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Quick & Easy Honey Walnut Shrimp: A Sweet & Crispy Delight for Beginner Cooks

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Crispy shrimp coated in a creamy, sweet sauce, topped with crunchy candied walnuts. A restaurant-quality dish made easy for beginner cooks.

Ingredients

Scale

For the shrimp:

  • 1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅔ cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup vegetable oil

Sauce:

  • ¼ cup Japanese mayo
  • 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Candied walnuts:

  • ½ cup walnut halves
  • 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

Optional garnish:

  • 1 green onion, finely chopped

Instructions

  • Prepare the Sauce:

    • In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Set aside. This allows the flavors to meld while you prepare the other components, enhancing the overall taste.

  • Make the Candied Walnuts:

    • In a non-stick pan on medium heat, add sugar followed by water. Stirring constantly, bring to a simmer. This creates the sugar syrup, which will candy the walnuts.
    • Once the syrup thickens and can coat the back of your spatula, quickly add walnuts. This ensures the walnuts are evenly coated in the syrup.
    • Quickly mix to coat evenly. This prevents the sugar from crystallizing and ensures each walnut is coated.
    • Once coated and a crust has formed around each walnut, immediately remove pan off the heat and remove candied walnuts one by one with tongs and transfer to parchment paper spreading them apart. This prevents the walnuts from sticking together and allows them to cool evenly.   
       
    • Set aside. This allows the walnuts to cool and harden, creating a crunchy texture.

  • Prepare the Shrimp:

    • In a large bowl, add peeled and deveined shrimp, season with salt and black pepper. This seasons the shrimp, enhancing its natural sweetness.
    • In a separate large bowl, add egg whites and whisk until foamy. They should just be foamy, not like a meringue. This creates a light batter that will result in a crispy coating.
    • Add cornstarch and mix until you have a runny paste. This creates the batter for the shrimp, ensuring it coats evenly.
    • Add seasoned shrimp and mix well until shrimp is coated in batter with tongs or chopsticks. This ensures the shrimp is evenly coated and prevents clumping.

  • Fry the Shrimp:

    • Heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Once it’s hot (around 350-375 degrees F), fry shrimp in small batches for 2-3 minutes until crispy and a golden brown color develops. Do not overcrowd the pan. This ensures the shrimp cooks evenly and becomes crispy without absorbing too much oil.   
       
    • Remove shrimp from hot oil with a slotted spoon or tongs and transfer to wire rack or paper towel lined baking sheet to drain off excess oil. This removes excess oil from the shrimp, preventing it from becoming soggy.   
       

  • Assemble the Dish:

    • In a large bowl, add crispy shrimp, candied walnuts, followed by sauce. Toss everything together. This coats the shrimp and walnuts with the sauce, ensuring each piece is flavorful.
    • Garnish with green onions. This adds freshness and color, enhancing the visual appeal of the dish.

Notes

  • Whisk egg whites until just foamy for a light batter.
  • Use a thermometer to ensure oil is at the correct frying temperature.
  • Remove candied walnuts quickly to prevent sticking.
  • Prepare sauce ahead of time for convenience.

Find it online: https://marcelarecipes.com/quick-easy-honey-walnut-shrimp-a-sweet-crispy-delight-for-beginner-cooks/