Honey Walnut Shrimp – Chinese Restaurant Classic! (VIDEO)
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Honey Walnut Shrimp was my family’s go-to whenever we went to Chinese restaurants! I love my version because the juicy shrimp has a lighter, crispier batter that pairs perfectly with the sweet sauce and homemade candied walnuts!
Watch the Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
You’re going to love my Honey Walnut Shrimp!
I love this recipe so much – I think it’s even better than the Chinese restaurants I grew up going to! The shrimp is juicy, fried until light and crispy (lighter than most restaurants) and coated in the sweet, mayo-based sauce with homemade candied walnuts)!
Recreate your favorite Chinese resturant dishes with Egg Drop Soup or Hot Sour Soup, Egg Fried Rice, Chicken Lo Mein, Beef Chow Fun, Beef and Broccoli, Sesame Chicken, Garlic Bok Choy, and Cucumber Salad!
Absolutely perfect! All too often restaurants make the batter too thick, or the sauce too sweet, this is perfection! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- shrimp – use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp – I used U-10/U-12. If using frozen, make sure the shrimp is completely defrosted.
- cornstarch – when developing this recipe, I tried different batters but the clear winner was cornstarch – it made the shrimp lighter and crispier, which balanced out the richness of the sauce.
- whole walnuts – I like to make my own candied walnuts; you can also use store bought candied walnuts.
- mayo – I used Japanese mayo (Kewpie brand) because it’s richer, tangier, has more umami; you can use any mayo of your choice.
- lemon juice – you can also substitute with rice vinegar.
How to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
Marinate Shrimp and Candy The Walnuts – Peel and de-vein shrimp, then make a small cut down the back of the shrimp to butterfly them. Marinate the shrimp with salt, white pepper, baking soda, cornstarch and neutral oil (I prefer avocado oil) in a bowl. While the shrimp marinates, make the candied walnuts and set them on a parchement paper lined tray to cool.
Fry The Shrimp and Mix The Sauce – Season 1/2 cup of cornstarch with salt and white pepper, then dredge the marinated shrimp in the batter. Add the oil to a dutch oven or wok and heat over medium high until the oil reaches 325F and fry half of the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until bright pink and crispy. Drain to the wire rack and repeat with the remaining shrimp. In a large bowl, combine mayo, honey, condensed milk, lemon juice, and salt. Immediately mix in the fried shrimp and walnuts and enjoy!
My Pro Tip
CJ’s Storage Tips
Store any leftover candied walnuts (not mixed into the dish), wait until they are cooled and store in an airtight container in a dark, cool place (ideally away from the stove or dishwasher) for up to 3 weeks. They do not need to be refrigerated (but you can!)
Store any leftover Honey Walnut Shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The shrimp and walnuts will soften as they sit in the refrigerator. Because the dish is coated in a sweet, mayo-based sauce, there is no way to reheat to restore any crispiness. I recommend reheating until warmed through in the microwave.
If you tried this Honey Walnut Shrimp or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Honey Walnut Shrimp (VIDEO)
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
Candied Walnuts
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup whole walnuts
Batter
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 3 cups neutral oil, for frying
Honey Walnut Shrimp Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp condensed milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, sub rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- Peel and de-vein shrimp, then make a small cut down the back of the shrimp to butterfly them. This is going to increase their surface area when frying.
- In a small bowl, marinate shrimp with salt, white pepper, baking soda, cornstarch and neutral oil (I prefer avocado oil).
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter then add brown sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add water and bring to a simmer, then stir in your walnuts and cook for 5-6 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Immediately transfer the candied walnuts to a plate to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, season 1/2 cup of cornstarch with salt and white pepper, then lightly coat your marinated shrimp.
- Add the oil to a dutch oven or wok and heat over medium high until the oil reaches 325F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack. Fry half of the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until bright pink and crispy. Drain to the wire rack and repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- In a large bowl, combine mayo, honey, condensed milk, lemon juice, and salt. Immediately mix in the fried shrimp and walnuts and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- shrimp – use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp – I used U-10/U-12. If using frozen, make sure the shrimp is completely defrosted.
- cornstarch – when developing this recipe, I tried different batters but the clear winner was cornstarch – it made the shrimp lighter and crispier, which balanced out the richness of the sauce.
- whole walnuts – I like to make my own candied walnuts because you can control for how sweet they are (I find that some store bought versions are too sweet for my taste) and I think they just taste better fresh! You can also use store bought candied walnuts.
- mayo – I used Japanese mayo (Kewpie brand) because it’s richer, tangier, has more umami; you can use any mayo of your choice.
- lemon juice – you can also substitute with rice vinegar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Honey Walnut Shrimp recipe was originally published in January 2022, and updated in January 2023 and November 2025.
Honey Walnut Shrimp is personally my favorite dish! I can eat this almost everyday if I can. I love anything shrimp. The walnuts makes for a perfect addition. If you’re going to make this be sure to do the walnuts as well!
Really really good 😍 Thanks!
This dish takes some time but is absolutely amazing! Will definitely make again.
Simple yet flavorful.
I made this in the air fryer instead of deep frying it. Deep frying would have been soo much better. Even though I airfried it the shrimp was crispy and the sauce was amazing! It’s one of my fav recipes now.
Solid recipe and easy no more take out for me
What a great recipe, thanks CJ!
Made half recipe of this tonight with half recipe of your Broccoli Beef. Your BB is my go to as are a few other of your recipes. This dish is so onolicious, oishii, and delicious. Thanks for the great recipes. Keep cranking them out. 💯👏🏽👍🏽🙏🏽🍁
This was delicious. I will be making it many times over. I’m looking forward to trying many more of your recipes. Thank you CJ.
Thank you, Frizz! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this last night and doubled the recipe. The leftovers were just as delicious today!
Thank you so much Tiffani! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