Boom Boom Shrimp starts with succulent shrimp then fries it up tempura style for a light and crispy exterior, all smothered in a spicy Boom Boom sauce. This Southern favorite is next level and works great as an appetizer, main dish, or even as a salad topper.
My friends, this is one of my new favorite recipes. When I first set out to test this recipe, I was a little intimidated by it. I don't particularly love frying, but found tempura shrimp easier to make than your typical fried food and the sauce comes together in just minutes.
It's an unexpectedly easy recipe that doesn't take much time at all and was a total hit with my family (even my spice-adverse son!). We've made this several times since my first attempt and none of us get tired of it. I love it as a main dish served with rice and veggies, but it actually goes great stuffed in a taco shell, or on top of salad. Delish!
In This Post
Why I Love This Recipe
I love these delicious crispy shrimp so much. Here's why.
- Easy. While there is some frying involved for the shrimp, this is actually a really easy recipe and can be made in minutes. Crispy shrimp paired with a spicy boom boom sauce make for a mouthwatering combination.
- Comes together fast! The boom boom sauce comes together quickly and the shrimp fries up in just minutes, making this a quick recipe perfect for busy weeknights or your next party.
- Versatile. These boom-boom shrimp are so delicious and you can use them in a million ways. Serve them as an appetizer, a main course, or even on top of salads or stuffed into a taco!
- That sauce! If you've never tried boom boom sauce, you're in for a treat. Slightly sweet, and slightly spicy, the homemade boom boom sauce is a delicious coating for the tempura shrimp.
Key Ingredients
You need surprisingly few ingredients to make this recipe. Here are the star players
For The Tempura Shrimp
- Shrimp. Use large shrimp for the best results, ensuring a juicy interior and crispy exterior.
- Peanut oil. Ideal for frying the shrimp, providing a golden brown and crispy finish. While I love using peanut oil here, it can admittedly get a little pricy. Canola oil is a fine substitute (especially if that's what you have on hand.)
- Flour and egg yolks. This will be the base of the tempura shrimp batter.
- Ice water. Using ice water in your tempura batter is important as it slows down the formation of gluten and prevents the crust from absorbing too much oil. This keeps the tempura coating light and airy, instead of heavily fried.
For the Boom Boom Sauce
- Mayonaise. This gives the boom boom sauce its creamy texture.
- Sweet chili sauce, sriracha sauce, and ketchup. These three sauces combine to give the mayonnaise-based sauce a sweet and spicy kick.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. You'll use these in the boom boom sauce and the shrimp batter for some extra flavor.
How to Make Boom Boom Shrimp
Here's how to make this spicy shrimp dish.
- Prepare the boom boom sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat the peanut oil. In a high-sided pot or fryer, heat peanut oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the shrimp tempura batter. In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of flour flour, egg yolks, and ice water until smooth.
- Fry the tempura shrimp. Dredge each shrimp piece in the remaining flour, then dip it into the batter. Add the shrimp to the hot oil, then fry in batches for about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Remove the tempura fried shrimp from the oil and place shrimp on a paper towel-lined plate to cool/drain for a couple of minutes.
- Coat shrimp with boom boom sauce. Toss the shrimp in the prepared boom boom sauce to coat.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve the boom boom shrimp hot with rice and veggies, as an app, or on top of a salad.
Variations and Substitutions
- Air fryer option. For a healthier alternative, you can skip the tempura batter and just air fry the shrimp instead. Simply coat the shrimp with cooking spray and air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Try a different sauce. Experiment with different sauces. Similar, yet slightly different, yum yum sauce or bang bang sauce are great alternatives to this classic boom boom shrimp.
- Make it vegetarian! Substitute shrimp with tofu or cauliflower florets for a vegetarian-friendly version of this dish.
- Dip instead of coat. If you're serving this shrimp as an app, you could also simply fry up the shrimp, then serve the boom-boom sauce on the side. It makes a great dipping sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the boom boom sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. I love making a double batch of this sauce as it goes great with other dishes too. It's the perfect dipping sauce for chicken tenders, french fries, or sweet potato fries.
Yes! I actually usually use the shrimp found in the frozen section at Costco. Just make sure to thaw and pat the shrimp dry before coating them in the batter.
Ugh - soggy shrimp is the worst! This is where the batching comes in! You can't crowd the pan since adding too many shrimp at once can lower the temperature of the oil causing them not to cook as well. Make sure to fry the shrimp in a single layer and avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure they become crispy.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. The best way I’ve found to reheat these is in the air fryer, but you could also place them on a sheet pan and pop them in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 385, or until they crisp up again and the shrimp are heated through.
What to serve with Boom Boom Shrimp
There are so many different ways to enjoy this decadent treat. Here are a few ideas:
- As an appetizer. (To make eating these easier for a party, consider serving the boom boom sauce on the side for guests to dip the tempura shrimp in.)
- On a bed of steamed rice or in a rice bowl. (We love it this way, with a side of roasted veggies.)
- On top of a salad.
- Added to noodles.
- In a taco.
- In a stirfry.
- As a shrimp po'boy - just stuff the mixture into a sub!
If you try this Easy Boom Boom Shrimp recipe, let me know what you think in the comments below! And don't forget to tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
More Delicious Weeknight Dinners
- Chicken And Shrimp Stir Fry WIth Garlic Ginger Sauce
- Easy Smoked Salmon Sushi Bowls
- Sheet Pan Miso Honey Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks
- Crispy Rice With Spicy Shrimp Salad
- Crispy, Baked Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
- Easy Kung Pao Tofu Recipe
- Asian Coconut Shrimp Recipe
- Crispy Tempura Shrimp
- Baked Miso Honey Chicken Thighs
Recipe
Super Easy Boom Boom Shrimp Recipe (Sweet & Spicy!)
Ingredients
For The Shrimp Tempura
- 1 lb whole shrimp peeled, tails removed
- 2 cups peanut oil
- 1 ½ cups water, with ice
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 egg yolks
For The Boom Boom Sauce
- ¾ cup mayo
- 3 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Make the Boom Boom Sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Set aside while you fry the shrimp.
- Heat the oil. Heat the peanut oil in a high-sided pot or fryer until 350 degrees.
- Make the ice water. Combine 1 ½ cups water with ice and let sit for 2 minutes.
- Make the shrimp batter. In a medium bowl, add 1 cup flour, 2 egg yolks, and 1 ½ cups ice water from the ice water mixture above.
- Fry. Place the remaining cup of flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge each shrimp piece in the flour, then dip it into the batter. Add the shrimp to the hot oil and fry for about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through. (Work in batches if you need to - don’t crowd the pan.)
- Remove the shrimp from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels. All the shrimp to cool for 2 minutes, then add to a large bowl and toss with the boom boom sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
Shannon says
Yum! I was nervous to try frying the shrimp myself but it was actually super easy and I love how light the tempura batter ended up being. And that sauce....magic!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Shannon! We agree!!
Chris says
Such a great appetizer, this reminds me of a certain restaurant I always went to in the 2000s ...