Crispy shrimp coated in bang bang sauce, crunchy cucumbers, and creamy avocado on rice is what you’ll find in this super simple, incredibly delicious Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls!
Table of contents
Easy Shrimp Rice Bowls
I’ve been on an Asian poke bowl kick lately. The delicious flavors and simplicity of an easy recipe is great, especially in the summertime, when I’m aiming to eat light, but also not heat the kitchen! First, there was California roll in a bowl, then came spring roll in a bowl, and now this bang bang shrimp rice bowls which I can’t seem to get enough of!
This amazing shrimp dish is a quick and easy copycat of the popular appetizer at Bonefish Grill. The crispy shrimp sits on a bed of rice along with crunchy cucumbers and creamy avocado chunks which are then drizzled with the ultimate bang bang shrimp sauce!
Making it at home means I can customize it to how I like using fresh and healthy ingredients while avoiding anything I’m not interested in adding. Your entire family will love this shrimp dish, so make extra shrimp because they’ll probably ask for seconds!
If you love Bang Bang shrimp, be sure to try one of our most popular recipes here Bang Bang Shrimp and Pasta.
Ingredients/shopping list
Rice Bowl
- Rice: The rice you’ve got in your cupboard can be used here. Or, pick up a bag of sushi rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, or brown rice.
- Rice wine vinegar, Salt, & Sugar: This trio is often used in sushi rice to give it a nice sweet, sour, and tangy flavor.
- Avocado, diced: A ripe avocado will be nice and creamy and easy to peel and cut. You don’t want it overripe and mushy (at least I don’t) but also not too firm.
- English cucumber, sliced: No need to peel these types of cucumbers as their skin is thin and delicate. There are also fewer seeds in an English cucumber.
- Garnish: Green onions and/or sesame seeds for the finishing touch!
Bang Bang Sauce
- Thai Sweet chili sauce: A delicious sweet and sour sauce with some heat to it.
- Mayonnaise: Adds a nice creaminess to the sauce and mellows out any overkill on the tartness and tang.
- Fresh lime juice: A pop of lime brightens it up and adds a zesty kick!
The Shrimp
- Shrimp: I use small shrimp to get a few extra in my bowl, but you can use whatever size you prefer. Devein and skin them, but leave the tail on. It’s great for being to pick up and dip in any extra sauce you may have.
- Flour & Cornstarch: The coating that sticks to the shrimp gives it a nice golden brown crust making the outside nice and crispy while keeping the inside juicy.
- Olive oil: For frying.
How to Make this Shrimp Bowl Recipe
This recipe will come together in 30 minutes. Even less if you’re using leftover rice!
Step 1 – Cook the Rice. Rinse it first, until the water is no longer cloudy, to get rid of excess starch. It should run clear after a couple of minutes. Cook the rice according to package directions and then transfer it to a bowl with rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine and set it aside.
Step 2 – Make the Bang Bang Sauce by combining all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mixing them. Set that aside too.
Step 3 – Coat the shrimp. Toss the shrimp into a bowl containing the flour and cornstarch. You just want a light coating.
Step 4 – Cook the shrimp. Once the oil is heated over medium-high heat add a single layer of shrimp, leaving enough room in between each one to cook evenly. You may need to cook in batches. Cook for 4 minutes until the shrimp is no longer pink, flipping halfway.
Step 5 – Toss shrimp in the sauce. Immediately, transfer the cooked shrimp to the bowl with the sauce and stir to make sure they’re well coated.
Step 6 – Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice into 4 serving bowls, and top with sliced cucumber and diced avocado. Add shrimp and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy right away!
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Use any other favorite vegetables such as sliced zucchini, carrots, sliced red peppers, red cabbage, and/or edamame. This is a good time to clean out your fridge!
2. Add a tablespoon of sriracha sauce or a ⅛ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce if you’d like a little more spiciness.
3. Substitute ½ Greek yogurt for half the mayonnaise.
4. Skip the flour coating and grill the shrimp instead. You could also use the air fryer instead of the shallow frying in oil for a healthier version.
5. Substitute cauliflower rice for regular rice for a low-carb version.
6. Use sesame oil if preferred.
Tips
- Use gluten-free flour as needed.
- Make sure to pat the shrimp dry first, with paper towels, so the flour and corn starch stick.
- Toss the shrimp in panko bread crumbs instead of flour for extra crunch.
- Use any other oil to cook shrimp. Canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, etc.
- Add 2 cloves of minced garlic or one teaspoon of garlic powder for some added flavor.
FAQ’s
I recommend eating these shrimp bowls right away, otherwise, the shrimp lose their crispness, the avocado turns brown and it’s just not the same!
This recipe makes 4 servings, which can be halved if necessary. If you do happen to have any leftovers that you really can’t bear to part with, keep them in an airtight container for no longer than 2 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat them in the air fryer to crisp up or in the microwave for a quick minute.
Yes! Fresh or frozen is great. Make sure to thaw the shrimp overnight or place the bag in cold water for a couple of hours. Replace the cold water every half hour or so.
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Bang Bang Shrimp Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the Bowls
- 1 cup rice
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- Green onions and/or sesame seeds garnish
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound small shrimp skinned and deveined
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Cook the rice
- Rinse the rice under cool water for about a minute or until it runs clear.1 cup rice
- Next cook the rice per the package directions, on the stove top or in a rice cooker.
- After cooking the rice, place it in a large bowl and add the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt and stir to combine.1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon sugar
Make the Bang Bang Sauce
- In a large bowl, add the sweet chili sauce, mayonnaise, and lime juice and mix to combine.⅓ cup sweet chili sauce, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Cook the Shrimp
- Add the flour and cornstarch to a large bowl and then add the shelled shrimp and toss until the shrimp are lightly coated.1 pound small shrimp, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the oil to a large pan and heat over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the shrimp in a single layer so the pan is not crowded. Work in batches if necessary.
- Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes and then flip and cook them for another 1-2 minutes or until they are pink and no longer limp.
- Immediately add the cooked shrimp to the bowl of bang bang sauce and toss to combine.
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the cooked rice between 4 serving bowls. Then top with shrimp, avocado, and cucumber.1 avocado, 1 English cucumber
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onionGreen onions and/or sesame seeds
Notes
Nutrition
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