Better Than Takeout Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp at Home
The first time I attempted to recreate Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp at home, I failed spectacularly. After spending too much money on takeout, I became determined to perfect the dish on my own. Five test batches later, the results were worth every effort. This recipe delivers the same crispy tempura shrimp, sweet candied walnuts, and velvety honey sauce that make the Panda Express version so unforgettable. Better yet, you can prepare it in just 30 minutes with simple supermarket ingredients
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Why this recipe works
The science behind perfect Honey Walnut Shrimp comes down to temperature control and timing. Frying the tempura-battered shrimp at exactly 350°F creates that light, airy crunch that stands up to the sauce without becoming soggy. Meanwhile, candy-coating the walnuts with just enough sugar creates a brittle that shatters pleasantly with each bite rather than sticking to your teeth. The sauce’s acidity from lemon juice cuts through the richness, preventing the dish from becoming cloying.
What’s in Honey Walnut Shrimp?
The ingredients in the Honey Walnut Shrimp are pretty straightforward, and in a pinch, if you wanted to leave the walnuts out, the shrimp would stand well on its own. First, let me say that the ingredients are not traditional Chinese cooking ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Candied Walnuts:
- Walnuts – Provide a signature crunch and nutty flavor
- Sugar – Creates a candy coating and sweetness
- Water – Dissolves sugar for proper crystallization
For the sauce:
- Sweetened condensed milk – Creates a creamy base and provides sweetness
- Lemon juice – Balances sweetness and adds brightness
- Honey – Adds floral sweetness and helps the sauce adhere
- Mayonnaise – Provides richness and helps create proper sauce consistency
For the shrimp
- Tempura mix – Creates light, crispy coating, this is sold in the Asian section of most stores.
- Shrimp – Main protein; butterfly for best presentation
- Oil for frying – Neutral oil with a high smoke point for proper frying
Equipment Needed
- Whisk
- Deep fryer or large pot
- Candy/oil thermometer
- Saucepan
- Wire rack
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Mixing bowls
How to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Place the walnuts in a saucepan with sugar and water. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the sugar begins to brown.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and pour the walnuts onto it. Let them dry for about 20 minutes, spreading them out with a fork so they don’t touch each other.
- When the walnuts are almost dry, prepare the tempura batter according to the package directions.
- Add enough oil to a large pot or Dutch oven to cover the bottom 2 to 3 inches. Heat the oil to 350ºF.
- Dip shrimp into the tempura batter, covering the shrimp completely.
- Drop the dipped shrimp into the hot oil in batches (a few at a time) and gently toss to make sure the shrimp cook evenly on all sides and don’t stick together. Scoop out any batter that floats away from the shrimp.
- Remove the shrimp after about 2 minutes and transfer them to a wire rack to drain.
- Make the sauce by whisking honey, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and mayo until smooth and combined.
- When all the shrimp are cooked, place them in a large bowl and drizzle the creamy honey sauce on the fried shrimp. Stir to coat the shrimp, but be careful not to break off the crust.
- Sprinkle candied walnuts over the shrimp and serve immediately.
You can garnish this dish with chopped green onions if desired.
What to serve with Honey Walnut Shrimp
Serve the shrimp over steamed white or brown rice for a hearty meal. A side of Chinese mixed vegetables or egg drop soup would be great. Oh, and some crispy wonton strips, too!
Pro Tips for Success
- Maintain oil temperature at 350°F for optimal crispiness
- Don’t overcrowd the fryer; work in small batches
- Remove floating batter pieces between batches
- Toss with sauce just before serving to maintain crispiness
Common Problems and Solutions
Issue: Soggy Shrimp
- Solution: Ensure oil is hot enough and drain well before saucing
Issue: Clumpy Walnuts
- Solution: Separate nuts while still warm
Issue: Sauce Too Thick
- Solution: Thin with a touch of warm water
Variations and Substitutions
- Nuts: Pecans or cashews can replace walnuts
- Protein: Works with chicken tenders too
- Tempura: Make from scratch using 1 cup flour, 1 egg, and ice water
- Gluten-Free: Use rice flour-based tempura mix
Recipe Scaling
- Double sauce ingredients for extra dipping
- For larger groups, fry in multiple batches
- Keep finished batches warm in 200°F oven
Honey Walnut Shrimp Leftovers
Some recipes are great to make and enjoy the next day, but this one is not one of those. I do not like the way it behaves when reheated. I find the sauce soaks into the shrimp, and it just isn’t my favorite way to enjoy this Panda Express favorite.
But if you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place the shrimp on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Heat them in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes.
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Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- vegetable oil for frying
- 10 ounces tempura mix
- 1 pound medium or large shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
- Place the walnuts, water, and sugar in a saucepan over medium to medium-high heat and cook until the sugar begins to brown.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Pour the walnuts onto the paper or foil and spread them out with a fork so they don’t touch one another. Let dry for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Pour the vegetable oil into heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat the oil to 350°F.
