Julie Clark
Posted:
Firecracker Shrimp
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Easy firecracker shrimp ready in 30 minutes! Crispy shrimp tossed in a sweet and spicy firecracker sauce. It’s gluten free, and the perfect appetizer or weeknight dinner.
If you’re craving sweet and spicy takeout-style shrimp, this easy firecracker shrimp recipe is for you. It comes together using simple ingredients, with pan-fried shrimp tossed in a bold homemade firecracker sauce. The best part? It’s the cornstarch coating fries up light and crispy so the shrimp is not at all heavy.
About our Firecracker Shrimp recipe:
I have a confession to make. I actually don’t love shrimp. Then why do I share shrimp recipes like smoked shrimp, shrimp pasta, shrimp skewers, shrimp foil packets and shrimp and chicken fried rice? Because Matt and Braden love shrimp!
One thing I do love is firecracker sauce, like we serve on our firecracker chicken nachos, so I did enjoy this fried shrimp recipe more than others. But Matt and Braden were my main taste testers on this recipe, and they did not mind eating this firecracker shrimp for lunch a few days in a row.
This sweet and spicy shrimp is easy served over white rice or butter rice, or go low carb with our cauliflower rice. It also used to be a popular Panda Express recipe, just like our honey sesame chicken.
Enjoy! – Julie
Firecracker Shrimp Recipe
Easy firecracker shrimp ready in 30 minutes! Crispy, pan-fried shrimp tossed in a sweet and spicy firecracker sauce. Gluten-free and perfect for weeknights.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 3/4 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the shrimp:
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined, tails off
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
- vegetable oil for frying
Optional for serving:
- chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
- steamed white rice
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the buffalo sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside. ¾ cup buffalo sauce, ⅓ cup Thai sweet chili sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. 1 pound jumbo shrimp
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and garlic salt. Place the shrimp in the cornstarch to coat completely, then set aside on a plate. ½ cup cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
- Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or saucepan to 350°F. Fry the shrimp in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) for about 2 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. The shrimp will turn slightly pink in color and curl up. Transfer to a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch any drips. vegetable oil
- While the shrimp are still hot, toss them in a large bowl with the firecracker sauce until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately over rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. chopped green onions, sesame seeds, steamed white rice
Notes
- For an even crispier texture, dip the shrimp in buttermilk first, then let it drip and coat with cornstarch.
- Want to bake or air fry instead of deep-frying? Use panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch, and lightly spray the shrimp with oil before cooking.
- Adjust the spice level by reducing or increasing the red pepper flakes, or add a little cayenne pepper or sriracha if you like extra heat.
- Store leftover firecracker shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks. The calories shown are based on the shrimp serving 4 people, with 1 serving being ¼ of the shrimp. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 2720mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this firecracker shrimp recipe:
- Shrimp. I chose jumbo shrimp, which means there were about 15 shrimp per pound. Use smaller shrimp if you’d like, but they will cook more quickly. Matt prefers tail off shrimp so they are easy to eat.
- Buffalo sauce. Buy Frank’s buffalo sauce or make buffalo sauce at home!
- Soy sauce. Or coconut aminos for gluten free.
- Honey. Honey adds a sweet flavor, and I add it to as many recipes as I can since we keep bees and have all the local honey we’d like! Honey helps the sauce be sticky sweet.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
How to Make Firecracker Shrimp: Step by Step
- Make the Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the buffalo sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Prep the Shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and garlic salt. Dredge each shrimp in the cornstarch mixture, then set aside on a plate.
- Fry the Shrimp: Heat 1–2 inches of oil (vegetable oil or canola oil) in a deep skillet or saucepan to 350°F. Fry the shrimp in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) for about 2 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Transfer to wire rack to keep them as crispy as possible.
- Toss in Sauce: While the shrimp are still hot, toss them in a large bowl with the firecracker sauce until evenly coated.
And then serve! Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for a pretty presentation.
Serving Ideas
If you don’t want to serve firecracker shrimp over rice or pasta, try one of these ideas:
- Serve in a flour tortilla as a shrimp taco.
- Go low carb and wrap in butter lettuce leaves. This makes a great appetizer or afternoon snack.
- Thread the cooked shrimp onto wooden skewers and sprinkle with sesame seeds or chopped green onions. This makes an easy grab-and-go party snack.
Sticking with a firecracker theme? Serve with our firecracker cupcakes as dessert!
