Honey Walnut Shrimp (VIDEO)

Honey Walnut Shrimp on a plate with candied walnuts.

5 from 41 votes

Honey Walnut Shrimp (VIDEO)

Honey Walnut Shrimp is a Chinese banquet meal classic that's so easy to make at home! Flash fried shrimp are tossed in a delicious sweet sauce with candied walnuts!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

Do not let your frying oil drop below 300-325F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 300-325F, fry your shrimp in batches. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture and make your shrimp soggy.

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.

Nutrition