15 Minute Chili Lime Shrimp

Creamy Shrimp and Kielbasa Skillet

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp