Name: Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 70 g cake flour (lower protein content for lighter batter); 1 tbsp rice flour (or corn starch); ½ tsp baking powder; 1 pinch salt and pepper; 100 ml lager beer (or soda water, must be very cold); 250 g shrimp (medium to large size, deshelled and deveined, black tiger or white shrimp); 1 tsp cornstarch (for cleaning); 2 pinches salt (for cleaning); 3 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch, for coating before batter); 2 cloves garlic (peeled, whole, for flavoring oil); cooking oil (neutral with high smoke point, for frying); 4 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise; 1 tbsp condensed milk (sweetened, not evaporated milk); 1 tsp tomato ketchup; 1 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned); ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu); ½ tsp lemon juice (or lime juice, freshly squeezed best); ½ tsp paprika powder (regular or smoked); dried parsley (to garnish)

If you’re on the hunt for a snack that’s juicy, crispy, and coated in a luscious sauce, I’ve got just the thing for you. This Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe—also known as Ebi Mayo—is one of those dishes that always feels like a celebration in your mouth. I remember the first time I made it at home; my family went crazy for how crunchy the shrimp were, and the creamy, slightly tangy mayonnaise sauce was the perfect match. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll want to make it again and again.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect Crispiness: The combination of cake flour, rice flour, and cold beer creates a light, airy coating that fries up beautifully.
Flavor-Packed Sauce: The mayonnaise sauce is creamy with a subtle tang and sweetness, a perfect balance that clings to the shrimp.
Simple Yet Impressive: You don’t need fancy ingredients or tons of time to get restaurant-quality results.
Fun to Make: Whether it’s a weeknight treat or party appetizer, it’s a crowd-pleaser everyone’ll ask you to make again.

The image shows several pieces of golden-brown fried shrimp stacked together on a bed of fresh green lettuce. The shrimp have a crispy texture and are sprinkled with small green herbs. Next to the shrimp, there is a bright yellow lemon wedge resting on the lettuce. All of this is placed inside a white bowl, set on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients for this Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe come together to create a batter that crisps like a dream and a uniquely creamy sauce that you won’t find anywhere else. Keep your mayo Japanese-style for that perfect umami kick. Also, using cold beer is a little trick I picked up that really amps up the batter’s texture.

Cake flour: Lower protein content means a lighter, less dense batter—key for that perfect crunch.
Rice flour: Adds extra crispness to the batter without weighing it down.
Baking powder: Helps the batter puff up beautifully when fried.
Salt and pepper: For a subtle seasoning in the batter.
Lager beer (cold): Beer’s carbonation and cold temperature create an airy, crisp crust. Soda water works too in a pinch.
Japanese mayonnaise: Creamier and tangier than regular mayo—try Kewpie if you can find it!
Condensed milk: Adds a gentle sweetness that balances the tangy mayo.
Tomato ketchup: Just a splash for color and a mild sweet-tart flavor.
Rice vinegar: Gives the sauce a little zip without overpowering.
Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu): Deep umami flavor that rounds out the sauce perfectly.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best for brightness.
Paprika powder: Adds a slight smoky warmth and pretty color.
Shrimp: Medium to large size, peeled and deveined for easy eating.
Cornstarch: Used to coat shrimp for an extra crispy texture and to clean them.
Garlic cloves: Added to the oil as it heats for subtle flavor infusion.
Neutral cooking oil: High smoke point oil like vegetable or canola for frying.
Dried parsley: For garnish and a touch of color.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love how versatile this Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe is. Once you have the basics down, feel free to tweak it a bit depending on your mood or what you have on hand. It’s all about making it your own and having fun with those flavors!

Spicy Kick: I like adding a teaspoon of Sriracha or chili mayo to the sauce for a little heat—my family goes bonkers for it!
Gluten-Free Swap: Use rice flour and a gluten-free beer or sparkling water for a crisp batter safe for gluten-sensitive folks.
Herb Twist: Fresh dill or chives sprinkled on top instead of parsley adds a fresh, aromatic note.

How to Make Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe

Step 1: Chill Your Batter Mix

Start by whisking together the dry batter ingredients—cake flour, rice flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Then pop that mixture into the freezer while you get the rest ready. Keeping it cold is essential for that irresistible crispiness. Don’t add the beer just yet—you’ll mix that in right before frying.

Step 2: Make the Mayonnaise Sauce

Grab a bowl and stir together Japanese mayonnaise, condensed milk, ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice, and paprika powder. I like to mix it well and set it aside so the flavors have a little time to marry. This sauce is the star of the show, so don’t rush it!

Step 3: Clean and Prep the Shrimp

Rub your peeled and deveined shrimp with cornstarch and salt, then rinse and pat dry. This step felt new to me at first, but I discovered it really helps remove any sliminess and improves the batter’s grip.

