A plant-based twist on Bonefish Grill’s classic appetizer!
Are you looking for a healthy, vegan version of one of your favorite appetizers?
Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp has long been one of my favorite appetizers! Since adopting a vegan lifestyle, those amazing morsels of deliciousness were a mere distant memory. Determined to relive those memories, I have worked hard in the kitchen to create a vegan version of the Bonefish Grill classic. After a lot of trial and error, I have perfected a vegan version worthy of serving to even your non-vegan friends! May I present my recipe for Vegan Bang Bang Shrimp (Bonefish Grill Copycat Recipe)!
Two Challenges in Creating a Vegan Copycat of Bang Bang Shrimp
Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp starts with tender, perfectly fried shrimp. Then the deliciously fried shrimp are tossed in a distinctive tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce. Finally, the appetizer is brought to the table, served over a bed of thinly sliced cabbage, topped with green onion. My mouth is watering as I write this description!
So, the challenge was twofold. First, what is a vegan alternative to shrimp that provides that familiar texture and chew? Second, how can the Bonefish Grill Bang Bang sauce be replicated?
Vegan Replacement for Shrimp
The two alternatives that first came to mind when trying to prepare a vegan Bang Bang “shrimp” were tofu and cauliflower. Both are great alternatives. Granted, when tossed in the sauce, both would take on the flavor of the Bang Bang sauce. But, unfortunately, neither tofu nor cauliflower provides the texture or chew of shrimp.
Enter the King Oyster Mushroom.
The King Oyster Mushroom, also known as the King Trumpet Mushroom, is a thick and meaty mushroom. Although odorless, when cooked, the King Oyster Mushroom takes on an umami flavor (umami, translated from Japanese means “pleasant savory taste”) and a meaty texture.
The stem of the King Oyster Mushroom is round, thick, and firm. This allows the stem to be cut in a variety of ways and still maintain the desired shape. As the stem usually measures over two inches thick and over four inches long, each mushroom yields a lot of potential “meat”, or in this case, “shrimp”.
With the meaty firmness and umami flavor, the King Oyster Mushroom is a much better vegan alternative to shrimp than either tofu or cauliflower.
Where can I find King Oyster Mushrooms?
Our local market rarely stocks King Oyster Mushrooms. However, Asian markets, such as H Mart (www.hmart.com), Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s usually carry King Oyster Mushrooms. But if these stores are not in your area, ask your local grocery store to order them for you. And if you are really adventurous, you can even grow your own King Oyster Mushrooms (click here)!
How to Cut the Stem to Look Like Shrimp
The first step is to cut the stem of the King Oyster Mushroom widthwise in ½ to ¾-inch round slices. Then using a paring knife, cut each round slice in an S shape. The result? Each round slice yields two pieces that mimic the shape of shrimp (cute, right?). I usually don’t use the mushroom cap in the recipe, but I will save them to use later in an Asian stir-fry.
Oh, the Sauce!
What really makes the Bang Bang Shrimp special at Bonefish Grill? It has to be the sauce! With the perfect combination of sweetness, tanginessy, and spicy heat, the sauce elevates the shrimp. It took a while, but I believe I have unlocked the right proportions of each ingredient to replicate Bonefish Grill’s sauce…but vegan!
The base of Bonefish Grill’s sauce is clearly mayonnaise. Fortunately, there are several vegan versions of plant-based mayo on the market (as I mentioned in my Banh Mi Chay recipe, my favorite is Earth Balance Original Mindful Dressing & Sandwich Spread). The plant-based mayo provides the creaminess and some of the tanginess. However, to give it a little extra tang, I’ve used seasoned rice wine vinegar. Thai sweet red chili sauce adds the sweetness and sriracha gives the spicy kick. Combined, this sauce is the taste twin of Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp sauce!
If you are following a whole food, plant-based no oil diet, you can substitute the plant-based mayo with a homemade “mayo” made with silken tofu. Here is a link to a recipe for a no-oil silken tofu “mayo” from Nora Cooks that is compliant with a WFPBNO lifestyle.
Preparing to Fry
Bonefish Grill clearly deep fries the shrimp for the dish. The King Oyster Mushrooms can definitely hold up nicely when deep fried, but to make the dish as healthy as possible, I prefer to air-fry. Either way you can’t go wrong.
The batter or coating is a simple four step process of double dredging the shrimp-shaped pieces of King Oyster Mushroom. Start with the mushroom pieces soaking in a bowl with any unflavored plant-based milk (I used Oatly’s Oat Milk) and lemon juice (a vegan substitute for buttermilk). Next, toss the mushroom pieces in the whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour, seasoned with salt and pepper. Once completed coated in flour, toss the mushroom pieces in a JUST Egg egg-wash and then toss in a panko bread crumb / corn starch mixture. Remove and place on a dish or wire rack. They are now ready to fry.
