There are certain dishes I order every single time I see them on a menu. Honey Walnut Shrimp is one of those no-hesitation, no-sharing situations. Crispy golden shrimp. Glossy, creamy, sweet sauce. Crunchy candied walnuts. It’s rich, slightly tangy, perfectly balanced, and completely irresistible.
The first time I tried Honey Walnut Shrimp at Panda Express, I remember thinking… wait, this is Chinese food? It wasn’t spicy. It wasn’t soy-saucy. It was sweet, creamy and completely unexpected.
I still love the takeout version, but making it at home is a total game changer. Fresher shrimp. Extra crunch. Sauce exactly how I want it.
It’s sweet. It’s crunchy. It’s unapologetically rich. And yes, it’s dangerously addictive served over a bowl of fluffy white rice.
What Is Honey Walnut Shrimp?
Honey Walnut Shrimp is one of those dishes that really shows how Chinese cuisine evolved outside of China.
It’s widely associated with Cantonese banquet cooking, where seafood is often prepared in elegant, lightly battered styles and served for celebrations. But the creamy sweet sauce version most of us know today is largely a Chinese-American creation. It was designed to appeal to Western palates that enjoy sweeter, richer flavors.
Over time, it became a staple in Chinese-American restaurants across the U.S., and its popularity exploded even further thanks to places like Panda Express, where it turned into one of their most talked-about menu items.
The candied walnuts are the signature twist. They add texture, contrast, and a buttery caramel note that makes the dish instantly recognizable.
What makes it really unique is the sweet sauce. Unlike soy-based stir fries or spicy Sichuan dishes, this one focuses on creamy richness with just a slight tang from rice vinegar to balance it out.
Ingredients Needed
You will find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here are the things you will need:
For the Candied Walnuts
- Butter – This helps create that glossy caramel coating and adds richness.
- Brown sugar – Gives deep caramel flavor and that beautiful sticky coating on the walnuts. Some recipes use white sugar, but I prefer the extra flavor from brown.
- Water – Helps dissolve the sugar so it melts evenly and coats the walnuts properly.
- Walnuts – These are important, make sure you have nice fresh, crunchy walnuts.
For the Creamy Honey Sauce
- Mayonnaise – The base of the sauce.
- Sweetened condensed milk – Adds sweetness and richness. This is what makes the sauce taste authentic.
- Honey – Hence the name.
- Rice vinegar – This is important. It balances all that sweetness. You can use regular white vinegar if you don’t have rice vinegar.
For the Shrimp
- Shrimp – I like using large shrimp, peeled and deveined. They stay juicy inside while getting crisp outside.
- Egg – Helps the cornstarch stick to the shrimp.
- Water – Thins the egg slightly for even coating.
- Cornstarch – Creates that light, crisp exterior. It fries up beautifully without feeling heavy.
- Salt – Just enough to season the shrimp.
- Vegetable oil – For frying. Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola.
How To Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
1. Candy walnuts: First, start with the walnuts. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and water and let it bubble gently. After a few minutes, it thickens slightly. Add the walnuts and stir until they’re fully coated and glossy. Cook for another couple of minutes, then transfer them to parchment paper. As they cool, they harden into that signature candied crunch.
2. Make the sauce: While the walnuts cool, whisk together mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and rice vinegar in a large bowl. Give it a taste. You want sweet and creamy with just a hint of tang. Adjust vinegar slightly if needed.
3. Dredge shrimp: Next, prepare the shrimp. In one bowl, whisk egg and water. In another, mix cornstarch and salt. Dip each shrimp into the egg mixture first, then coat thoroughly in cornstarch. Set them aside on a plate.
4. Fry shrimp: Heat about half an inch of oil in a skillet to 325°F. Fry the shrimp in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. They cook quickly, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning golden and crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
5. Toss: Once all the shrimp are cooked, add them to the bowl with the sauce along with the cooled walnuts. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
Serve immediately over warm white rice.
Alpana’s Tips
- Use large or jumbo shrimp: Bigger shrimp stay juicier inside. Smaller shrimp cook too fast and can turn rubbery before you get that beautiful golden crust.
- Pat the shrimp dry first: Before dredging, make sure the shrimp are dry. Extra moisture prevents the cornstarch from sticking properly and can cause splattering when frying.
