Volcano Shrimp is literally exploding with flavor! There is no better way to enjoy shrimp than with a super crispy batter and a sweet & spicy buffalo glaze that we like to call volcano sauce because it’s just so so tasty and bright orange/red in color. It’s absolutely delicious served over a bed of rice and broccoli – it’s the perfect bowl to enjoy for dinner.
The inspiration for this dish comes from a restaurant called Tikiyaki in Orange County, California that my sisters and I loved to go to all the time! On their menu was a dish called Volcano Chicken and it was one of our favorites to order along with the teriyaki chicken and steak bowls. After making the recipe for volcano chicken and seeing ya’ll love it, I decided it’s time for a shrimp version.
Picture crispy breaded shrimp glazed in a sweet and savory sauce that has a slight spicy kick. The restaurant makes it a bit more spicy, hence the name volcano. The spice level matches the fire erupting but to make this recipe more accessible to everyone, we’re making a mild version!
The Volcano Sauce
The first step in this recipe is to make the volcano sauce which is super simple! The most important ingredient that makes this sauce really unique is buffalo sauce.
Here are all the ingredients you will need:
- buffalo sauce (my fave brand is Frank’s Red Hot)
- light brown sugar
- rice vinegar
- minced garlic
- honey
- sriracha
- unsalted butter
- red pepper flakes
- chopped parsley
To a saucepan over medium heat, add buffalo sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha, honey, and minced garlic. Bring to a boil and then drop the heat to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes so it can thicken up. After it thickens up, add the butter, red pepper flakes, and chopped parsley and mix. Transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
To make it spicier, add more sriracha and/or red pepper flakes!
Cooking the Shrimp
There are three steps to preparing and cooking the shrimp so that it’s crispy perfection: the wet batter, the dry batter, and frying!
1. THE WET BATTER
For the wet batter, combine eggs, salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until homogenous.
2. THE DRY BATTER
To make the dry batter, just whisk together cornstarch with another sprinkle of salt and black pepper.
3. FRYING
Heat vegetable, canola, or peanut oil to 350°F in a deep frying pan. Dip each piece of shrimp first into the wet batter and let any excess drip off. Then dip into the dry and shake any excess off. Drop into the hot oil and fry until golden brown all around. Toss the shrimp in the glaze and serve warm. Optional, garnish with chopped green onions and/or sesame seeds.
HOW TO MAKE IT LIGHTER:
- First, skip the dry batter and wet batter.
- Prepare the sauce the same way you would as in the recipe.
- Take the same amount of shrimp and toss it with 1/4 cup of cornstarch and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper so that each shrimp is evenly coated.
- To a heated pan over high heat, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan. Then add the shrimp that was coated in cornstarch, salt, and black pepper and sear it on each side until it has some nice browning. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes. Then add the sauce in and mix around to coat the shrimp evenly in it.
- Garnish with green onions and/or sesame seeds with some rice and it’s ready to enjoy!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH VOLCANO SHRIMP
Here are some ideas of side dishes to make that pair perfectly with Volcano Shrimp!
- Coconut Rice – sweet and savory!
- Steamed Broccoli: You can also add carrots to this or any stir fry vegetables you like.
- Chow Mein: Or any type of noodles you love.
- Crab Rangoons! The perfect appetizer to add to the menu.
We enjoyed it with some jasmine coconut rice, steamed broccoli, and more sriracha and it was absolute perfection.
If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.
To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest pinning away so stop by and see what’s up.
Volcano Shrimp
Ingredients
VOLCANO SAUCE
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
BREADED SHRIMP
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and no tail
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Over medium heat, add buffalo sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha, minced garlic, and honey to a pot or saucepan. Bring to a simmer to thicken into a glaze. Once it is thick, add the butter, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Mix to combine and then take off the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together cornstarch, a sprinkle of salt, and a sprinkle of black pepper.
- In small deep bowl, whisk together eggs, a sprinkle of salt, and a sprinkle of black pepper.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a frying pan.
- Dip a few shrimps at a time first in the wet batter, letting any excess drip off, and then into the dry, shaking any excess off.
- Once the oil is hot, drop the breaded shrimp in, making sure not to overcrowd. Fry in two batches. Once golden, about 6 to 7 minutes, take out and drain any excess oil on a wire rack.
- Toss the shrimp in the glaze.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and enjoy with rice, noodles, or veggies!
Notes
- If you don’t like shrimp, try making it with chicken instead!
- Feel free to make it as little or as a lot spicy as you’d like. Just add more sriracha or red pepper flakes to make it more hot.
- If the breading step is too tedious for you, try this hack. Add the dry batter to a large ziplock bag. Dip all the shrimp in the wet batter, let the excess drip off, and transfer to the dry batter in the ziplock bag. Seal the bag and shake it well all around and now each shrimp is fully coated and battered.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!
Rate & Review