I am not exaggerating when I say this is the BEST Honey Walnut Shrimp you will ever try.
Crispy shrimp and buttery candied walnuts tossed in creamy, tangy sauce; this Honey Walnut Shrimp is 100% better than any takeout!
A household favorite that I make at every family gathering tastes excellent with both fried rice and chow mein.
I’m not going to lie; I used to never like Honey Walnut Shrimp until I decided to make it at home.
The sauce is the perfect balance between sweet, tangy, and creamy. All you need is condensed milk, honey, lemon, and Japanese Mayo.
Japanese mayo is a crucial ingredient since it will provide you will the umami flavor you find at restaurants.
I also always get jumbo prawns which gives you lobster-like texture, and when tossed in the sauce, every bite is perfect.
My secret is to use COLD soda water to make the Honey Walnut Shrimp EXTRA crispy and light.
The soda water will give the battered air, which will make the batter lighter, and the shrimp will come out crispier.
I am using Tempura powder mix, which you can find on both amazon and most Asian grocery stores. If you don’t have tempura power, you can also use a 2:1 ratio of cake flour to rice flour.
The candied walnut is easiest, my favorite part when it comes to Honey Walnut Shrimp.
I like a combination of both sweet and buttery. You can make these candied walnuts in bulk and have them as a snack or gift them during the holidays.
Let the walnuts rest on parchment paper, and once it has cooled down, you can store them in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Do you want more TAKEOUT SERIES recipes? Here are some of my go-to that you will also LOVE!
- Orange Chicken (Better than Takeout!)
- Vegetarian Chow Mein
- Mongolian Beef
- Shanghai Stir-fried Rice Cakes (20 Minutes ONLY!)
Ingredients
- 2 lb of peeled Shrimp or Jumbo Prawns
- 1.5 cup of Tempura Mix
- ½ cup of Sparkling Water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Candied Walnut
- 1/2 cup of Water
- 2 tbsp of Butter
- 1 Cup of Sugar
- 1 cup of Walnuts
Sauce
- 2 tbsp of Condense Milk
- 2.5 tbsp of Honey
- 3 tbsp of Japanese Mayo
- 1 tsp of Lemon Juice
- In a pot, add 0.5 cups of water, 2 tbsp of butter, and 1 cup of sugar. Turn the heat up to medium-high and mix until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Once the liquid starts boiling, add in walnuts and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove and set aside on some parchment paper. (keep an eye out to prevent burning, and keep stirring)
- Mix shrimp with tempura mix and ½ cup of COLD sparkling water in a bowl.
- Add oil to a pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add in the shrimp.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix 2 tbsp of condensed milk, 2.5 tbsp of honey, 3 tbsp of Japanese mayo, and 1 tsp of lemon juice.
- Add in fried shrimp and candied walnuts and mix. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
Honey Walnut Shrimp
Materials
- 2 lb of peeled Shrimp or Jumbo Prawns
- 1.5 cup of Tempura Mix
- ½ cup of Sparkling Water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Candied Walnut
- 1/2 cup of Water
- 2 tbsp of Butter
- 1 Cup of Sugar
- 1 cup of Walnuts
Sauce
- 2 tbsp of Condense Milk
- 2.5 tbsp of Honey
- 3 tbsp of Japanese Mayo
- 1 tsp of Lemon Juice
Instructions
- In a pot, add 0.5 cups of water, 2 tbsp of butter, and 1 cup of sugar. Turn the heat up to medium-high and mix until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Once the liquid starts boiling, add in walnuts and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove and set aside on some parchment paper. (keep an eye out to prevent burning, and keep stirring)
- Mix shrimp with tempura mix and ½ cup of COLD sparkling water in a bowl.
- Add oil to a pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add in the shrimp.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix 2 tbsp of condensed milk, 2.5 tbsp of honey, 3 tbsp of Japanese mayo, and 1 tsp of lemon juice.
- Add in fried shrimp and candied walnuts and mix. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
