Bang Bang salmon is a flavor-packed meal with a sweet and slightly spicy homemade bang bang sauce that our whole family loves. Just a few basic ingredients and about 20 minutes, and you’ll be enjoying this restaurant-quality salmon recipe at home!
Why We Love this Bang Bang Salmon Recipe
- Easy and delicious sauce – A creamy blend of mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, hot honey, and garlic brings bold flavor with just the right balance of sweet heat. No blender, food process, or hand mixer required!
- Great weeknight dinner – This salmon recipe is easy and approachable, even for weeknights, yet it tastes like a restaurant-quality dinner.
- Family favorite meal – Our whole family loves this easy salmon recipe, even the kids! The sauce isn’t too spicy for them, and it adds great flavor to the fish.
*Be sure to try our other favorite recipe for salmon on the Blackstone griddle – this one has a fantastic homemade seasoning blend with a surprise ingredient!
What is Bang Bang Sauce?
Made popular by the restaurant chain Bonefish Grill, bang bang sauce is a sweet mayonnaise-based, Asian-style sauce with a kick of spicy heat that’s often served on shrimp, chicken, or other proteins. The fried Bang Bang shrimp from Bonefish Grill is one of my wife’s favorite restaurant appetizers, and when I found out how easy it is to make the famous bang bang sauce at home, we started experimenting with a variety of meats and seafoods.
Making the sauce is incredibly easy, and it only requires a few basic ingredients, many of which are probably already in your fridge or spice cabinet. And even our kids love the sauce, because it isn’t too spicy for their tastebuds, and it adds an amazing sweet flavor to your dishes!
The three main ingredients in bang bang sauce are mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. We also add a bit of hot honey, garlic powder, and black pepper to round out our version of the sauce.
Ingredients Needed
A full list of ingredients and measurements are included in the recipe card below, but here are a few notes about the ingredients.
- Salmon Filets: The star of the show. Go for thicker cuts so you can get a beautiful seared crust without worrying about the fish drying out.
- Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder (SPG): Keep the spices classic with an all-purpose blend or SPG that won’t compete with the flavors of the sauce. We used our own Shake That All-Purpose Seasoning which is perfect for this salmon dish (and the asparagus we served on the side).
- Sweet Chili Sauce: The other star of this recipe. Thai sweet chili sauce gives the bang bang sauce that undeniably perfect flavor.
- Mayonnaise: The rich, creamy base of the sauce.
- Sriracha: For the perfect spicy kick.
- Hot Honey: My “cheat code.” Swap in regular honey if you like it sweeter, but hot honey brings a subtle fire.
- Garlic Powder and Black Pepper
How to Make Bang Bang Salmon
Set your griddle (Blackstone or any flat top grill) to medium heat. Or you can also prepare this bang bang salmon recipe in a large skillet on the stovetop. Then follow these steps:
Step 1: Make the bang bang sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl. Mix until smooth. Set aside – and try not to eat half of it with a spoon. This versatile sauce is the star of the show, and you’ll want to reserve some for finishing.
Step 2: Season the salmon filets. Brush the flesh side of the salmon with a little bit of the sweet chili sauce – this acts as an adhesive for the seasoning and adds extra flavor. Sprinkle with your all-purpose seasoning or a simple blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Step 3: Cook the salmon flesh side down first. Place the seasoned salmon filets on the heated griddle (or in the skillet) flesh side down to sear. Cooking salmon flesh side down first helps to develop color and caramelization. Just keep an eye on the heat – sweet chili sauce can burn, so once you get a nice sear, after about 3-4 minutes, flip promptly.
Step 4: Flip the salmon to the second side and cover with a melting dome or lid (for skillet cooking). Carefully flip the salmon to the second side and immediately cover with a griddle dome for even cooking. Cook on the second side covered for an additional 3-4 minutes. Flip the fish filets again so that they cook evenly.
Step 6: Brush the bang bang sauce on the salmon. Once the internal temperature of the salmon reaches about 125-130°F, brush the fish generously with your bang bang sauce as it finishes cooking.
Step 7: Finish cooking and serve. Continue to cook the salmon, brushing a few times with the bang bang sauce, until the fish is done to your liking. Then plate and serve immediately. You can also add a bit more sauce on top.
What to Serve with Bang Bang Salmon
We love serving our salmon with our favorite garlic white rice and asparagus. The sauce from the salmon flavors the rice, similar to a yum yum sauce with fried rice. And the asparagus pairs perfectly with the dish.
Since the bang bang sauce has more of an Asian flavor profile, you could also serve it with your favorite stir fry vegetables or Asian noodles.
FAQ’s
Salmon is perfectly cooked when it’s just opaque and flakes easily with a fork. You can also use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness – 135°F is my sweet spot for moist, tender fish. But keep in mind that the USDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temp of 145°F.
Heck yes! Use a heavy skillet or cast iron over medium heat. You won’t get exactly the same sear as on a griddle, but you’ll get close.
Absolutely! Bang bang sauce plays well with most white fish fillets (think cod, tilapia, or halibut), or even shrimp. Just adjust the cook time since thinner cuts or shrimp cook faster.
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Bang Bang Salmon
Ingredients
- 1½ – 2 lb salmon filets, skin on about 4 filets
- 1½ – 2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
- all-purpose seasoning like Shake That All-Purpose Seasoning
- 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoons hot honey optional
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the bang bang sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl. Mix until smooth, then set aside.
- Heat the griddle or skillet on medium heat. *For griddle cooking, aim for a temperature of about 375℉.
- Prep the salmon. Place the fresh salmon filets skin-side down on a platter. Brush the flesh side of each filet with a small amount (about ½ tablespoon) of sweet chili sauce. Then sprinkle with your all-purpose seasoning or salt and black pepper.
- When the griddle or skillet is hot, add about 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil. Then place the salmon flesh side down on the oiled surface. Cook on the first side for about 3-4 minutes, then flip to the skin side and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. *TIP – Keep an eye on the heat—sweet chili sauce can burn, so once you get a nice sear, flip promptly. If needed, place a melting dome or the skillet lid over the salmon after flipping to speed up the cooking time and encourage even heating.
- Cook the salmon until the internal temperature reaches about 125-130℉, or until the salmon is almost done to your liking. If needed, flip the fish filets again so that they cook evenly. Then brush the salmon generously with your bang bang sauce as it finishes cooking.
- Continue to cook the salmon, brushing a few times with the bang bang sauce, until the fish is done to your liking. Then plate and serve immediately. You can also add a bit more sauce on top. *See notes on total cooking time and temperature.
Notes
- Cooking Times – Our bang bang salmon took about 12-14 minutes to cook on the Blackstone griddle. However, cooking times will vary based on the size and thickness of your filets and the cooking temp of your griddle or skillet. Always cook to your desired doneness, not to a specific time. The cooking times in this recipe are provided as a guide only.
- Final Internal Temp for Salmon – Salmon is perfectly cooked when it’s just opaque and flakes easily with a fork. You can also use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness – 135°F is my sweet spot for moist, tender fish. But keep in mind that the USDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temp of 145°F.
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