Using an Air-Fryer or Oven
It is important to note, every air-fryer is different. I recommend testing yours with one or two pieces to determine the proper cooking time. 6 to 7 minutes in my air-fryer at 400 degrees resulted in a crispy coating and a mushroom piece that was sufficiently cooked through.
You can use an oven to air-fry. However, I suggest using the wire rack over a cookie sheet to allow air to pass under the mushroom piece. It is my experience air-frying anything in the oven takes two to three times longer than what is accomplished in the air-fryer. Therefore, plan on somewhere between 12 to 18 minutes at 400 degrees in the oven.
Pan Frying the “Shrimp”
If frying in a shallow pan, I recommend heating roughly ½-inch of canola oil in the pan until it reaches a temperature sufficient to fry. Fry the first side until it is golden brown and then carefully flip to the other side with tongs and fry until the second side is golden brown. Once golden brown, transfer to a sheet pan or dish covered in paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
To be honest, if you are using a deep fryer, you are on your own here! I have never used a deep fryer, so I have no directions, suggestions, or comments other than, please be careful!
Final Touches and Presentation
Place the fried shrimp-shaped mushroom pieces in a large shallow bowl. Drizzle the sauce over the pieces and toss. Continue the process of drizzling the sauce over the pieces and tossing until the mushroom pieces are sufficiently covered. It is important that this is done while the mushroom pieces are still hot to allow the sauce to form into a glaze-like covering.
Serve the Vegan Bang Bang Shrimp over a bed of shredded cabbage and top with sliced green onion. Plate with a little extra sauce on the side for those who can’t get enough of the saucy goodness! Enjoy!
Perfect filling for a Vegan Po’ Boy!
An easy way to make this appetizer into a satisfying sandwich is to use the Vegan Bang Bang Shrimp in a Po’ Boy sandwich. If you like Po’ Boys, you’ll love this recipe with air-fried oyster mushrooms!
A delicious Copycat Vegan Version of the popular Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer from Bonefish Grill using meaty King Oyster Mushrooms as the replacement for shrimp and the sauce is oh so spot on! Combine the plant-based milk and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside. Combine the vegan mayo, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and seasoned rice wine vinegar in a small bowl and whisk until all ingredients are fully combined and set aside. Combine and mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl and set aside. Combine and mix the Panko breadcrumbs and corn starch in a shallow bowl and set aside. Pour the JUST Egg in a shallow bowl and set aside. Trim the bottom off of each King Oyster Mushroom (about ¾ inch for most mushrooms). From the bottom of each mushroom, cut widthwise ½ to ¾ inch pieces until reaching the cap of the mushroom. Using a paring knife, cut each mushroom slice in half, using an S-shaped cut. Set up a dredging station for the coating with the 4 shallow bowls in the following order: Plant-based milk and lemon juice, flour, JUST Egg, and then Panko. Place a wire rack on a cookie sheet and place next to the Panko bowl. Place several of the mushroom pieces in the bowl with the plant-based milk, allowing the mushroom to be fully coated in the liquid. Move these pieces to the flour bowl and toss until the mushroom pieces are fully coated in flour (shake off excess flour). Move the mushroom pieces to the JUST Egg bowl and make sure they are fully coated with the liquid. Move the mushroom pieces to the Panko bowl and toss until the mushroom pieces are fully coated with Panko and then place on the wire rack. Repeat this process until all mushroom pieces are covered and placed on the wire rack. If air-frying the mushrooms, test your air-fryer with a couple mushroom pieces to gauge the proper cooking time (I suggest starting at 400 degrees for 6 minutes, increasing or decreasing the air-frying time based on the doneness of the mushroom pieces. If using the oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using the wire rack and cookie sheet, place the mushrooms in the oven and bake for 12 to 18 minutes, checking periodically to make sure the mushroom coating does not burn. If pan-frying, place about a ½-inch of canola oil in the pan and heat until ready to fry. Place the mushroom pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown. Carefully flip each piece and fry until the other side is golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel covered plate. Repeat until all mushroom pieces are fried. Applying the sauce and plating Place the hot, fried mushrooms in a shallow bowl and toss with the Bang Bang sauce until each piece is covered (add more sauce along the way as needed until each piece is covered). Place the shredded cabbage on a plate or serving dish. Top the shredded cabbage with the mushroom pieces. Scatter sliced green onion on top of the mushroom pieces. The Vegan Bang Bang Shrimp is ready to serve! Consider adding fresh chopped cilantro and extra sauce on the side for dipping!Vegan Bang Bang Shrimp (Bonefish Grill Copycat Recipe)
(14 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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