Try this honey walnut shrimp recipe for a delicious homemade version of the classic takeout dish. Crispy shrimp, creamy sweet and savory sauce, and candied walnuts make this dish a real treat! It’s the perfect Panda Express copycat recipe, but better!
Craving a mouthwatering dish that combines the best of sweet and savory flavors with a creamy sauce? Try this honey walnut shrimp recipe! It's easy, irresistible, and beats any take out version you've had before!
If you’re looking for other delicious shrimp recipes, I highly recommend you try my shrimp and broccoli stir fry, or this classic Chinese stir-fried shrimp but if you're a fan of candied walnuts like me, I also have an oven method which makes bigger batch of candied walnuts (instead of the stir frying method in this recipe), and the best part is you can use some walnuts for this honey walnut recipe, and have extra to snack on!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is super easy to prepare. With a few simple steps, you can have a delicious meal on the table in no time.
- Packed with Flavor: Every bite of this dish is packed with flavor, from the creamy sweet and savory sauce to the crispy, and flavorful battered fried shrimp.
- Can Be Made Without Condensed Milk: Most honey walnut shrimp recipes call for condensed milk, but if you don't want to open up a full can for this honey walnut shrimp recipe, you can substitute it with honey for this recipe, and it will be just as delicious, it will just look less creamy.
- Candied Walnuts are Delicious and Not Bitter: The walnuts are just as important as the shrimp in this recipe, which is why I make sure to include steps to show you how to remove the bitterness from them.
Honey Walnut Shrimp Ingredients
- Shrimp: The star of our honey walnut shrimp dish, when cooked right, it turns beautifully tender and goes beautifully with the candied walnuts. I use frozen shrimp, sized 21/25 because this is what I always have in my freezer. If you use smaller shrimp, you can use more. If you are using frozen shrimp, make sure the shrimp is fully thawed before you use it.
- Cornstarch: This is used in the batter to coat the shrimp. It helps to make the shrimp crispy when fried. Alternatively, you can also use potato starch, but make sure to deep from them slowly (I wait until a slight crust forms before adding the next shrimp) so that the batter doesn't stick together when you're deep frying.
- Onion Powder: This gives the batter an amazing onion flavor, that goes very well with the sweet creamy sauce.
- Walnuts: These are candied in sugar and butter to make a sweet and crunchy addition to the dish, providing a nice contrast to the crispy shrimp.
- Mayonnaise: A key component of the sauce, it adds a creamy texture and a tangy flavor that pairs well with the sweetness of the honey. You can also use Kewpie mayo
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This adds a creamy sweetness to the sauce. If you don't want to open a whole can for a few tablespoons, you substitute it with honey as well.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a savory depth to the sauce, balancing the sweetness of the honey and condensed milk.
- Rice Vinegar: Cuts the heaviness of the creamy sauce and balances out the sweet and savory flavors. You can substitute for white vinegar as well.
- Green Onions: Normally this would be used as a garnish, but for this dish the green onions bring a light crisp onion flavor to the final dish and brings out the flavors of the onion powder in the batter, and cuts the heaviness of the creamy sauce. I highly recommend you use this.
How to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
Making this incredible honey walnut shrimp recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:
Preparing the Candied Walnuts
Boil Water - Put the walnuts in a small pot. With a kettle, boil some water and pour the boiling water over the walnuts until they are fully submerged.
Rinse and Soak the Walnuts - Use a spoon and stir the walnuts in the water for a few seconds, then drain the water. I do this again once more until the water is no longer cloudy. This process helps to remove the bitterness of the walnuts. Make sure to drain the water very well.
Toast the Walnuts with Oil - Place the pot onto the stove, and set it to medium low heat, then add in some oil. Toast the walnuts for 5 minutes. Keep stirring them so they don't burn.
Coat the Walnuts with Sugar and Butter - Add sugar (or honey), and butter, and keep stirring until the sugar melts and starts to become syrupy. Toast them in the sugar syrup and butter for about 4-5 minutes or until they are golden brown. I take them off the heat, once the butter bits turn brown at the bottom of the pot.
Cool the Walnuts - On a large plate, or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out the walnuts on a single layer to cool. Make sure they aren't touching each other, else they will be stuck together. They will be slightly oily, since we 'deep fried' them in a pot, but don't worry, we won't be transferring the oil to the final dish.
