Introducing our Volcano Shrimp recipe. Juicy shrimp with a crispy crust is covered in a delicious Asian-style sweet and spicy sauce and is ready in less than 30 minutes effortlessly.
I’ve been missing Volcano Shrimp for a long time since our favorite Asian restaurant removed it from the menu. Inspired by its unforgettable crunch and bold, spicy kick, I made my version.
After a few trials and errors, this recipe is just as I remembered it—the shrimp are soft and moist inside, crispy outside, and coated with our homemade volcano sauce(the same as this honey Sriracha shrimp).
The best part? It’s super simple to make! You can also bake or air fry the shrimp for a lighter version.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️It has that perfectly crispy texture—light and satisfying in every bite.
⭐️The sauce is irresistible—sweet, spicy, creamy, and easy to whip up in minutes.
⭐️The balanced textures in the flavors are perfect for a family dinner or gathering.
Ingredients
For the Volcano Sauce
- Shrimp: I used large, tail-off, deveined, wild-caught shrimp. You can choose the shrimp with the tail on or off.
- Buttermilk (optional): It helps the shrimp tenderize and better absorb the spices.
- Cornstarch: This adds a light, crispy crunch to the coating.
- All-purpose flour helps the marinade stick to the shrimp and adds the extra crispy outer layer we all love.
- Garlic powder. For a more robust flavor, you can substitute with freshly minced garlic.
- Paprika: This is an optional ingredient but adds a nice smoky flavor.
For the Volcano Sauce
- Butter: You can also substitute it with another neutral-flavored cooking oil.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is best for enhancing the flavor.
- Hot Sauce: I’ve used Frank’s RedHot sauce. You can also substitute it with buffalo sauce if you prefer.
- Soy Sauce: You don’t need much, just a splash for umami.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar not only adds sweetness to the sauce but also helps it caramelize and creates a sticky texture that coats the shrimp well. You can substitute it with honey if you’d like.
- Crushed Red Pepper adds an intense kick of heat that works beautifully for volcano shrimp. You can adjust the amount based on your spice preference.
- Green Onion is used just for garnishing and has a mild crunch that really ties the whole dish together.
How To Make Volcano Shrimp
- Toss shrimp with garlic powder, paprika, and corn starch. Add buttermilk and let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds. Add hot sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Set aside.
- Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Remove shrimp from buttermilk, dredge in flour mix, and press to coat. Fry in hot oil (350°F) for 2–3 minutes per side until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Toss fried shrimp in the sauce or drizzle it over. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot!
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This Volcano Shrimp is medium-hot, thanks to the hot sauce and crushed red pepper.
Adjust the amount of hot sauce and crushed red pepper to reduce the heat.
If you prefer your Volcano Shrimp with medium heat, stir in Gochujang(Korean chili paste) or Sriracha sauce.
The Leftovers
You can use the leftover batter to make rice bowls and noodles or even toss the soup.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two days, or freeze them for up to three months. But remember, once the crispy shrimp is tossed in the sauce, it loses its crispiness after a few hours.
Thaw the shrimp in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. You can reheat them on the stovetop over medium heat, in the air fryer, or gently in the microwave.
Pro Tips For Best Results
- Avoid overcooking, as it can make the shrimp chewy.
- Remember that the crispy texture tends to soften after an hour, so it’s best enjoyed fresh for that perfect crunch.
FAQ
This shrimp is delicious when served with steamed rice or noodles. Pair it with noodles, Asian-style slaw, or a fresh mango salad for a complete meal.
Press the all-purpose flour mixture firmly onto the shrimp for the best crunch. You can also double-coat by dipping them back into buttermilk and flour before frying for extra crispiness. Finally, note that the crunch is best right after frying.
You can prep some parts in advance. Marinate the shrimp and keep it in the fridge, prepare the sauce, and refrigerate it for up to 2 days in advance. Then fry and toss it in the sauce just before serving.
The brown sugar in this recipe adds sweetness and also works as a thickening agent. If you reduce the brown sugar, the sauce will still taste delicious with mild sweetness. But to keep that nice thickness, add a cornstarch slurry instead: mix one teaspoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water, and stir it into the sauce while it cooks on low heat.
Yes, absolutely! You can bake it at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until the shrimp turns crispy. Make sure to spray it lightly with cooking oil before baking to help it crisp up nicely.
More Shrimp Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Volcano Shrimp
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
- ½ lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup buttermilk for soaking
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Oil for deep frying
For the Volcano Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon garlic finely minced
- 4 tablespoon hot sauce like Frank's or your favorite
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
For Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon green onions finely chopped
Instructions
Marinate
- In a bowl, add the shrimp, garlic powder, paprika, corn starch, and buttermilk and allow it to sit for 10 minutes..
Make the sauce
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let it brown).
- Stir in hot sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper.
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Set aside.
For the crispy coating
- Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F (medium-high heat). Also in a shallow bowl, mix flour and salt.
- Remove the shrimp from the buttermilk, shaking off excess.
- Dredge each shrimp in the flour mixture until evenly coated. Press lightly so the coating sticks well.
- Fry shrimp in small batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Toss and Serve
- While still warm, toss the fried shrimp in the volcano sauce or drizzle it over the top (your choice).
- Garnish with chopped green onions.
Notes
- Use large, wild-caught shrimp (tail on or off); frozen shrimp works great if thawed and patted dry.
- Adjust the heat by reducing the hot sauce and the crushed red pepper.
- Best served fresh for crispiness—shrimp softens after 2 hours once sauced.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 2 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheat in air fryer or stovetop for best texture.
- For a lighter option, bake instead of deep-frying.
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