Spice up your meals with this versatile homemade Bang Bang Sauce! It’s packed with creamy, spicy, and tangy elements that add an irresistible touch to any dish. Serve it with your favorite mains like shrimp, seafood, chicken, and even vegetables!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Versatile: While it’s popularly served with shrimp, bang bang sauce can be used as a dip, dressing, or topping for a variety of dishes.
- Quick: This recipe whips up in less than 5 minutes! Use it whenever you need a last-minute dip, dressing, or marinade.
- Easy to make your own: You can easily adjust the heat level to suit your preferences, use Greek yogurt instead of mayo, or add different herbs to create a different flavor.
What Is bang bang sauce?
What started as a condiment for bang bang shrimp at the restaurant chain Bonefish Grill has now become a popular addition to all kinds of dishes! This homemade bang bang sauce is made from a simple mixture of mayonnaise, Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, and rice vinegar.
This combination creates a perfect balance of creamy, spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors. Plus, everyone always loves the vibrant orange-pink hue that it adds to the table.
All you have to do is mix everything together in a bowl, and that’s it! I recommend serving it with recipes like bang bang shrimp, grilled shrimp, chicken, noodles, poke bowls, roasted vegetables, or as a dipping sauce for your favorite appetizers!
Ingredients & substitutions
- Mayonnaise: Provides a creamy base and balances the heat of the Sriracha. If you’re looking for a lighter or egg-free alternative, try Greek yogurt or vegan mayo.
- Sriracha: Adds heat and a bit of tanginess. You can substitute Sriracha with other hot sauces if you’d like, but it provides the quintessential bang bang sauce flavor.
- Sweet chili sauce: Bonefish Grill uses the brand Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, but you can opt for any brand you have access to.
- Rice vinegar: Adds a sweet tang to the sauce. You can substitute it with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you don’t have any rice vinegar on hand.
- Chives: Add a mild onion-like flavor and a pop of green color. You can omit or substitute chives with green onions if you’d prefer.
How to make bang bang sauce
Creating this amazing sauce is a breeze! Just grab a small bowl and combine your mayonnaise, Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, and rice vinegar.
Mix everything well until you achieve a creamy, pinkish-orange hue. Don’t forget to taste and adjust the Sriracha or other add-ins to your taste for the perfect level of heat!
Serving suggestions
The most obvious and delicious way to serve bang bang sauce is in a bang bang shrimp recipe, but you can also use this versatile sauce in so many other ways! Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- As a dip for grilled ginger chicken, baked chicken kabobs, or air fryer chicken nuggets.
- Drizzled over grilled fish, pork lettuce wraps, spicy beef tartare, or a spicy tuna stack.
- As a dressing for shrimp salad or crispy Asian cabbage slaw.
- Tossed with noodles to make spicy shrimp lo mein.
- Paired with cheeseburger stuffed peppers, potato wedges, crispy spring rolls, or sweet potato fries.
Frequently asked questions
Of course! Bang bang sauce makes an excellent marinade on chicken, fish, and even tofu. You can use it on much more than this small list too. I’ve even drizzled it over vegetables to add a touch of creaminess.
If you’re looking for a non-dairy alternative to mayonnaise in this recipe, you can use vegan mayo or yogurt to achieve a similar consistency.
Absolutely! To substitute sweet chili sauce, use agave or honey and a pinch of red chili flakes for a similar flavor and texture.
Storage
If you have leftovers, you’re in luck! Bang bang sauce stores incredibly well. Here’s what to do:
- Fridge: Store leftover bang bang sauce in an airtight container for up to a week. I prefer using glass jars since I find the flavors stay the freshest this way.
- Freezer: If you can’t finish all of your bang bang sauce within a week, you can freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or jar.
- Prep ahead: I suggest making this recipe about 24 hours ahead of time and letting the flavors meld together. Keep it refrigerated to preserve its freshness.
Variations
- Garlic: Use garlic powder or minced garlic for a savory, garlicky punch.
- Sweet: Add a drizzle of honey or agave for a little extra sweetness.
- Tangy: Mix in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for a tangy kick.
- Smoky: If you’re looking for a smoky flavor, mix in chipotle peppers instead of Sriracha. You may need to blend the sauce or use a food processor to ensure it’s completely smooth.
Top tips
- Adjust the spice: Feel free to make this sauce spicier or milder depending on your preferences. You can easily adjust the amount of Sriracha added.
- Mix the sauce well: Mix the ingredients thoroughly to achieve the smoothest texture and most even distribution of flavor in your bang bang sauce.
- Let it rest: Give the sauce time to sit so the flavors have time to develop and meld together. If you have time, leave it for at least 30-60 minutes before serving.
- Consistency: Adding a little water is a great way to adjust the sauce’s consistency to make it thinner. This is a perfect option for salad dressings and drizzling on top of dishes.
Looking for more sauce recipes?
If you enjoyed this bang bang sauce recipe, be sure to check out some more of my favorite dips, dressings, and sauces like these:
If you try this Bang Bang Sauce, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!
Best Ever Bang Bang Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons sriracha
- 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by combining mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, sweet chili sauce, and rice vinegar. Mix well to combine. Tip: Adjust the quantities of sriracha and sweet chili sauce according to your desired level of spiciness, and toss to combine. The sauce should have a creamy consistency with a perfect balance of heat and tanginess.
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