Based on the popular takeout dish, this Honey Walnut Shrimp features a sweet and creamy sauce and crunchy walnuts over crispy fried shrimp. Ready in just 20 minutes, this addictive recipe is faster than waiting for takeout!
For a complete meal, we often serve this with cooked white rice, steamed broccoli, and egg rolls.
Copycat Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp
With so many restaurants closed this past year, we’ve been trying to recreate some of our favorites at home. Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp was at the top of that list. And even though we can dine out again, I’m still making it – it’s surprisingly easy! In fact, making this dish at home takes less time than it would to either wait for delivery or drive to the local mall to grab some, and we can enjoy it fresh.
If you’ve got a hankering for shrimp stir fry with a sweet creamy sauce, you will love this. Even cold leftovers are good!
Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe
This shrimp dish packs so much flavor with only a short list of ingredients, and most of them you probably already have. If not, they are readily available at the store.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
For the Shrimp:
- Medium shrimp – Peeled, deveined, and the tails removed. If buying frozen, make sure they are completely thawed.
- Cornstarch – Gives the shrimp that crisp coating.
- Seasonings – The shrimp are flavored with a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt.
- Vegetable oil – For frying.
For the Honey Walnut Shrimp Sauce:
- {Kewpie} Japanese mayonnaise – Kewpie mayo adds a subtle rich and sweet flavor. It’s thicker, creamier, sweeter, and tangier then traditional mayo.
- Sweetened condensed milk – Adds an extra level of sweetness and creaminess to this sauce.
- Honey – Honey is one of the main flavors and makes this sauce nice and sticky.
- Lemon juice – Just a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice to balance out the sweetness.
- Glazed walnuts – For flavor and a nice crunch to the dish.
- Scallions – For a subtle onion, peppery flavor and color, for garnish.
How to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
These easy honey shrimp comes together in just 20 minutes! Dinner can’t get any easier than this. Here’s a brief of summary of how to make it:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details.)
- Prepare the shrimp. Coat the shrimp in the cornstarch and seasonings. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side and drain any excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together all sauce ingredients, except for the walnuts.
- Assemble and serve. Toss together the shrimp, walnuts, and sauce. Garnish with scallions and serve.
Tips for Success
Worried about making this Panda Express copycat recipe just right? Here are a few tips!
- Can’t find Japanese mayonnaise? If you can’t find Kewpie Japanese mayo, no worries. You can still make this easy shrimp dinner using traditional American mayo. It will only create a subtle change in flavor.
- Use frozen shrimp. You can easily make this recipe with frozen shrimp – just be sure to let them completely thaw before using. Frozen shrimp is usually much cheaper than fresh shrimp which is a great way to keep this a budget-friendly dinner.
- Like extra sauce? These shrimp are lightly coated in the sauce. If you like more sauce, I suggest doubling the sauce portion of the recipe and serving half on the side for dipping.
- Prefer breaded shrimp? If you like more of a breaded shrimp you can dip them in tempura batter and deep fry them before tossing in the sauce.
- Add the sauce when the shrimp is hot. As soon as the shrimp is finished cooking and has been drained for a few seconds, add the sauce. The heat of the shrimp will help make the sauce a loose consistency and mix better than when it’s had time to cool off.
- Serve immediately. This is a recipe you want to serve as soon as you prepare it. The heat of the shrimp can cause the mayo to melt and turn clear. It’ll still taste great, it just won’t look as pretty!
How to Store Leftovers
Shrimp doesn’t reheat very well, so I prefer to enjoy this Panda Express honey walnut shrimp fresh. That said, if you have leftovers, they’ll last in the fridge for up to 3 days, and honestly they’re pretty good cold!
What to Serve with Honey Walnut Shrimp
At a restaurant, this would traditionally be served with your choice of white rice or chow mein noodles. We’re also a fan of fried rice or quick sesame noodles on the side. For a complete meal, it goes great with some vegetables like roasted broccoli, roasted snap peas, or sautéed mushrooms. And don’t forget your egg roll!
More Easy Shrimp Dinners:
- Orange-Balsamic Shrimp Pasta
- {Air Fryer} Coconut Shrimp
- Shrimp Fajitas
- Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
I hope you love this delicious and simple recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Honey Walnut Shrimp
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound medium raw shrimp , peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- vegetable oil , for frying
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice , fresh squeezed
- 1/2 cup glazed walnuts
- thinly sliced scallions , for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place the shrimp in a gallon-sized plastic bag. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cornstarch to the bag. Close the bag and shake it so the shrimp are coated in the cornstarch and seasonings. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside.
- Add about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to a large skillet with deep sides over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F and shimmering. (The oil should sizzle immediately if you sprinkle water into it.)
- In batches, not touching, fry the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn pink, are curled, with a lightly golden exterior (regulating the heat if the oil gets too hot.) Remove with a slotted spoon and drain them on a paper-towel-lined plate while you fry the remaining shrimp.
- Add the shrimp and walnuts to a large bowl, pour the sauce on top. Toss everything together until combined.
- Serve immediately with a sprinkle of scallions.
Nutrition
Other Notes
This is the best copycat recipe of this I’ve tried – thanks for sharing!
Do you have a recipe for the glazed walnuts, or can you buy them that way?
You left out how to glaze the walnuts. Please explain