Preparing the Sauce and Garnish
Mix the Sauce Ingredients - Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until well mixed. Set this aside.
Finely Mince the Green Onions - Finely chop the green onions and set them aside for the end.
Preparation of Shrimp
Thaw and Butterfly the Shrimp - If you're using frozen shrimp, make sure the shrimp has fully thawed before you start this. Butterfly the shrimp by making a slit down it's back. This means you'll need to cut along the back about ¼ inch deep to split them for more surface area. Once done, set them aside.
Batter the Shrimp
Make the Egg Dredge - In a bowl, beat the eggs, onion powder, and soy sauce together. I like to use the whole egg, so I don't waste it but if you want a crispier shrimp you can use just the egg whites. Add the butterflied shrimp into this egg mixture and let the egg fully coat it.
Coat the Shrimp in Starch - Place cornstarch on a large plate. Then take each shrimp one by one and coat it in the starch. Make sure you also get starch along the slit to give it more crispy surface area once it's deep fried.
Deep Frying the Shrimp
Heat the Oil - In a small pot, heat oil on medium-high heat.
Fry the Shrimp - Fry each shrimp in the oil for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches if necessary until they turn golden brown. If you are using potato starch, make sure to add the shrimp in one at a time so that they don't stick together. I like to wait 10 seconds for a hard crust to form before adding in the next shrimp.
Double Fry the Shrimp - Once all the shrimp has been deep fried, I add it back into the oil and fry it again for 30 seconds. Double frying makes the batter crunchier.
Assembling the Dish
Wait for the Shrimp to Cool Slightly - It's important not to mix the hot shrimp with the mayonnaise sauce right away. The heat from the shrimp will melt the mayo into oil, which will make the sauce oily, and not creamy.
Toss the Shrimp and Green Onions in the Sauce - Once the shrimp has cooled for a minute or two, toss the shrimp and green onions in the sweet sauce mix until they are fully coated.
Add the Walnuts - Finally, toss in the candied walnuts.
Enjoy as is or serve it with a bowl of rice!
Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Honey Walnut Shrimp Without Condensed Milk: If you don't want to open a whole can of condensed milk to only use 2 tablespoons of it for the sauce, you can substitute it with 1 and ½ tablespoons of honey instead. It will be just as delicious, the only difference is it won't look as creamy. That being said, if you do want to use condensed milk, you can use the leftovers on my butter mochi and banana bread recipe, which use condensed milk.
- Thaw Frozen Shrimp: If you are using frozen shrimp, make sure it is fully thawed before you use it.
- Cut a Deeper Slit Along the Back of the Shrimp: To make your honey walnut shrimp dish just like the ones served in Chinese restaurants or even Panda Express, start by butterflying the shrimp. This not only ensures even cooking but also provides more surface area for the crispy coating to adhere to and create that nice bite-sized shrimp ball shape.
- Rinse Walnuts In Boiling Water: Rinsing and soaking the walnuts for a few seconds with boiling water before candying them is a crucial step that shouldn't be skipped. This process helps to remove the tannin bitterness from the walnut skins, resulting in a more pleasant and balanced flavor in your dish.
- Sugar vs Honey for Candied Walnuts: I personally like using just sugar because it makes the walnuts crispier, that being said, you can also use honey as well but it will turn out less crispy, have be chewy and sticky.
- Egg Whites vs Whole Egg: For a crispier shrimp, use only egg whites. The small amounts of fat in the yolk will make the batter slightly gummier. That being said, I usually like to use the whole egg so there's less waste, and it still turns out delicious and crispy.
- Fry the Shrimp in Small Batches: When frying your shrimp, do it in small batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, which will drop the oil temperature and create a soggy batter. This will ensure that each shrimp gets evenly cooked and turns a beautiful golden brown.
- Coat the Shrimp Well and Double Fry: For that perfect crispy shrimp texture, make sure to coat each shrimp well with the cornstarch batter, including the crevice along the back that you made a deeper cut through. This will give your shrimp more surface area for a nice, and crispy exterior. Frying it for the second time for 30 seconds, after the first fry will also give you crispier batter as well.
