Skinny Honey Walnut Shrimp

Creamy sauces usually are not a frequent participant in Chinese language take-out dishes, however honey walnut shrimp (and creamy coconut shrimp) are an exception. For those who’ve by no means had this Chinese language buffet-style dish earlier than, it pairs battered, deep-fried shrimp with a candy and creamy sauce and candied walnuts.

It most likely doesn’t come as a shock to be taught that honey walnut shrimp is a Cantonese dish impressed by Western tastes; it originated in Hong Kong, then began popping up in Chinese language eating places (and Panda Specific!) within the states within the 80s and 90s. 

Copycat Honey Walnut Shrimp

Not as candy as the unique. The factor about honey walnut shrimp is that some variations are so candy, you nearly really feel such as you’re consuming a dessert. I’ve seen recipes that decision for sweetened condensed milk within the sauce however my model makes use of mayo as the bottom, which provides you extra management over the sweetness. It’d simply be higher than takeout!

Extra balanced than restaurant-style. As an alternative of sugary candy sauce and soggy breaded shrimp, this home made honey walnut shrimp has a greater texture (as a result of the shrimp isn’t sitting within the sauce for 20 minutes as you drive house along with your take-out order) and extra nuanced taste, with components of savory, spicy, and tangy along with candy.

Wholesome-ish possibility. By pan-frying the shrimp and utilizing a mayo-based sauce as an alternative of heavy cream or condensed milk, this dish is a lighter possibility in comparison with takeout. I wouldn’t say it’s wholesome however it’s undoubtedly a healthier dish than the usual.

Fast and simple. As with most recipes involving shrimp (like my simple shrimp tacos and spicy garlic shrimp), this honey walnut shrimp is a meal that comes collectively in minutes as a result of shrimp cooks up tremendous quick. You don’t want take-out when dinner’s this simple!

Ingredient Notes

There are three separate components to this recipe: candied walnuts, a candy honey sauce, and breaded shrimp.

• Walnut halves: To make the candied walnuts, use uncooked walnut halves or massive walnut items. The walnuts are simmered with granulated sugar and water.
• Shrimp: You should use uncooked or frozen shrimp, thawed. As a result of it’s extra available in my space, I normally use frozen shrimp, dimension 20/30. The shrimp must be peeled and deveined. It’s as much as you whether or not to go away the tails on or off; I normally take away the tails (or purchase tails-off shrimp) as a result of it makes consuming the completed honey walnut shrimp a lot simpler.
• Cornstarch and all-purpose flour: A mixture of flour and cornstarch works finest to create a crispy coating on the shrimp that stays put whenever you add the sauce. The breading is seasoned merely with garlic powder, kosher salt and floor pepper.
• Avocado oil, for frying: Any oil with a excessive smoke level can be utilized. Vegetable or coconut oil are each good alternate options to avocado oil.
• Mayonnaise: The bottom of the candy sauce is mayonnaise. Since mayonnaise is already seasoned, you actually don’t have so as to add too many elements to make an important sauce. For those who desire a lighter possibility, Greek yogurt or bitter cream can be utilized as an alternative. You may as well use a vegan mayo for a dairy-free model.
• Honey: I normally use common honey however if you happen to’d like an additional kick to your sauce, attempt sizzling honey (it’s simple to make your individual).
• Rice wine vinegar: This sort of vinegar could also be discovered within the Asian part of your grocery retailer and is usually labeled merely rice vinegar. Keep away from seasoned rice vinegar which has added sugar and salt.
• Crimson pepper flakes and salt: Add these two seasonings to the sauce as you want. For extra warmth, add an additional pinch of crushed crimson pepper or a touch or two of sriracha.
• Cooked white or brown rice, to serve: There may be loads of sauce with this recipe so I normally serve it with rice and/or stir-fried greens. I really like this Instantaneous Pot brown rice or jasmine rice.
• Inexperienced onions: For those who’d wish to garnish the honey walnut shrimp, thinly sliced inexperienced onions are an important selection.

The right way to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp

Make the walnuts. Deliver the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan set over medium-high warmth. Stir within the walnuts and prepare dinner for two to three minutes, then drain off the sugar water and switch the nuts to a plate to chill.

Fire up the sauce. Combine the mayonnaise, honey, rice vinegar, crimson pepper flakes, and salt in a small bowl till easy. Put aside till prepared to make use of.

Coat the shrimp. Whisk the cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Place the shrimp in a resealable bag, pour within the cornstarch combination, then seal the bag. Shake to coat the shrimp evenly. 

