Honey Walnut Shrimp

Sweet and saucy Honey Walnut Shrimp – no need to order takeout with a recipe this quick and tasty! 

Looking for some easy Asian-inspired sides? Look no further than my delicious recipes for Chopped Asian Salad, Asian Cranberry Almond Salad, and Asian Grilled Corn on the Cob. 

Why This Recipe Works

It’s a last-meal kinda dish — Okay if the world ended right this minute and I had one last dying wish, I am fairly certain this honey walnut shrimp would be it: A big saucy, sweet, and incredibly yummy bowl of honey walnut shrimp. With a liiiitle bit of a kick, just the way it should be.

Shrimp — Shrimp is one of my favorite proteins, going way back to when I worked at a Chinese restaurant all throughout high school. By the time my shift ended, I had looked at so many plates of crispy, saucy shrimp going out to some lucky diners that it was all I could do to not take one of each plate and pop them in my mouth right then and there. Shrimp just does this dish so much justice. But, I have heard from a lot of you delightful readers that this works for chicken too! Either way — yum! 

So easy — Don’t be put off by a slightly long list of ingredients, it’s really not that much, and most of them are things you probably already have in your fridge or pantry. Plus, if you purchase shrimp that are already peeled and deveined, you’ll be steps ahead of the game! 

Walnuts — When I first heard about this dish, a long, long time ago, I was totally put off by the idea of walnuts with shrimp. Nuts…with shrimp? No way, too weird. Buuuut… the more I saw how popular a dish it was, the more my curiosity piqued and so one day I tried it, and, frankly, a monster was born. That’s all I wanted from there on out. And now I’m so glad I can make this delicious dish at home.

Ingredients

• Large shrimp — I always buy large shrimp, I know how long to cook them and there are always enough for everyone. Be sure to get them peeled, deveined, and tails removed — you’ll thank me later. 
• Oil — I use canola oil but you can also use vegetable, peanut, any low-smoke point oil will work well to cook up these shrimp. 
• Walnuts — You can’t have walnut shrimp without the walnuts. I use halves and pieces for the ultimate in crunch and chew. Make sure they’re fresh. Old walnuts can have a bad taste. 
• Sugar — White sugar is fine here. Use whatever brand you have. 
• Mayo — I used reduced fat mayo for a little healthier sauce but you can use full-fat or avocado mayo if you like. 
• Salt — Any kind of kosher table salt is a good choice. 
• Honey — Regular old honey is good here. Use hot honey if you are in the mood for extra spice.

Here’s How You Make It

Mix the sauce, cook the shrimp, put it all together, and devour. It’s that easy!

1. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a large bowl and set the sauce aside for a minute. (photo 4)
2. Add the sugar and 1 cup of water to a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the walnuts to the sugar water and boil them for 2 minutes. Drain the saucepan of the walnuts and extra simple syrup and transfer the walnuts to a clean surface where they can cool. (photo 1-3)
3. Rinse the shrimp and shake off any excess water. Add the flour to a large zip lock bag and then add shrimp then seal the bag and toss the shrimp and flour all around to give the shrimp a good coat. (photo 5)
4. In one small bowl, whisk together the eggs and water, then in another small bowl, add the panko crumbs. (not pictured)
5. Now for the best part: First, dip shrimp in the egg wash, then toss it in the panko crumbs to coat on all sides. (photo 6)
6. Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat, then add the shrimp and sauté them for 4-5 minutes or until they turn pink and the breading is lightly browned.  (photos 7-9)
7. Once the shrimp are done cooking, add them to the sauce bowl and then toss to coat them in the sauce. Add the walnuts to the shrimp and garnish the whole thing with chopped green onions if desired. I love to serve mine with cooked rice. (photos 10-12)

Expert Tips & Tricks

• You can use any mayo you like, but I like to use reduced fat mayo to lighten the sauce up just a bit. 
• If you only have pre-cooked shrimp or that’s what you prefer eating, you’ll only need to sauté them for 1-2 minutes just to heat them up and brown them up. Be sure you don’t overcook them. 
• These walnut shrimp will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to reheat mine in a skillet but you can also microwave — they won’t be nearly as crisp as thought.

More Asian Recipes

• Honey Sriracha Chicken
• Pineapple Chicken
• Thai Drunken Noodles
• Easy Chinese Cashew Chicken
• Pork Lo Mein
• Easy Chinese Cashew Chicken

More Shrimp Recipes

• Shrimp with Lobster Sauce
• Baked Crispy Shrimp with Dynamite Sauce
• Hawaiian Shrimp Bowls
• Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet
• Shrimp Tacos with Slaw

Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below! And be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo of your CLDC creation – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen.