Honey walnut shrimp is a popular Chinese takeout dish, and today I’m excited to share my homemade version, which is perfect for a family-style dinner!
I love the crispy shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet and tangy sauce, plus crunchy candied walnuts. Enjoy with steamed rice and your favorite sides, and watch how quickly it disappears! It’s a true family favorite.
Whenever I order takeout from my favorite Chinese restaurant, I almost always get honey walnut shrimp. I love the flavors and texture so much that I just had to recreate it at home!
My homemade Honey Walnut Shrimp recipe is so delicious, easy, and my go-to when I’m craving Chinese but feel like staying in. It’s just as good as my Honey Sesame Chicken!
You’ve got the textures of saucy and juicy shrimp, a creamy sweet and tangy sauce, and crunchy walnuts in every bite. I will say it’s the sauce that steals the show, and part of that is from the sweet condensed milk and Kewpie mayo.
This honey walnut shrimp is a quick and easy 30-minute meal. I love to serve it with a side of my Golden Fried Rice, but also great for a bigger family-style dinner with a variety of other dishes.
Other Chinese recipes I love to make at home are my dad’s Beef Chow Fun, Shrimp Lo Mein, and my favorite Char Siu Pork. They are great for a feast at home!
Why I love making this Honey Walnut Shrimp:
- Amazing texture! Crunchy, crispy, and creamy.
- The sauce! The creamy sauce is made with sweet condensed milk, mayo, and rice vinegar for that sweet and tangy finish. It’s really good!
- Easy to make. Ready in just 30 minutes! While there are a few moving parts, everything is quick and easy.
- Homemade is better. I love being able to control the ingredients to suit your taste.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
Each ingredient in this honey walnut shrimp recipe plays a key role in building the flavors! Below are a few notes from recipe testing. Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card.
- Jumbo shrimp: Jumbo size is best since they will shrink a bit when frying, so the larger they are, the better for texture. Peeled and deveined. If using frozen shrimp, thaw first.
- Baking soda and cornstarch: Both help to marinate and tenderize the shrimp. You’ll also use cornstarch to dredge just before frying.
- Egg white: locks in moisture and helps the cornstarch dredge stick.
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Kewpie mayonnaise: This Japanese mayo that is sweeter than regular mayo and delivers deeper umami flavors, but regular mayo works too.
- Sweetened condensed milk: The signature ingredient for the sauce! It’s sweet and rich, and also creamy. Do not substitute.
- Honey: For added sweetness to get it just right.
- Rice vinegar: For the tang! A delicious balance to the sweetness and adds an irresistible flavor element.
- Walnuts and granulated sugar: You need walnut halves. For the candied walnuts, just sugar, water and a pinch of salt will do.
- Salt and white pepper powder for a simple seasoning, ground black pepper is fine too
Step-by-Step Tutorial
It’s all in the prep! Have everything ready to go, and these shrimp cook in just a few minutes. Let’s make it!
Step 1 | Marinate shrimp
In a mixing bowl, add the shrimp, salt, white pepper, baking soda, cornstarch, and egg white. Mix and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes on your counter.
Step 2 | Make the sauce and candied walnuts
In a bowl, combine the mayo, sweetened condensed milk, honey, rice vinegar, and salt. Adjust to taste and set it aside.
Then, in a skillet over medium heat, add the walnuts with the sugar, water, and a pinch of salt. Let it melt and toss for 1-2 minutes slightly thickened and caramelized. Transfer to a plate and let it cool slightly. You can also line the plate with parchment paper to make it easier to remove since the sugar will harden.
Step 3 | Cook shrimp
Add a layer of vegetable oil to a large skillet, enough for shallow-frying the shrimp. Heat the oil to about 350 degrees F.
In a shallow bowl, dredge the marinated shrimp with a good layer of cornstarch, shaking off any excess. Then, carefully drop the shrimp into the hot oil and cook until golden brown. Do this in batches. Shrimp cooks quickly, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 4 | Toss to combine
Now let’s toss everything together! In a large bow, add the cooked shrimp, candied walnuts, and the prepared sauce. Give it a good toss until everything is coated in all that saucy goodness.
Garnish your honey walnut shrimp with chopped scallions and more candied walnuts if you want. Serve with rice and your favorite sides!
Tips for Success
- Feel free to adjust the sauce to taste.