Prepare dinner the shrimp. Warmth the oil in a skillet set over medium-high warmth. Prepare dinner the shrimp for about 2 minutes per aspect, or till the shrimp curl right into a unfastened C-shape. It’s higher to not overcrowd the shrimp within the pan so I normally do it in batches. Strive to not overcook the shrimp. Switch the cooked shrimp to a plate as you go.

Add the sauce. Return the shrimp to the skillet. Add the walnuts, after which half of the sauce to start out with (see recipe tip beneath). Stir gently, simply sufficient to coat the shrimp and walnuts however not a lot that the breading begins to fall off.

Serve. Plate your honey walnut shrimp with rice or noodles, garnish with sliced inexperienced onions, and serve with extra sauce on the aspect, if desired.

Suggestions For Success

Thaw frozen shrimp first. You’ll be able to thaw the shrimp in a colander beneath chilly operating water, or place the shrimp in a bowl of chilly water and swish them round a bit till they’re thawed. 

Pat the shrimp dry. Use paper towels to blot away any moisture on the shrimp earlier than you add the cornstarch and flour combination. This helps the breading stick.

Don’t overcook the shrimp. As I discussed above, shrimp prepare dinner actually rapidly! In the event that they overcook, they flip rubbery. When shrimp are absolutely cooked, they’ll curl right into a unfastened C-shape. In the event that they curl so tightly that the tail touches the physique, the shrimp is overdone.

Make this recipe gluten-free if wanted. You should use all cornstarch and omit the all-purpose flour within the coating. I like utilizing a mix of flour and cornstarch as a result of it does stick higher to the shrimp however it’s not an absolute should. Simply remember to toss the shrimp within the sauce gently if you happen to do omit the flour, because the breading shall be a bit extra delicate.

Serving Concepts

Honey walnut shrimp is finest eaten instantly after it’s made, so I like to recommend cutting down the recipe to keep away from leftovers if potential. That stated, if you happen to do have leftovers, right here’s the best way to retailer them:

Refrigerate: Retailer the shrimp and sauce in an hermetic container individually, if potential, for as much as 2 days. Don’t freeze this recipe; mayonnaise separates when frozen and thawed.

Reheat: Reheat the shrimp and sauce in a skillet over low warmth till heat.

• If shrimp is frozen, observe package deal instructions to thaw.

• Deliver water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high warmth. Add walnuts and boil for two to three minutes. Drain walnuts and switch them to a plate to chill.

  ½ cup water, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup walnut halves, or massive items

• In the meantime, in a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, honey, crimson pepper flakes, salt, and rice wine vinegar till easy. Put aside.

  ½ cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons honey, ¼ teaspoon crimson pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

• In one other small bowl, whisk cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper collectively.

  1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon floor pepper

• Use paper towels to pat extra moisture from the shrimp. Add the shrimp to a gallon-size resealable bag. Add the cornstarch combination and seal the bag. Shake or rotate it till all of the shrimp are coated.

  16 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails eliminated

• In a medium skillet, warmth oil over medium-high warmth. Add the shrimp and prepare dinner till shrimp begins to twist right into a C-shape, about 2 minutes per aspect, relying on the dimensions of the shrimp. Keep away from overcooking the shrimp. Do not overcrowd the skillet; it is higher to fry the shrimp in batches. If working in batches, switch the cooked shrimp to a plate and proceed till all of the shrimp are cooked.

  2 tablespoons avocado oil

• Mix the shrimp and walnuts within the skillet. Pour HALF of the sauce over the shrimp (see notice). Gently toss to coat, being cautious to not dislodge the breading from the shrimp.

• Serve over rice or noodles. Garnish with sliced inexperienced onions.

• Sauce notice: The recipe makes a beneficiant quantity of sauce. I like to recommend including solely half the sauce to the shrimp at first, and toss to coat earlier than including extra sauce, if desired. For those who’re serving the shrimp with rice or stir-fried greens, you’ll wish to use the complete quantity of sauce. 
• Gluten-free possibility: The breading might be made with all cornstarch (no flour). Nonetheless, after I examined each choices, I discovered that coating made with a mixture of cornstarch and flour caught to the shrimp higher after frying and wasn’t as delicate.
• Storage: Honey walnut shrimp is finest eaten instantly after it’s made. Freezing just isn’t advisable.
• Recipe retested and revised December 2024. 

Energy: 549kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 18g, Fats: 39g, Saturated Fats: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 21g, Monounsaturated Fats: 11g, Trans Fats: 0.1g, Ldl cholesterol: 155mg, Sodium: 1261mg, Potassium: 220mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 264IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 1mg

Diet data is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

Share a remark and ranking beneath! I really like listening to what you suppose!