Step 4: Infuse the Oil and Heat It Right

Heat your neutral oil to about 190°C (374°F). To get that lovely subtle garlic aroma, add two whole garlic cloves while heating, then discard them once browned. Be careful with the temperature here—a thermometer helps, or you can drop a small bit of batter and watch how it fries.

Step 5: Coat and Fry the Shrimp

Toss the shrimp in cornstarch, then dip each fully into the chilled batter (now mixed with cold beer). Fry them in batches—don’t crowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop, which affects crispiness. Usually, 2 to 3 minutes is perfect until they turn that irresistible golden brown.

Step 6: Coat with Sauce and Serve

Once fried, let the shrimp drain on a wire rack for a moment before gently tossing them in your mayo sauce. Don’t overmix—you want each piece nicely coated but still crispy. Sprinkle with dried parsley for a pop of color and serve immediately!

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Pro Tips for Making Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe

Keep Ingredients Cold: I learned that chilling your batter mix and using ice-cold beer makes all the difference for a light, crispy texture.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Fry the shrimp in small batches to maintain oil temperature and prevent soggy results.
Use a Wire Rack: Draining on a wire rack instead of paper towels helps keep the coating crisp instead of steaming the shrimp.
Sauce Timing: Toss the shrimp in the mayo sauce just before serving to keep the crispiness intact.

How to Serve Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe

A dark plate holds a pile of orange fried shrimp coated in a shiny sauce tinted with green herbs. Beneath the shrimp, bright green lettuce leaves form a fresh base. Two lemon slices with their pale yellow color rest on the lettuce on either side. A green mint leaf adds extra color on the front edge of the plate. The plate sits on a white marbled surface, next to wooden chopsticks on a small gray chopstick holder, an unopened can, and a whole lemon in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

I always finish this dish with a sprinkle of dried parsley—it adds a lovely pop of green and a subtle herbal note without overpowering. Sometimes, I mix in a few thinly sliced scallions for sharpness. A wedge of lemon on the side is also a must for that extra fresh zing whenever you want it.

Side Dishes

For sides, I love pairing this crispy shrimp with a simple cucumber salad or steamed jasmine rice. It also goes great alongside stir-fried veggies or a light miso soup if you’re making a full meal. When I have guests, I sometimes serve it with crispy fries or even sweet potato wedges for a fun twist.

Creative Ways to Present

For a party, I like to arrange the shrimp on a platter with dipping bowls of extra mayo sauce alongside some pickled ginger. Another fun idea is serving them in little lettuce cups topped with a dollop of sauce and chopped herbs—makes for a cute appetizer that’s easy to grab and eat.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftovers (and you might!), store the fried shrimp and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Keeping them apart helps maintain the shrimp’s crispiness. I usually eat leftovers the next day and find they’re still delicious.

Freezing

While I haven’t tried freezing the fully coated shrimp in the sauce (because who waits?), you can freeze the plain fried shrimp on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a freezer bag. This way, the shrimp won’t clump, and you can reheat them quickly whenever you crave this treat.

Reheating

To bring leftovers back to life, I reheat the shrimp in a toaster oven or under a broiler for a few minutes—it crisps them up nicely without drying them out. Then, I add the sauce freshly right before serving. Microwave reheating tends to make them soggy, so I avoid that if possible.

FAQs

Can I use regular mayonnaise instead of Japanese mayonnaise?

You can absolutely substitute regular mayonnaise if that’s what you have on hand. Just note that Japanese mayonnaise tends to be creamier with a slight tang, so if you want to replicate that, consider adding a dash of rice vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice to regular mayo for a similar flavor.
Is there an alternative to beer in the batter?

Yes! If you prefer to avoid alcohol, very cold soda water or sparkling water works great. The carbonation helps create that light, crispy texture in the batter just like beer does.
How do I make sure the shrimp stay crispy after frying?

Drain fried shrimp on a wire rack rather than paper towels to avoid steaming and sogginess. Also, wait to coat them in the mayonnaise sauce until just before serving to keep that crunch intact.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

You can prepare the sauce and batter mix ahead, but it’s best to fry the shrimp fresh for maximum crispiness. If needed, fry and freeze the shrimp as explained above, then reheat before serving.

Final Thoughts

This Crispy Shrimp with Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe is one of those dishes I keep coming back to because it hits every note—crispy, creamy, juicy, and just downright delicious. Making it at home made me realize you don’t need complicated techniques or exotic ingredients to wow your friends and family. So grab your shrimp, get that oil heating, and enjoy the magic of this easy yet impressive recipe. I promise you’ll enjoy every bite as much as I do!