- You Can Double the Sauce: The sauce is what makes this dish truly special. Mixing all the sauce ingredients well and allowing the shrimp to be fully coated in it will ensure that every bite of your honey walnut shrimp tastes just like your favorite takeout from Panda Express. I like to have just enough sauce to coat the shrimp so that I can taste the shrimp, but if you love saucy foods, you make twice as much sauce by doubling it!
- Don't Mix the Sauce with Hot Shrimp: Make sure the shrimp has slightly cooled, before you toss it in the mayonnaise sauce. If the shrimp is too hot, it will end up melting the mayonnaise back into oil and you won't get that nice creamy coating on the shrimp.
- Don't Skip the Green Onions: Normally, green onions are used as just a garnish but for this dish, it will cut the heaviness from the sweet mayo and complement the batter which has a bit of onion powder in it as well.
- If you want to make a larger batch of candied walnuts, for this recipe, and have extras to snack on, I also have a Crispy Chinese Candied Walnuts recipe for it that you can make in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
- For a complete Chinese takeout at home, serve this honey walnut shrimp dish with a side of homemade fried rice, chicken fried rice, yeung chow fried rice or garlic fried rice. The savory, fluffy rice perfectly complements the crispy shrimp and candied walnuts, making for a satisfying meal.
- If you're a fan of Panda Express, why not recreate their menu at home? Pair this Panda Express honey walnut shrimp with some chow mein, sweet and sour pork, beef and onion stir fry, shrimp and broccoli stir fry or broccoli beef for a delicious, restaurant-style dinner.
- Honey walnut shrimp tastes great as a topping on a fresh, crisp salad. The sweet and savory shrimp combined with the crunch of fresh veggies creates a refreshing and light meal option. If you just want to make the crispy walnuts on it's own for the salad, I have a crispy Chinese candied walnut recipe that makes a bigger batch as well!
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Spicy Honey Walnut Shrimp: If you're a fan of fiery flavors, this variation of the honey walnut shrimp recipe is for you. Simply add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes or sriracha into the sauce mix for an extra kick. This twist will give your dish a spicy kick that contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the honey and candied walnuts.
- Garlic Honey Walnut Shrimp: For garlic lovers, this variation is a must-try. Add ¼ teaspoon of minced garlic to the sauce. This will give your honey walnut shrimp a rich, aromatic garlic flavor that pairs perfectly with the crispy shrimp and candied walnuts.
- Extra Nutty Honey Walnut Shrimp: For those who can't get enough of the candied walnuts in this dish, double the amount of walnuts in the recipe. The extra walnuts add more crunch and sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Honey walnut shrimp is a popular dish often found in Chinese restaurants and even fast-food chains like Panda Express. It's a delicious combination of crispy shrimp, candied walnuts, and a sweet, creamy sauce.
To make the shrimp crispy, you'll need to coat them in a mixture of egg whites and salt, then dredge in cornstarch. Fry the shrimp in batches in a hot skillet until they turn golden brown.
Honey walnut shrimp pairs well with a variety of dishes. It's often served with fried rice or noodles for a complete meal. However, it can also be enjoyed on its own as a tasty appetizer.
Storing and Reheating
- Fridge: If you have leftovers from your honey walnut shrimp recipe, you can store them in the fridge. Place the dish in an airtight container and refrigerate it. It can last for up to 2 days.
- Reheating Instructions: To reheat your honey walnut shrimp, stir it gently in a skillet over medium heat until it's warmed through. Be careful not to overheat as this can make the shrimp tough. You can also microwave this as well, but the heat from reheating may turn the sauce oily.
- Freezer: Unfortunately, this honey walnut shrimp dish doesn't freeze well due to the crispy shrimp texture. Freezing and thawing can make the shrimp lose its crispiness, and the dish may not have the same taste as when freshly made.
Recipes To Use Up Leftover Condensed Milk
More Chinese Takeout Recipes You May Like
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Recipe Card
Honey Walnut Shrimp
Joyce's Recipe Notes
- Honey Walnut Shrimp Without Condensed Milk: If you don't want to open a whole can of condensed milk to only use 2 tablespoons of it for the sauce, you can substitute it with 1 and ½ tablespoons of honey instead. It will be just as delicious, the only difference is it won't look as creamy. That being said, if you do want to use condensed milk, you can use the leftovers on my butter mochi and banana bread recipe, which use condensed milk.