- Prepare the tempura mix according to the package directions. Dip the shrimp into the batter so that they are completely coated.
- Carefully drop the shrimp into the hot oil a few at a time and gently toss to make sure they cook evenly on all sides and don’t stick together. Scoop out any batter that floats away from the shrimp to keep the oil from breaking down. Remove the shrimp after about 2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to drain.
- In a small bowl, combine the honey, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and mayonnaise to make a sauce. Mix well.
- Place the shrimp in a bowl and drizzle with the sauce. Gently stir to coat the shrimp, being careful not to break off the tempura crust. Sprinkle the candied walnuts over the shrimp and serve immediately.
Can I candy the walnuts ahead of time and just warm them when I make this?
Can the sauce be made the night before and then heated for freshly cooked shrimp?
Can the quantity be multiplied for a larger batch?
You could candy the Walnuts ahead of time, I would store them in an airtight container after thy have cooled.
I would not make the sauce ahead of time, you will have to thin it when you reheat it.
You could multiply the quantity for a larger batch.
Hope this helps.
Haven’t even gotten to the point of combining all the ingredients but I know for certain you will receive a 5 star rating and beyond if it were possible ☆☆☆☆☆+ … and btw your tempura kicked a** as well! You’re a freaking Rockstar sister girl! Thanks a ton😘
I would like to try this recipe for Valentine’s Day but I’m trying not to have any grains and refined sugars for a period of time. Is there a substitute for the sweetened condensed milk and the 3/4 cup sugar that you would recommend? Monkfruit sweetener? If not I can wait to make this recipe until I reach a certain weight.
To be honest, I wouldn’t know without having to rework the recipe. I am unfamiliar with working with monkfruit. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Made this recipe and came out delicious, better than Panda Express. I loved it!
What’s the mayonnaise for? I’m not a chef and already know that this recipe tastes great but the fact that mayonnaise is part of the sauce has always thrown me. What does it do to/for the sauce?
It acts to combine everything together.
Absolutely our favorite ever!
Not very experienced, I just came here for the sauce recipe and was surprised by the weird ingredients. I was thinking: ‘will it taste like mayonnaise?’ ‘that seems like a lot of lemon,’ and ‘most of it is made from cream-colored ingredients; isn’t it supposed to be clear.’ It all came together well though. It was a little cloudy, which is different than Panda Express, but was harder to notice while on the shrimp. The main thing is that it was delicious and tasted just like Panda Express’.
I wanna try this so much. My mouth started salivating after seeing this. Cause shrimps are my favorite. And if u will give me anything made of shrimp I will be ready to eat without any limits guys!
Gosh golly this was good.
Tasted better than it does at Panda Express! Yum! I used jumbo shrimp.
I loved this recipe, it’s very close to the recipe.
I love making Dutch Oven Recipes ,its good.
I didn’t know that I could make Chinese food that tasted just like it in at Panda Express. My wife was impressed, an then she made me do the dishes. Thanks, I think.
thanks for your sharing. Let’s see if I can make it like that.
Can’t wait to make this. My family will love this.
This is my absolute favorite thing from Panda! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Bless you! I LOVE this dish from Panda Express. I can’t wait to make this. I’ll report back to you.
I am looking for the Beef Tips with Mushrooms recipe that Brannigan’s Restaurant had on their menu (no longer open). I believe it was part of a chain of restaurants. This recipe was so delicious and unbelievable. I’m not fond of beef but loved this particular dish. The gravy was so rich and flavorful and thick, it was wonderful. Whatever you can do would be appreciated Thanks for your good works, Sandy
Thank you for your request. Those recipes are the most difficult for me to recreate, as I can not taste them. I wish I could be more helpful.
I just must stop reading about all these great shrimp recipes. If we were not 45 min from the Gulf I would go broke trying them all. Thanks Stef. keep ’em coming.
I love gulf shrimp or other US-based shrimp. Unfortunately, I am starting to develop a small allergic reaction to seafood that comes from certain areas. So I never do farm-raised shrimp/fish.
I hope you enjoy this one, I think it would work well with chicken if you salted the chicken or enhanced it a bit before battering.
I have a reaction to either brown, red or white shrimp. My doctor could not break it down any further than that. I take my chances and if I get the wrong one the hives only last about 30 min. The browns are probably the culprit as they have the very best taste and are the hardest to find.
I can’t wait to try this. My mouth started salivating by seeing this only. shrimps are my favorite and anytime you give anything made of shrimp I will be ready to eat without any limit. And this is kind of different flavor especially its sweet which i haven’t tried yet. Because I saw some extra ingredients in the recipe. So I’m definitely going to try this soon and will definitely let you know, how it turned out.
Sure, let me know how you like this one!
Can someone tell me if you can sub the walnuts to pecans? I have everything except the walnuts to make this recipe ughhhh.
You could omit them, I think almonds or pecans would give a different flavor.