Chinese

Serving

Chinese Kid-friendly

Honey Walnut Shrimp

Name: Honey Walnut Shrimp
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 cup walnut halves; 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for candying); 2 large egg whites; 2/3 cup cornstarch; 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 2 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk; 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Crispy battered shrimp coated in a creamy sweet mayonnaise sauce alongside candied walnuts.

40 minutes

Serves 3

Dinner

14 min prep

22 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy Seafood Shellfish Tree nut

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Good to know

Crispy

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes

Instructions

6 steps

1
Bring 1 cup of water and the sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, add the walnuts, and simmer for 2 minutes, then drain and spread them on a parchment-lined tray to harden and crisp.
2
Whisk the mayonnaise, honey, and condensed milk together in a large bowl until smooth, then set this dressing aside.
3
Beat the egg whites until frothy, dip each shrimp to coat, then dredge thoroughly in the cornstarch until lightly and fully covered.
4
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot to 375°F and fry the shrimp in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until pale golden and crisp, draining each batch on a wire rack.
5
While still warm, gently toss the fried shrimp in the honey-mayo dressing until every piece is coated.
6
Plate the shrimp, scatter the candied walnuts over the top, and serve right away before the coating softens.

Honey Walnut Shrimp — plated and served — Serving moment. How Honey Walnut Shrimp looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

63/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 50

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 64

Budget-friendly 64

Great leftovers 71

Pantry-friendly 37

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

1090

Calories

49 g

Protein

84 g

Carbs

65 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Honey Walnut Shrimp is strongly tied to Chinese-American restaurant cooking, especially the Cantonese banquet style where crisp fried seafood, glossy sauces, and sweet-savory contrasts often share the table. The creamy honey sauce is not trying to be subtle; the point is the contrast between hot shrimp, cool-looking white dressing, and crunchy candied walnuts.

Listahan note

This version keeps the restaurant rhythm intact: candy the walnuts first, mix the sauce before frying, then toss the shrimp only when it is hot and crisp. The recipe prioritizes texture timing more than a long ingredient list.

Technique cues

Drain the candied walnuts in a single layer so they cool into separate glossy pieces instead of one sticky mound.
Cornstarch gives the shrimp a light, brittle shell that stays delicate under the creamy sauce. Pack it on evenly, then shake off the loose excess before frying.
The final toss should be quick and gentle. If the shrimp sits in the sauce too long, the coating softens and the dish loses the restaurant-style contrast.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Make the walnuts first, then whisk the sauce while they cool; once frying starts, all attention should be on the shrimp.
Make-ahead: Candy the walnuts earlier in the day and keep them uncovered at room temperature until serving.
Leftover move: Chop leftover shrimp and walnuts over cold noodles or lettuce with extra honey-mayo spooned lightly over the top.
Cleanup rhythm: Set up the wire rack, sauce bowl, and parchment tray before heating the oil so the sticky and fried parts land where they should.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Main seafood

Purpose: Large shrimp give enough surface area for a crisp coating while staying plump after frying.

Handling: Pat the shrimp very dry before the egg white coating so the cornstarch sticks cleanly.

Adaptation: Smaller shrimp cook faster and feel more snack-like; reduce the fry time and watch the color closely.

Walnut halves

Crunchy garnish

Purpose: Walnuts bring the slightly bitter, toasted edge that keeps the sweet sauce from tasting flat.

Handling: Simmer briefly in the sugar syrup, then spread them apart on parchment while they cool.

Adaptation: Pecan halves give a softer, sweeter crunch if walnuts are not the texture you want.

Granulated sugar

Candying base

Purpose: Sugar creates the shiny coating on the walnuts and adds the crackly contrast this dish needs.

Handling: Dissolve it fully in the boiling water before adding the walnuts so the coating is even.

Adaptation: A smaller amount makes a lighter glaze, but the nuts will look less glossy and crisp less firmly.

Egg whites

Batter binder

Purpose: Frothy egg whites help the cornstarch cling without making the coating heavy.

Handling: Beat just until foamy, not stiff, so the shrimp can be dipped quickly and evenly.

Adaptation: A thin cornstarch-and-water slurry can work, but the crust will be a little less delicate.

Cornstarch

Crisp coating

Purpose: Cornstarch fries into a pale, light shell that suits the sweet mayonnaise sauce.

Handling: Dredge each shrimp fully, including the curves, then let the coating look dry before frying.

Adaptation: Potato starch makes an even crunchier shell, though it can brown a little differently in hot oil.

Mayonnaise, honey, and sweetened condensed milk

Creamy sweet sauce

Purpose: Together they make the signature glossy dressing: creamy from the mayonnaise, floral-sweet from the honey, and rounded by the condensed milk.

Handling: Whisk until completely smooth before the shrimp comes out of the fryer.

Adaptation: For a less rich sauce, use a little more honey and less condensed milk; the coating will taste brighter and less creamy.

Technique notes

Keep the oil near 375°F and fry in batches. Crowding drops the temperature and makes the coating heavy instead of crisp.
Pull the shrimp when they are pale golden, not deep brown. This dish should look light and glossy after saucing.
Toss the shrimp in the dressing off the heat. Warm sauce or a hot pan can turn the coating limp almost immediately.

Ingredient swaps

No condensed milk path: Use a little extra honey and a small spoonful more mayonnaise; the sauce will be less milky and more directly sweet.
Lighter sauce direction: Start with half the dressing, toss, then add more only if needed so the coating stays crisp around the edges.
Nut swap: Use pecan halves for a rounder sweetness, keeping the same candying method and cooling step.
Airier coating: Let the coated shrimp rest on a rack for a few minutes before frying so the cornstarch hydrates slightly and sheds less into the oil.

Serve alongside

Garlic fried rice
Stir-fried snow peas
Chinese smashed cucumber salad
Steamed bok choy with oyster sauce
Jasmine iced tea
Sparkling lemonade
Cold lager

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container, keeping extra candied walnuts separate if you can.
Reheat shrimp on a rack in a hot oven or toaster oven until warmed through; microwaving softens the coating quickly.
Freezing is not ideal because the creamy coating separates and the fried crust turns soft after thawing.

Equipment

Small saucepan
Parchment-lined tray
Deep heavy pot
Wire rack
Instant-read or fry thermometer

Make this household-aware

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