5-Ingredient Honey Walnut Shrimp Ready in 20 Minutes
Crispy shrimp, candied walnuts, creamy honey sauce — done before you'd finish ordering delivery.
Honey walnut shrimp is one of those dishes that sounds fancy but is genuinely fast once you know the move. This version strips it down to five ingredients without losing what makes it great: lightly crisped shrimp coated in a sweet, creamy sauce with crunchy candied walnuts on top. Make it on a weeknight when you want something that feels like a treat but you can't face a long recipe. It's rich, so a simple bowl of rice is all you need alongside. Expect sticky hands and zero regrets.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp — peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- 0.75 cup walnut halves
- 4 tbsp honey — divided
- 0.33 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 0.5 cup cornstarch — for dredging
- 2 tbsp neutral oil — such as vegetable or canola, for frying
- 1 pinch salt
Method
- 1 Make the candied walnuts: In a small skillet over medium heat, combine 2 tbsp honey and the walnut halves. Stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until the honey bubbles and coats the walnuts. Transfer to a sheet of parchment or foil and spread out immediately — they harden fast. Set aside.
- 2 Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, and remaining 2 tbsp honey until smooth. Taste — it should be sweet and creamy. Set aside.
- 3 Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Season lightly with a pinch of salt. Toss the shrimp in cornstarch until evenly coated, shaking off any excess.
- 4 Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer — do not crowd. Cook 2 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Work in two batches if needed.
- 5 Remove the skillet from heat. Add all the shrimp back to the pan, pour the sauce over, and toss gently to coat every piece.
- 6 Transfer to a serving plate or directly onto rice. Top with the candied walnuts and serve immediately while the shrimp are still crisp.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Use extra-firm tofu cut into 1-inch cubes in place of shrimp. Press it dry, dredge in cornstarch, and pan-fry until golden on all sides — about 4 minutes total. The sauce and walnuts work beautifully with tofu.
- Faster swap — Skip making candied walnuts from scratch — buy pre-candied or glazed walnuts from the salad-topping aisle. Saves about 5 minutes and the texture is nearly identical.
- No sweetened condensed milk — Sub 1 tbsp powdered sugar plus 1 tbsp heavy cream or full-fat coconut cream. The sauce will be slightly less rich but still works great.
Notes
The sauce is forgiving — if it tastes too sweet, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice (not listed) can balance it. Don't let the coated shrimp sit before frying or the cornstarch gets gummy. The candied walnuts go from perfect to burnt in seconds, so watch them closely and pull them off heat the moment the honey starts to darken.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet (12-inch) — A wide surface lets you fry the shrimp in a single layer so they crisp instead of steam.
- Small nonstick skillet — Makes the candied walnuts easier to stir and prevents the honey from scorching on the bottom.
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