- Fry in batches: Don’t crowd the pan. When you add too many shrimp at once, the oil temperature drops quickly and instead of crisping, they steam. Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and each shrimp turns beautifully golden and crisp.
- Let the walnuts cool completely: After coating them in that buttery brown sugar mixture, spread them out and let them sit undisturbed. As they cool, the caramel hardens and creates that crunchy shell.
- Taste the sauce before tossing: Everyone’s sweetness preference is different. If it tastes too sweet for you, add a tiny splash more rice vinegar. If you want it richer, a small drizzle of honey does the trick.
- Toss right before serving: For the best texture, combine the shrimp and sauce at the very last minute. The longer they sit in the sauce, the softer the coating becomes. Have your rice ready and plates set so you can serve immediately.
Leftovers & Storage
Honey Walnut Shrimp is definitely at its peak right after tossing, when the shrimp are still crisp and the sauce is silky. That said, if you do have leftovers, here’s how to handle them.
Store any leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep in mind, the coating will soften as it sits in the sauce. It won’t be crispy like day one, but the flavor is still fantastic.
To reheat, warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it can make the shrimp rubbery. If you want to revive a bit of texture, you can reheat them in an air fryer for a few minutes, though the coating won’t be exactly the same as fresh.
This is not a freezer-friendly dish. The sauce and coating don’t hold up well once frozen and thawed.
Honey Walnut Shrimp is one of those dishes that feels like a splurge. It’s rich, a little sweet, slightly tangy, and packed with texture. It’s not everyday stir-fry energy. It’s celebration food.
What I love most about making it at home is that you get full control. You can dial back the sweetness, bump up the tang, or even add a tiny touch of heat if that’s your thing. And the freshness? That hot, straight-from-the-oil crispness is something takeout just can’t compete with.
If you’re looking to impress guests, recreate your favorite restaurant dish, or just treat yourself to something special, this one absolutely delivers.
And fair warning… you might want to make extra rice.
Honey Walnut Shrimp, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More Asian Shrimp Recipes
Kung Pao Shrimp
Filipino Pancit
Thai Shrimp Curry
Spicy Garlic Shrimp
Laksa Soup
Hunan Shrimp
Recipe Video
Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe
Crispy Honey Walnut Shrimp tossed in a creamy sweet sauce with crunchy candied walnuts. This copycat Panda Express favorite is easy to make at home and dangerously addictive.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup walnuts
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened a bit. Add walnut, stir to coat them all over, and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Remove to a parchment paper lined plate.
- In a bowl large enough to accommodate the shrimp and walnuts, whisk together mayonnaise, condensed milk, honey and rice vinegar.
- Prepare two bowls for dredging shrimp. In one bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water. In the other, mix corn starch and salt.
- Dredge the shrimp first in the egg mixture, then the corn starch mixture. Place each prepared shrimp on a plate while you dredge the others.
- Add oil to a skillet to about ½ inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 325°F. Add shrimp (cooking in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding) and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the shrimp and walnuts to the bowl with the prepared sauce. Toss until everything is well coated.
- Serve hot with rice.
Notes
- Use large or jumbo shrimp: Bigger shrimp stay juicier inside. Smaller shrimp cook too fast and can turn rubbery before you get that beautiful golden crust.
- Pat the shrimp dry first: Before dredging, make sure the shrimp are dry. Extra moisture prevents the cornstarch from sticking properly and can cause splattering when frying.
- Fry in batches: Don’t crowd the pan. When you add too many shrimp at once, the oil temperature drops quickly and instead of crisping, they steam. Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and each shrimp turns beautifully golden and crisp.
- Let the walnuts cool completely: After coating them in that buttery brown sugar mixture, spread them out and let them sit undisturbed. As they cool, the caramel hardens and creates that crunchy shell.
- Taste the sauce before tossing: Everyone’s sweetness preference is different. If it tastes too sweet for you, add a tiny splash more rice vinegar. If you want it richer, a small drizzle of honey does the trick.
- Toss right before serving: For the best texture, combine the shrimp and sauce at the very last minute. The longer they sit in the sauce, the softer the coating becomes. Have your rice ready and plates set so you can serve immediately.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former worldwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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