Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp
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This Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp recipe is crispy, creamy, sweet, and surprisingly easy to make at home. If you love the restaurant version but want to save money on takeout, this copycat recipe delivers that signature crunchy shrimp and sweet honey sauce right from your own kitchen.. Made with simple ingredients, this sweet and savory shrimp recipe comes together in under 30 minutes!
The Honey Walnut Shrimp from Panda Express is my obsession. Crispy battered shrimp tossed in a creamy honey sauce and topped with candied walnuts and scallions, what’s not to love?
This Honeyed Walnut Shrimp recipe is made with basic ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes! That’s less time than it usually takes to find my keys just to drive there!
Serve this sweet and savory shrimp dish with rice or noodles and a big serving of stir fry vegetables or Asian Cucumber Salad for an amazing dinner everyone will enjoy.
Why You’ll Love This Crispy Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe
- Convenient – Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp copycat recipe made at home.
- Delicious – The flavor is as good as what you get at the restaurant.
- Easy – This recipe is made with simple ingredients and is ready in about 30 minutes.
Honey Walnut Shrimp Ingredients
This copycat Walnut Shrimp recipe is made with basic ingredients that, other than the shrimp, you might already have on hand.
- Large Shrimp – Large shrimp work best for this recipe because they stay juicy while getting crispy on the outside. Be sure to peel and devein the shrimp before cooking
- Walnut halves – get the halves and not “pieces”, The candied walnuts are one of the signature flavors in Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp.
- Egg whites – just the whites
- Cornstarch – you can also use potato starch or rice flour
- Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise creates the creamy base for the sauce
- Honey – you can sub agave nectar, but the flavor might not be exactly the same
- Sweetened condensed milk – not the same as evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk gives the sauce its classic sweet and creamy flavor. This ingredient helps recreate the signature Panda Express taste and texture.
- Lemon juice – use fresh for the best flavor
- Vegetable oil – for frying – Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil or canola oil
- Scallions – for topping
Equipment Needed To Make
- Medium skillet
- Heavy bottom pot
- Mixing bowl
- Slotted spoon
Substitutions & Variations
- You could try subbing other proteins in the recipe. Great options include sliced or diced chicken, beef tips, or tofu.
- You could try different nuts like cashews in this recipe.
- You could add some vegetables to this recipe. Good choices are snow peas, julienned carrots, or string beans.
How to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
This is a simplified step-by-step version of the detailed recipe instructions found in the recipe card at the the bottom of the post.
Step 1
Heat water and add sugar and walnuts. Boil for 2-3 minutes then remove the walnuts and place on a parchment lined plate.
Step 2
In a bowl, make the egg mixture.
Step 3
Add the shrimp to coat.
Step 4
Fry the shrimp until golden brown and place the cooked shrimp on a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess grease.
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Step 5
In a large bowl whisk together the sauce ingredients. Add the cooked shrimp to the sauce and gently toss together to coat.
Top with the candied walnuts and scallions and serve.
Time Saving Tips & Tricks
- You can use any size shrimp you like, just adjust the cook time.
- Use fresh, high-quality shrimp and buy shrimp that is already peeled and deveined to save time.
- Keep an eye on the walnuts when cooking so you don’t burn them.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding shrimp to avoid them getting soggy. When you drop a bit of the egg batter into the oil, if it floats immediately, then the oil is ready.
- Adjust the sauce to your preferred level of sweetness and spiciness.
- For the crispiest shrimp, wait to toss the shrimp in the sauce until right before serving. This helps keep the coating crunchy instead of soggy.Serve the walnut shrimp while it’s hot and crispy.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Serve Honey Shrimp with Walnuts
Serve this Walnut Honey Shrimp with white rice or brown rice or over chow mein noodles with a hearty side of Sheet Pan Vegetables or crunchy Asian Cucumber Salad. This also goes treat with my Chicken Ramen or Beef Ramen. You can also top the finished honeyed shrimp with sesame seeds for extra flavor and wow factor.
Air Fryer Honey Walnut Shrimp Instructions
To make this recipe in the air fryer, prepare the shrimp coating as directed.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Arrange the coated shrimp in a single layer without overcrowding.
- Lightly spray the tops of the shrimp with oil spray.
- Air fry for 7–9 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until the shrimp are golden and crispy.
- Toss the cooked shrimp with the honey walnut sauce just before serving to keep the coating crispy.
How to Store Leftover Shrimp
Allow any remaining leftovers to cool completely before covering for storage. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat Honey Walnut Shrimp
Cooked shrimp can be tricky to reheat without making the shrimp tough or rubbery. I’ve found the best method is to place the shrimp on a lined sheet pan and place in a preheated 325-350° oven for about 7-10 minutes until warm. You can also use this method in an air fryer, but don’t let the shrimp bunch together for best crispness.
I tend to avoid the microwave for reheating shrimp because it gives the shrimp a rubbery texture and doesn’t re-crisp them like the oven or air fryer will.
Recipe FAQs
Can I serve this with a different sauce?
Yes. You can use a mustard sauce or bang bang sauce for a fun twist.
Can I serve this with a different protein?
Absolutely! Try this recipe with sliced or diced chicken, beef or pork tips, or crispy, pressed tofu for a vegetarian option.
Can I air fry the shrimp?
Yes see air fryer instructions above.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup walnut halves
- 4 egg whites
- 2/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 pound large shrimp 18-22 count, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Scallions for topping
Instructions
- To a medium skillet over medium high heat add your water, sugar and walnuts.
- Bring this up to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the walnuts with a slotted spoon and place on a parchment lined plate to dry while you prepare everything else.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and egg whites.
- Add the shrimp to the egg mixture.
- In a heavy bottomed pot add about 3 inches of vegetable oil.
- On medium high heat bring the temperature up to 350 degrees.
- Add the shrimp one at a time until you have 5 – 6 in your pot.
- Fry the shrimp until golden brown for about 2-3 minutes.
- Place the fried shrimp on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Repeat with all the shrimp.
- In a large bowl whisk together the honey, mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice.
- Add the cooked shrimp and gently toss together to coat.
- Top with the candied walnuts and scallions.
Video
Notes
- Keep an eye on the walnuts when cooking so you don’t burn them.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding shrimp to avoid them getting soggy. When you drop a bit of the egg batter into the oil, if it floats immediately, then the oil is ready.
- Adjust the sauce to your preferred level of sweetness and spiciness.
- Serve the walnut shrimp while it’s hot and crispy.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
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So good and cheaper to make than PE.
Thank you for walnut shrimp recipe!!
You are welcome – Thank you for visiting.