If you’re craving a standout dish that combines bold flavors and satisfying crunch, try these bang bang shrimp tacos. They feature crispy buttermilk-fried shrimp topped with a medley of fresh toppings. Drizzled with a sweet-and-spicy sauce, they are sure to become a favorite at your table.
Flavor Explosion with Bang Bang Sauce
One of my favorite dishes to prepare during the summer is shrimp tacos. The crunchiness of the shrimp paired with the sweet and spicy bang bang sauce creates a flavor explosion that elevates these tacos into a satisfying meal.
Bang bang sauce is a deliciously addictive blend of creamy mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and a hint of sriracha, creating the perfect balance of flavors. Its rich, zesty kick adds a delightful punch to dishes, making it an ideal accompaniment to shrimp, tacos, or even as a dipping sauce for appetizers.
The Perfect Tortilla for Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
The flour tortillas are toasted and folded, which helps hold a curved shape, making them easy to handle. Not only do they provide a sturdy base for all the delicious toppings, but they also have a slight crunch reminiscent of a hard taco shell.
Fresh Corn Elevates Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
Adding roasted corn enhances the flavor profile of these tacos. While you can easily use frozen corn, it is hard to beat the taste of fresh summer corn when it’s available. Cut it off the cob and stir-fry it in a bit of butter or olive oil until toasted.
A Rainbow of Vegetables
These tacos are not just tasty; they’re also packed with healthy ingredients. Load them up with pico de gallo, cilantro, purple cabbage, green onions, corn, and crisp lettuce. Add other toppings you love, or leave off any you are not fond of. The choice is yours, so make these tacos your way.
Pico de Gallo
Pico de gallo adds a burst of flavor to these shrimp tacos. Made with ripe tomatoes, crunchy onions, and spicy jalapeños, it adds a zesty contrast to the crispy buttermilk-fried shrimp. Lime juice and fresh cilantro enhance the overall taste, complementing the sweet and spicy bang bang sauce.
Easy Preparation for Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
These shrimp tacos are easy to prepare. However, most of the prep work is chopping vegetables. So, consider preparing some of the vegetables ahead of time and storing them in separate containers.
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Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Pico de Gallo
- 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- ½ cup sweet onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, minced with membranes & seeds removed
- 1 lime, juiced
- ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sriracha hot chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
Shrimp
- 1 cup buttermilk (enough to cover cut-up shrimp)
- 30 large shrimp, deveined (shelled with tails off)
- 1 cup cornstarch (add more cornstarch if necessary to thoroughly coat shrimp)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper, ground
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- cooking oil with high smoke point (such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil)
Toppings
- 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
- ⅓ – ½ cup corn, cooked (fresh or frozen corn)
- 2-3 scallions, chopped (green onion)
- 6 flour tortillas (6-inch)
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Pico de Gallo
- Add tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Stir. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
Directions for Sauce
- Stir together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha until well mixed. Set aside.
Cooking Shrimp
- Soak shrimp in buttermilk for 5-10 minutes.
- In a bowl, add cornstarch, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix.
- Take the shrimp out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the cornstarch mix. Shake off the excess mix.
- Pour 1 to 2 inches of cooking oil into a pan. Heat to 350°F. Drop in shrimp and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
- In a non-stick skillet, heat tortilla shells one at a time for a few seconds until they start to toast. Remove from heat and gently fold in half. Place 5 shrimp, sauce, pico, corn, lettuce, cabbage, cilantro, and scallions in the folded tortilla shells.