Honey Walnut Shrimp
This Chinese takeout-style Honey Walnut Shrimp is a favorite at our house! It's shallow fried until crispy, then tossed with a delicious creamy sauce and crunchy candied walnuts. It's very easy and delicious!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 575kcal
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.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 1323mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 253IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg