Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta (Stove Top & Instant Pot Instructions)

If you like the taste of Bang Bang Shrimp and the famous sauce that goes with it, you are going to love this Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta recipe. Perfectly cooked pasta and unbreaded shrimp tossed in a creamy and tangy sauce and topped with slices of green onions for garnish.

It makes for the perfect dinner any day of the week, but especially on busy weeknights because it comes together in just minutes. And it is one of our favorite recipes to make on Fridays during the Lenten season.

No matter what time of the year it is, when Friday night rolls around, I am ready for a dinner that is quick and easy to prepare. Therefore, I look for any opportunity to make a meal that takes minutes to prepare.

And during Lent, as much as I love making Air Fryer Fish and Chips, Margherita Pizza and even Vegetarian Quesadillas, there are times when I just want something different, and quite honestly, more elegant for dinner.

And that is why making this in an electric pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi multi-cooker is so valuable. Dinner is on the table in under 20 minutes with very little hands on effort required.

However, because not everyone has an electric pressure cooker I have also included how to make this great family dinner on the stove top as well. Although this method requires a little more attention, it still qualifies as a quick and easy dinner recipe.

Ingredients Required

• 1 pound spaghetti, broken into smaller pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups water
• 3⁄4 cup mayonnaise
• 3⁄4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1⁄2 cup green onions, thinly chopped (on the diagonal)
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

More About The Ingredients

• Spaghetti noodles – You can substitute fettuccine, angel hair pasta or even vermicelli noodles if you prefer. The cook time may need adjusted as indicated in the instructions below.
• Garlic – I prefer to use fresh garlic, however you can substitute refrigerated minced garlic or even garlic powder as well.
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Mayonnaise – It is okay to use reduced fat mayo, Miracle Whip or plant based mayo.
• Thai sweet chili sauce – be sure to use sweet chili sauce and not chili sauce or paste. There is a huge difference in both taste and the level of heat between these two sauces. You can purchase Thai sweet chili sauce in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores. The sauce is also great to use as a dip for spring rolls, chicken wings, or as a topping for cooked salmon, chicken or pork filets.
• Fresh lime juice – In a pinch bottled lime juice will work.
• Sriracha hot sauce – Even if you don’t like spicy food, please do not skip the Sriracha sauce in this bang bang shrimp pasta recipe. It is what gives the sauce that unique flavor. Trust me when I tell you that the heat is negated from the mayonnaise and the sweet chili sauce. And that means you are left with a delicious sauce that contains no heat.
• Raw shrimp, peeled and deveined – The size of the shrimp is totally up to you. I use U12 which means that there approximately 12 shrimp in one pound.
• Green onions – Use both the green and white parts of the onion. And for more surface area, cut the onions at an angle.

Pressure Cooking Instructions (Stove Top Instructions Included Below)

The first step in making this Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta recipe is to cook the noodles. As stated above you can use any long, skinny noodles that resemble spaghetti.

The important thing to remember is that when cooking pasta in an electric pressure cooker, like our 6 quart Instant Pot Duo, is to cut and scatter the noodles in a criss-cross pattern.

If you leave the noodles stacked like they are in the box, they will clump together and turn into a tacky mess. Instead, break the noodles in half and scatter them in all directions. If you are having trouble picturing what I mean, think of the game pick up sticks when you drop the sticks at the beginning of the game.

Then, for every pound of pasta, add 4 cups of water. Now add garlic, olive oil, and salt to the pot.

Now gently push the noodles until they are mostly submerged in the water. It is okay if a few of the tops are poking up through the surface of the water. However, you want the majority to be covered with liquid.

Then lock the lid in place and move the valve to the SEALING position if required by your pressure cooker model. Then press manual or pressure cook (again, depending on the model that you have) on HIGH pressure for 4 minutes.

Pasta Cooking Variations

Remember, if you are using a specialty pasta or something besides plain spaghetti noodles, adjust the cook time to half of the time, minus 1 minute, stated on the instructions on the box for al dente pasta.

However, if there is a range of time indicated, such as 9-11 minutes, use the lower number to reduce by half and round to the smaller number. So in this case half of 9 is 4.5 so you would set the cook time to 4 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the bang bang sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, lime juice and sriracha. Then set it aside.

Slow Release The Pressure

Once the cook time expires on the Instant Pot, perform a controlled quick release of the pressure. This means to slowly move the valve to the venting position. Start by releasing a small steady stream of pressure.

Do not just move the valve to the full venting position or you will have a mess in your kitchen as the liquid and starches will shoot up through the valve. Instead, use the handle of a wooden spoon and slowly move the valve until a small, steady stream of pressure is being released.

After about a minute, you should be able to move the valve completely in the venting position. Once the pin drops, slowly and carefully open the lid.

Immediately stir the noodles. The noodles that look a little stiff on top will soften as soon as you stir them with the noodles that were cooked toward the bottom of the pot.

Once you have finished stirring the pasta, add the shrimp and bang bang sauce to the pot. Press Cancel and then Sauté. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes, or until the raw shrimp is cooked and light pink in color.

Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes or additional Sriracha sauce if needed. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Stove Top Cooking Instructions

You can also make this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe on the stove. Although this requires more hands on time, your meal will be on the table even faster.

1. Start by boiling the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the bang bang sauce as instructed above.

2. When the noodles are done, drain and return them back to the pot. Immediately add the bang bang sauce and shrimp and stir until the noodles are coated. Let the shrimp cook until light pink in color, stirring frequently.

3. If needed, place the pot over low heat until the shrimp are just cooked. Serve the bang bang shrimp pasta immediately with sliced green onions for garnish.

Enjoy! Mary

To receive our 3 Recipe Articles in your inbox each week, sign up for our free email list located in the middle of each recipe or email me at contact@makeyourmeals.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Pinterest. This article may contain affiliate links where a small commission is paid if you purchase a product at no additional cost to you.