- Have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go. This streamlines the process, making it easier to dredge, cook, and toss!
- To get a crispy golden brown exterior on the shrimp, make sure the shrimp has a good layer of cornstarch.
- Cook at 350 degrees F, which is on the lower end of deep frying temperature. Shrimp is delicate and cooks fast. Cook in batches for best results.
- Use a candy thermometer to measure oil temperature, or drop a pinch of cornstarch. If it sizzles well pretty immediately, it’s ready.
- Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable or canola oil.
Prep Ahead Tips
Honey walnut shrimp is usually meant to be enjoyed right away, so I don’t recommend making it too far in advance. You want to keep that crunchy and crisp texture.
However, you can prepare the components of this dish ahead, which is super convenient for weeknights. Here’s how:
- Peel and devein the shrimp (thawed) if not already. Don’t marinate the shrimp until the same day though – they only need to marinate for like 15 minutes anyway.
- Make the candied walnuts ahead, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Make the sauce and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Reheat slightly before using.
I don’t recommend freezing leftovers since the texture will change. Believe me, it won’t be hard to finish it in one sitting. It’s that good!
Pairing and Serving Ideas
There are so many other Asian dishes to serve with this honey walnut shrimp! From rice to noodles to veggies, you name it! Here are a few ideas:
- Rice: Coconut Jasmine Rice, Golden Fried Rice, and Curry Fried Rice. Or just simple steamed rice!
- Noodles: Beef Chow Fun and Shrimp Lo Mein are two of my faves!
- Veggies: Keep it simple and steam some broccoli, or try with my Japanese Cucumber Salad.
More Chinese dishes to make at home:
Recipe FAQs
Jumbo shrimp is preferred (fully thawed). The larger, the better for texture. They will also stay extra juicy inside even after being fried in hot oil. If you can’t find jumbo, extra large will work too.
You can use black pepper. White pepper is less strong and has an earthy flavor, but either one works.
This could be because the oil wasn’t hot enough. When this happens, the shrimp coating absorbs too much oil as it waits for it to heat up. It needs to be 350 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer, or drop a little bit of cornstarch and if it sizzles immediately, it’s ready.
Love shrimp? Try my Bang Bang Shrimp Bowl and Crispy Coconut Shrimp!
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Honey Walnut Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp - peeled and deveined, fully thawed
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper powder - or ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ of an egg white
- ½ cup cornstarch - for dredging only
- Vegetable or canola oil - for frying
Sauce:
- ⅓ cup Kewpie mayonnaise - or regular mayo
- 2 tablespoons sweet condensed milk
- 1 tablespoons honey
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Candied walnuts:
- 1 ½ cups walnut halves
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water - or as needed
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Marinate shrimp: In a bowl, combine the jumbo shrimp with salt, white pepper powder, baking soda, ½ tablespoon cornstarch, and egg white. Let it marinate for 15-20 minutes on your countertop.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, sweet condensed milk, honey, rice vinegar, and salt. Adjust to taste as needed. Set aside.
- Make the candied walnuts: In a small skillet over medium heat, combine walnuts with granulated sugar, water, and a pinch of salt. Toss for about 1-2 minutes until caramelized and slightly thickened. Transfer to a plate lined with parchment paper, and let cool slightly.
- In a large skillet, heat a layer of vegetable oil, enough for shallow-frying the shrimp. The oil should reach about 350 F.
- Cook shrimp: Generously dredge the marinated shrimp with cornstarch, shaking off any excess. In batches, cook shrimp on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Repeat with the remaining ones.
- Toss the cooked shrimp with the prepared sauce and the candied walnuts. Garnish with scallions and more candied walnuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use jumbo shrimp: Shrimp tends to shrink when fried, so using jumbo shrimp will ensure every bite is plump and juicy. If you can’t find it, extra large is fine too.
- Sweet condensed milk: The key ingredient in the honey walnut shrimp sauce is sweet condensed milk for that signature flavor profile. Do not substitute.
- To get a nice crispy golden brown color, make sure the shrimp is generously coated in cornstarch.
- Oil needs to be about 350 degrees F. It’s on the lower of end deep frying temperature, which is ideal for frying shrimp, which is more delicate.
- Kewpie mayo: Regular or light mayo.
- Walnuts: Pecans.
- Jumbo shrimp: Extra large.
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