Bang-Bang-Sauce
Bang bang sauce is the creamy, sweet-hot condiment that made bang bang shrimp famous: rich mayonnaise loosened with sticky Thai sweet chili sauce, sharpened with sriracha, and brightened with a squeeze of lime. Whisking the mayo smooth before anything else goes in keeps the sauce glossy and lump-free, and a short rest in the fridge lets the garlic and chili flavors bloom into one cohesive, spoonable dip. It comes together in five minutes with zero cooking and clings beautifully to anything crispy.
Whisk 230 g (1 cup) mayonnaise in a medium bowl until completely smooth, then whisk in 80 ml (1/3 cup) Thai sweet chili sauce, 30 ml (2 tablespoons) sriracha, 21 g (1 tablespoon) honey, 15 ml (1 tablespoon) fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of fine sea salt until glossy and uniform. Taste and adjust: more sriracha for heat, more honey for sweetness, more lime for brightness. Cover and chill 10 minutes so the flavors meld, then serve with crispy shrimp, chicken, or roasted vegetables. Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Whisk the mayonnaise alone first — starting from a smooth base prevents streaks and lumps when the thinner sauces go in.
- Chill for at least 10 minutes before serving; the garlic and chili taste raw and disjointed straight out of the bowl but meld into one flavor after a short rest.
- Adjust heat at the end, one teaspoon of sriracha at a time — brands vary widely in spiciness, and you can always add more but never take it out.
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Silicone spatula
- Airtight jar or squeeze bottle
Zutaten
Sauce base
- 230 g mayonnaise, use a full-fat brand for the best body and gloss
- 80 ml Thai sweet chili sauce
- 30 ml sriracha, start with half if you are heat-sensitive
- 21 g honey
- 15 ml fresh lime juice, rice vinegar works too
Seasoning
- 1 g garlic powder
- 1 g fine sea salt, to taste
Zubereitung
- SCHRITT01
Add the mayonnaise to a medium mixing bowl and whisk it on its own for about 30 seconds until it is completely smooth and slightly loosened. This gives the thinner ingredients an even base to blend into, so the finished sauce stays glossy instead of streaky.
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Pour in the Thai sweet chili sauce and whisk until the color is a uniform pale coral with no ribbons of white. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to catch any unmixed mayonnaise.
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Whisk in the sriracha, honey, and lime juice until fully incorporated. The honey balances the vinegar tang of the sriracha, while the lime keeps the richness of the mayo from feeling heavy.
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Whisk in the garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Taste with a clean spoon and adjust: add sriracha a teaspoon at a time for more heat, a little extra honey if it reads too sharp, or a few more drops of lime if it needs lift. The sauce should be pourable but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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Cover the bowl or transfer the sauce to a jar and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. The garlic mellows, the chili heat spreads evenly, and the sauce thickens slightly as it chills.
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Give the sauce a quick stir, then serve in a dipping bowl, drizzle it from a squeeze bottle over crispy proteins, or toss it directly with hot fried shrimp just before serving so the coating stays crunchy.
Make ahead
Bang bang sauce actually improves with a few hours in the fridge, so it is an ideal make-ahead condiment. Mix it up to 3 days before a party and keep it covered and chilled; the garlic and chili flavors deepen and round out overnight. If it thickens more than you like, loosen it with a teaspoon of water or lime juice before serving.
Storage
Store in an airtight container or squeeze bottle in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Stir before each use, as a little liquid may separate at the surface. Do not freeze — the mayonnaise base breaks and turns grainy when thawed. Always use a clean spoon when dipping into the container to keep it fresh longer.
Variations
Vegan Bang Bang Sauce
Swap the mayonnaise for an equal amount of vegan mayo and replace the honey with maple syrup or agave. The texture stays just as creamy, and the sauce becomes fully plant-based — great over crispy tofu or cauliflower wings.
Extra-Hot Bang Bang
Increase the sriracha to 45 ml (3 tablespoons) and whisk in 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or 1 teaspoon of gochujang for a deeper, lingering burn. Keep the honey as-is so the sweetness still balances the heat.
Lighter Yogurt Version
Replace half the mayonnaise with 115 g (1/2 cup) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt. The sauce turns a little tangier and lighter-bodied — add an extra teaspoon of honey to compensate, and use it within 4 days.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Häufige Fragen
What does bang bang sauce taste like?
Bang bang sauce is creamy, sweet, and gently spicy all at once. The mayonnaise gives it a rich, velvety body, the Thai sweet chili sauce brings sticky sweetness with mild chili flavor, and the sriracha adds a garlicky heat that builds slowly rather than burning. A touch of lime keeps it bright so it never tastes heavy.
Is bang bang sauce the same as yum yum sauce?
No, though they are cousins. Yum yum sauce, the pale pink hibachi condiment, is mayo-based but flavored with tomato paste, butter, and paprika, so it is milder and smokier. Bang bang sauce leans on sweet chili sauce and sriracha, making it noticeably sweeter and spicier with a distinct Thai-inspired chili flavor.
How spicy is bang bang sauce, and can I tone it down?
As written, it lands at a friendly medium — noticeable warmth without overwhelming anyone. To make it milder, start with just 1 tablespoon of sriracha and rely on the sweet chili sauce for flavor, or stir in an extra spoonful of mayonnaise at the end to soften the heat you have already added.
Is bang bang sauce gluten-free?
Usually, yes. Mayonnaise, honey, lime, and most major brands of sriracha and Thai sweet chili sauce contain no wheat. That said, formulas vary by brand, so check the labels on your chili sauces if you are cooking for someone with celiac disease, and remember that whatever you dip — like breaded shrimp — may contain gluten even when the sauce does not.
How long does homemade bang bang sauce last in the fridge?
Kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it stays fresh for about 1 week. Because it is built on shelf-stable mayonnaise and cooked chili sauces rather than raw eggs, it holds up well — just stir before using and discard it if it smells sour or separates badly.
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