Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe

Large round plate filled with homemade honey walnut shrimp garnished with sliced green onions.

5 from 3 votes

Honey Walnut Shrimp is made with crispy fried shrimp coated in a sweet and creamy mayonnaise-based sauce with crunchy candied walnuts. It’s my favorite Panda Express copycat recipe and the ultimate Chinese takeout main dish or appetizer.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Seafood

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Keyword: Honey Walnut Shrimp, Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe, Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp

Servings: servings

Author: Jessica Randhawa

Ingredients

For the Candied Walnuts

1 cup halved walnuts
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon butter

For the Sauce

⅔ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Shrimp

2 pounds extra-large shrimp thawed (if frozen) peeled, deveined, and tail-off
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
vegetable oil for frying (I used canola oil)
3 egg whites
½ cup tapioca flour or cornstarch
2 tablespoon club soda

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the water, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
Add the walnuts and cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes or until the syrup starts to thicken and coat the walnuts. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the walnuts to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow them to cool completely and harden.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and lemon juice. Add more honey for sweetness or more mayo for creaminess, as needed. Make up to 24 hours in advance. Keep stored in the refrigerator.
If frozen, thaw the shrimp completely, then peel off the shells. To devein the shrimp, use a sharp paring knife to make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp and remove the dark vein. Rinse under cold water and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Pat the shrimp dry, then transfer the shrimp to a bowl and season with salt and black pepper.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep-frying skillet set over medium heat until 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk together the egg whites and the club soda in a medium bowl until frothy at medium-high speed, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tapioca flour (or cornstarch) until combined.
Add the shrimp to the batter, coating each one evenly. Shake off any excess batter.
Fry the shrimp in small batches – no more than 6-10 shrimp at a time, depending on the size of your skillet/shrimp. Cook for about 2–3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside on a cooling rack set over a large pan to catch the oil. Return the oil back to temperature and repeat until all of the shrimp have been cooked.
Allow the shrimp to cool for about 10 minutes before placing them in a large bowl with the candied walnuts and prepared sauce. Use a rubber spatula to fold the shrimp and walnuts with the sauce gently.
Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.

Notes

If you prefer a creamy mayo sauce that's not so sweet, swap the sweetened condensed milk for regular condensed milk.
Make-Ahead: Homemade candied walnuts can be made up to 2 weeks in advance. To keep them fresh and crunchy, make sure they have cooled completely before placing them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator.
Note: The nutritional information does not factor in the amount of oil needed to fry the shrimp.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Please see the full post for more tips and recommendations.

Nutrition