This oven baked 5-ingredient bang bang shrimp pasta is exactly the kind of Sunday dinner that makes everyone linger around the table. My daughter actually threw this together one weekend when I was wiped from the week, and now it’s all her dad asks for. It has that classic bang bang combo of creamy, slightly spicy, slightly sweet sauce, but instead of deep-frying and standing over the stove, everything bakes together in one dish. The shrimp get golden and a little crispy on top, the penne soaks up the pink sauce, and it feels like something you’d order at a restaurant—but with ingredients you can grab at any Midwestern grocery store on your way home from work.
Serve this bang bang shrimp pasta straight from the oven in the same oval baking dish you cooked it in, with a big serving spoon so everyone can scoop up those saucy shrimp and pasta. It pairs really well with a simple green salad (bagged salad mix totally works) and some garlic bread or a warmed baguette to mop up extra sauce. If you like a little extra heat, set out red pepper flakes or hot sauce at the table. A crisp white wine, light beer, or sparkling water with lime balances the richness of the creamy, spicy sauce.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Bang Bang Shrimp PastaServings: 4-6
Ingredients
12 oz penne pasta (or any short pasta)
1 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails off)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
2-3 tbsp sriracha (use less for mild, more for spicy)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease an oval baking dish (about 2–3 quarts) with a bit of oil or nonstick spray so the pasta doesn’t stick.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook 2 minutes LESS than the package directions for al dente (it will finish in the oven). Drain the pasta well and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, make the bang bang sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the heat by adding more or less sriracha as you like.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels so they bake up more golden on top. If they’re large, you can cut them in half for more even bites in the pasta.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta, raw shrimp, and about three-quarters of the bang bang sauce. Toss until everything is well coated and the sauce is evenly distributed.
Transfer the shrimp and pasta mixture to the prepared oval baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Spoon or drizzle the remaining bang bang sauce over the top; this helps the top get extra saucy and a little golden as it bakes.
Bake uncovered at 400°F (200°C) for 18–22 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. The top should look slightly golden in spots, with some shrimp just starting to crisp on the edges.
If you want a touch more color on top, you can switch the oven to broil for 1–2 minutes at the end—watching closely so it doesn’t burn. The goal is a lightly golden, imperfect, homey finish, not a hard crust.
Let the pasta rest for 5 minutes after baking so the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the penne. Then bring the dish right to the table with a big serving spoon and scoop up portions so you get a mix of creamy sauce, golden shrimp, and pasta in every serving.
Variations & Tips
To keep this truly 5 ingredients, everything you need is already in the main list, but you can absolutely customize it if you have a few extras on hand. For a lighter version, swap half of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt, knowing it will be a bit tangier and slightly less rich. If you want more texture, sprinkle a handful of panko breadcrumbs tossed with a teaspoon of oil over the top before baking for extra crunch. You can also stir in a cup of frozen peas or a handful of baby spinach with the pasta and shrimp for a built-in veggie boost. For milder eaters (or kids), cut the sriracha down to 1 tablespoon and let anyone who likes spice add more at the table. If you don’t have penne, any short pasta like rotini, rigatoni, or shells will work—just undercook it slightly so it doesn’t get mushy in the oven. Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed shrimp; if using frozen, thaw them overnight in the fridge or under cold running water, then pat very dry. Keep raw shrimp refrigerated until you’re ready to mix and bake, and wash your hands and any cutting boards or utensils that touch raw shrimp before using them for other ingredients. Make sure the shrimp are fully cooked (opaque and pink, with no translucent gray spots) and the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C). Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow container, and reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before eating.
