Firecracker Shrimp Recipe

Content… What Kind of Sauce? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More Sensational Shrimp Recipes to Try Conclusion Watch How to Make It

What Kind of Sauce Is on Firecracker Shrimp?

Good question! The homemade sauce in this recipe has a little bit of all my favorite sweet chili sauce elements. There’s honey, sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, green onions, and sesame seeds. Then red pepper flakes deliver a nice little kick at the end.

And even though it’s homemade, I promise you it is effortless. You’ll have it whipped up in less than 5 minutes. Plus, a perk of making your firecracker sauce from scratch is that you can make it more or less spicy, depending on your preferences. 🧨

Recipe Ingredients

1. Shrimp – I usually go with a pound of large shrimp for this recipe. Make sure they are peeled and deveined!
2. Shrimp Marinade – Soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, garlic powder, and black pepper make an amazing marinade for shrimp, and firecracker shrimp is no exception.
3. Coating – Cornstarch and oil crisp up the outside of the shrimp before you toss it in the firecracker sauce.
4. Firecracker Sauce – This homemade sauce is the (flavor) bomb! You’ll need all the Asian classics: sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and a few choice herbs and spices. ✨

How to Make Firecracker Shrimp

Marinate the Shrimp

• Make the Marinade – Add the marinade ingredients to a large bowl: soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well. (Photo 1)
• Marinate – Stir the shrimp into the marinade, completely coating them. Let them marinate for 15-20 minutes. (Photo 2)

Fry the Shrimp

• Coat the Shrimp – Place the cornstarch on a plate. Shake each shrimp lightly to drain excess marinade, then coat it in cornstarch. Press the cornstarch down lightly on the shrimp to get a good coating. Set the cornstarch-coated shrimp aside. (Photos 3-4)
• Fry – Add about 3 inches of oil to a deep skillet or fryer and heat it to 350°F (175°C) on medium-high heat. Carefully place the coated shrimp in the hot oil, a few at a time, and fry for about 2-3 minutes until they turn golden brown and crispy. Don’t overcrowd the pan because it will lower your oil’s temperature too quickly. (Photo 5)
• Drain – Once the shrimp are cooked, put them on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. (Photo 6)

Sauce the Shrimp

• Combine honey, sriracha sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes in a separate saucepan. (Photo 7)
• Simmer – Cook over low for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously until well combined and slightly thick.
• Coat Shrimp – Take the saucepan off the heat and add the fried shrimp to the sauce. Toss the shrimp gently until they are all evenly coated with the sauce. (Photo 8)
• Serve – Transfer the firecracker shrimp to a serving dish and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with rice, noodles, or your favorite veggies.

Recipe Variations

1. Grilled Firecracker Shrimp! This is an ideal way to prepare this dish if you’re cutting back on fried foods. After marinating, grill the shrimp at 400℉/205℃ for about 2 minutes per side, then toss them in the firecracker sauce. 👌
2. Honey-Lime Firecracker Shrimp: Skip the sriracha and rice vinegar in the firecracker sauce, replacing them with freshly squeezed lime juice. Serve the coated shrimp with extra lime wedges on the side. 💚
3. Cajun Firecracker Shrimp: Coat them in a Cajun seasoning blend before frying. Mix mayonnaise, lime juice, sriracha, and a pinch of sugar for the firecracker sauce. Serve these on a bed of coleslaw to complete this Asian-Cajun fusion dish.
4. Shrimp Tacos: Grab your favorite corn tortillas and fill them with shrimp, chopped cilantro and onions, and your favorite hot sauce.

Tips and Tricks

1. You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. But make sure you thaw frozen shrimp properly before marinating.
2. To make extra crispy shrimp, double-dip them in the marinade and coat them in the cornstarch again.
3. Feel free to adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the sriracha sauce and red pepper flakes. 
4. The shrimp dish is best enjoyed immediately if you want to enjoy its crispy texture. Leaving the shrimp for too long will result in the coating becoming soggy.

Make Ahead Instructions

Like most fried foods, this dish is best eaten fresh, not stored and reheated. Still, you can make the marinade and the firecracker sauce the day before, saving you some time when you’re ready to cook.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve firecracker shrimp hot out of the pan over a bed of steaming rice, noodles, or veggies.

If you have leftovers, be sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep for 3-5 days. Or you can freeze them for 3 months.

The microwave is your quickest option to reheat leftovers. But if you want to get some of the crisp back, try reheating them in the oven at 350℉/177℃ or pop them in your air fryer for a few minutes.

FAQs

What Goes With Firecracker Shrimp

Firecracker shrimp pair well with so many options, but I like to keep things simple by serving them over steaming jasmine rice alongside some spicy roast garlic broccoli. 

Since I make mine pretty spicy, I also like serving refreshing drinks with this meal. Try offering your guests some sorrel drink or tropical sangria, which make a surprisingly delicious combination. 😋

More Sensational Shrimp Recipes to Try

1. Jamaican Curry Shrimp
2. Grilled Shrimp Kebabs
3. Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
4. Grilled Shrimp Salad
5. Jerk Shrimp

Conclusion

Quick, easy, and ridiculously delicious, firecracker shrimp might make it onto your regular weeknight meal rotation. Tried it already? Please drop a comment below; I can’t wait to hear from you.

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”1u5vIlbV” upload-date=”2023-08-02T17:16:03.000Z” name=”FIRECRACKER SHRIMP.mp4″ description=”Firecracker Shrimp fried to a perfect crisp and then tossed in a sticky sauce that perfectly balances sweet and spicy” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]