- Cut a Deeper Slit Along the Back of the Shrimp: To make your honey walnut shrimp dish just like the ones served in Chinese restaurants or even Panda Express, start by butterflying the shrimp. This not only ensures even cooking but also provides more surface area for the crispy coating to adhere to and create that nice bite-sized shrimp ball shape.
- Rinse Walnuts In Boiling Water: Rinsing and soaking the walnuts for a few seconds with boiling water before candying them is a crucial step that shouldn't be skipped. This process helps to remove the tannin bitterness from the walnut skins, resulting in a more pleasant and balanced flavor in your dish.
- Sugar vs Honey for Candied Walnuts: I personally like using just sugar because it makes the walnuts crispier, that being said, you can also use honey as well but it will turn out less crispy, have be chewy and sticky.
- Egg Whites vs Whole Egg: For a crispier shrimp, use only egg whites. The small amounts of fat in the yolk will make the batter slightly gummier. That being said, I usually like to use the whole egg so there's less waste, and it still turns out delicious and crispy.
- Fry the Shrimp in Small Batches: When frying your shrimp, do it in small batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, which will drop the oil temperature and create a soggy batter. This will ensure that each shrimp gets evenly cooked and turns a beautiful golden brown.
- Coat the Shrimp Well and Double Fry: For that perfect crispy shrimp texture, make sure to coat each shrimp well with the cornstarch batter, including the crevice along the back that you made a deeper cut through. This will give your shrimp more surface area for a nice, and crispy exterior. Frying it for the second time for 30 seconds, after the first fry will also give you crispier batter as well.
- You Can Double the Sauce: The sauce is what makes this dish truly special. Mixing all the sauce ingredients well and allowing the shrimp to be fully coated in it will ensure that every bite of your honey walnut shrimp tastes just like your favorite takeout from Panda Express. I like to have just enough sauce to coat the shrimp so that I can taste the shrimp, but if you love saucy foods, you make twice as much sauce by doubling it!
- Don't Mix the Sauce with Hot Shrimp: Make sure the shrimp has slightly cooled, before you toss it in the mayonnaise sauce. If the shrimp is too hot, it will end up melting the mayonnaise back into oil and you won't get that nice creamy coating on the shrimp.
- Don't Skip the Green Onions: Normally, green onions are used as just a garnish but for this dish, it will cut the heaviness from the sweet mayo and complement the batter which has a bit of onion powder in it as well.
- If you want to make a larger batch of candied walnuts, for this recipe, and have extras to snack on, I also have a Crispy Chinese Candied Walnuts recipe for it that you can make in the oven.
Ingredients
- 12 large shrimp (size 21/25)
- 1 stalk green onion (finely chopped)
Batter
- 1 egg (or egg whites, for crispier batter)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ cup cornstarch
Candied Walnuts
Honey Walnut Shrimp Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (or Japanese kewpie mayo)
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (or 1½ tablespoons of honey)
- ¼ teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
Prepare the Candied Walnuts
- Put 1 cup walnuts into a small pot. With a kettle, boil some water and pour it over the walnuts until fully submerged.
- Use a spoon and stir the walnuts in the water for a few seconds, then drain the water. I do this again once more until the water is no longer cloudy. This process helps to remove the bitterness of the walnuts. Make sure to drain the water very well.
- Place the pot onto the stove and set it to medium-low heat. Then add 1 tablespoon oil. Toast the walnuts for 5 minutes. Keep stirring them so they don't burn.
- After you have toasted the walnuts for about 5 minutes, add 1¾ tablespoons sugar (or honey), ¼ teaspoon salt (optional) and ½ tablespoon butter, and keep stirring until the sugar melts and starts to become syrupy.
- Toast them in the sugar syrup and butter for about 4-5 minutes or until they are golden brown. I take them off the heat, once the butter bits turn brown at the bottom of the pot.
- On a large plate, or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out the walnuts on a single layer to cool. Make sure they aren't touching each other, or else they will be stick together. They will be slightly oily, since we 'deep fried' them in a pot, but don't worry, we won't be transferring the oil to the final dish.
Prepare the Honey Walnut Shrimp Sauce and Garnish
- Combine¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (or 1½ tablespoons of honey), ¼ teaspoon rice vinegar, and ½ teaspoon soy sauce in a bowl and stir until well mixed. Set this aside.
