Honey Walnut Shrimp is a takeout favorite that combines crispy egg-white-battered shrimp with a homemade honey-lemon sauce and crunchy candied walnuts. It’s light, delicious, and surprisingly easy to whip up in under 20 minutes!
If you love shrimp, you’ll love my crispy bang bang shrimp, baked coconut shrimp, and cilantro lime shrimp.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Flavor: Crispy shrimp are coated in a creamy, sweet, and tangy honey lemon sauce, then finished with crunchy candied walnuts for a delicious mix of textures and flavors.
- Texture: A light egg white and cornstarch coating gives the shrimp a crisp, delicate crust without the heaviness of traditional breading.
- Tools: A nonstick skillet makes it easier to caramelize the walnuts evenly and simplifies cleanup.
Total Time: 16 Mins (5 Mins Prep!) Servings: 4 Cooking Method: Stovetop
Ingredient Notes
- Walnuts: Use walnut halves or large pieces for the best crunch and presentation. Pecans make a great substitute.
- Large Shrimp: Use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Frozen shrimp work well too, as long as they’re fully thawed and patted very dry before battering.
- Sugar: Cooks with water to create a simple caramel coating that sweetens and lightly toasts the walnuts.
- Egg Whites: Whisk until foamy to create a light, airy coating that turns crisp when fried.
- Vegetable or Canola Oil: Either neutral oil works well for shallow frying and lets the shrimp brown without adding extra flavor.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds sweetness and a smooth, creamy richness that honey alone can’t provide.
How to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Combine walnuts with water and sugar in a skillet. Cook (full recipe below).
- In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and honey.
- Allow walnuts to cool (full recipe below).
- Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until foamy. Then whisk in the cornstarch and salt to create a thick batter.
- Add the shrimp to the egg mixture. Allow excess batter to drip off.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and fry.
- Once the shrimp is cooked, toss with the sauce, then sprinkle with walnuts before serving.
Serve with homemade fried rice, roasted broccoli, or stir-fry vegetables.
Storing Leftover Honey Shrimp
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The coating will soften once refrigerated.
- Reheat at 350°F in the air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes, or at 400°F in the oven on a wire rack over a baking sheet for 8 to 12 minutes or until heated through.
Freezing is not recommended.
Takeout Favorites at Home
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Honey Walnut Shrimp
Crispy honey walnut shrimp is tossed in a sweet and creamy honey sauce and finished with crunchy candied walnuts. It’s a restaurant favorite made right at home.
Ingredients
For the Walnuts:
- ¾ cup walnuts
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
For the Shrimp:
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or canola oil, or as needed for frying
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1½ tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
For the Walnuts:
- Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper. Add the walnuts, sugar, and water to a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring often, until the water evaporates and the syrup thickens to coat the nuts, about 8 to 9 minutes. The sugar will turn amber. Spread out the nuts on the parchment paper to cool.
Watch closely as the sugar can turn from amber to burnt quickly.
For the Sauce:
- For the sauce, combine mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and honey in a medium bowl. Set aside.
For the Shrimp:
- Pour the oil into a shallow pan or skillet, you should have about ¼-inch of oil. Heat over medium-high heat.
- For the shrimp, whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Whisk in the cornstarch and salt. The mixture will be thick and sticky. Add the shrimp (patted dry first) and gently fold to coat.
- Remove the shrimp from the batter, letting any excess batter drip off, and add it to the oil in small batches. Cook 2 minutes per side.
- Once golden, transfer the shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate. Once all of the shrimp is cooked, add it to the sauce and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle with the walnuts and garnish with green onion if desired.
Notes
If using large shrimp, you will have about 8 or 9 shrimp per serving.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 548 | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 25g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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