- Finely chop 1 stalk green onion and set them aside for the end.
Prepare the Shrimp
- If you're using frozen shrimp, make sure the shrimp has fully thawed before you start this step. If you are using shelled shrimp, peel it first, then butterfly the shrimp by making a slit down its back. This means you'll need to cut along the back about ¼ inch deep to split them for more surface area. Once done, set them aside.
Batter the Shrimp
- In a bowl, beat 1 egg, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce together. I like to use the whole egg to keep things simple, but you can use just the egg whites if you want a crispier shrimp. Add the butterflied shrimp into this egg mixture and let the egg fully coat it.
- Place ½ cup cornstarch on a large plate. Then, take each shrimp one by one and coat it in the starch. Make sure you also get starch along the slit to give it a more crispy surface area once it's deep-fried.
Deep Fry the Shrimp
- In a small pot, heat oil on medium-high heat. To test if the oil is hot enough to start deep frying, stick a wooden chopstick or the back of a wooden spoon in the oil. If it starts to bubble, the oil is hot enough to use.
- Fry each shrimp in the oil for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches, if necessary, until they turn golden brown. If you are using potato starch, make sure to add the shrimp one at a time so that they don't stick together. I like to wait 10 seconds for a hard crust to form before adding the next shrimp.
- Once all the shrimp have been deep-fried, I add them back into the oil and fry them again for 30 seconds. Double frying makes the batter crunchier.
Assemble the Dish
- Wait for the Shrimp to Cool Slightly - It's important not to mix the hot shrimp with the mayonnaise sauce right away. The heat from the shrimp will melt the mayo into oil, which will make the sauce oily, and not creamy.
- Once the shrimp has cooled for a minute or two, toss the shrimp and finely minced green onions in the sweet sauce mix until they are fully coated.
- Finally, toss in the candied walnuts.
- Enjoy as is or serve it with a bowl of rice!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
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Gay Fletcher says
This was simply wonderful! I've always loved honey walnut shrimp in restaurants. I wondered to myself how difficult it was to make and stumbled across your recipe. Your thoughtful, well designed instructions were super easy to follow! I was only lacking the onion powder, so I substituted garlic powder, but other than that I followed everything as written. When my husband got home from work I was just dishing it up. He loved it. Thank you so much for sharing! I will be back for more recipes 🙂
Joyce Lee says
Hi!
I'm so happy you both liked it! 🙂
It warmed my heart that you liked my instructions. I try my best to write it out like I'm talking to a friend in the kitchen, like I'm right there with them, and I'm so happy it has helped you.
I hope you enjoy my other recipes!
erin says
I also doubled the sauce and it was amazing! tasted just like panda
Joyce Lee says
Hi erin!
I'm so happy you liked it!!
Victoria says
I've tested several honey walnut shrimp recipes over the years and this is definitely top of the line. For personal taste I did add more sugar to the walnuts and doubled the sauce. This recipe was extremely helpful because of how detailed and descriptive the methods for cooking and none of the recipes I've ever come across before included that, and it definitely put this particular one over the top. Easy five stars.
Joyce Lee says
Hi Victoria!
Thank you so much for making my day. I'm incredibly happy that my recipe was helpful, and it was able to successful make something yummy for you! 🙂
Ryan says
Used frozen gluten free breaded shrimp instead but everything came out delicious. I don’t think I used the full amount of sugar on the walnuts and I definitely should have, but that’s my only complaint. Doubled the sauce and it was perfect! Delicious all around.
Joyce Lee says
Hi Ryan!
Brilliant on the shortcut! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Ashley says
This was one of the most delicious shrimp recipes I've ever had. Definitely adding it to my favorites. Thank you Joyce!
Joyce Lee says
Hi Ashley!
Yay!! I'm so happy you liked it! Your kind words really made my day! 🙂
Joyce Lee says
Josie says
I cooked this Honey Walnut Shrimps Dish shortly I saw this recipe, because I bought a pack of walnuts a week ago intended to make some honey walnuts snack.
Voilà ! My little one enjoyed it the most 😘 & gave me a 👍, haha, he asked for 'encore' soon. Thank you Joyce, for this quick easy cooking.
Joyce Lee says
Hi Josie!
So happy everyone enjoyed it!! 🙂