Honey Walnut Shrimp (Panda Express Copycat)
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This honey walnut shrimp comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes every bit as good as the Panda Express version, with crispy pan-fried shrimp, a creamy honey sauce, and crunchy candied walnuts in every bite. No deep fryer, no sweetened condensed milk, and no complicated batter.
I’ve been making this for years, and it’s one of those shrimp recipes that earns a permanent spot in the rotation. The shrimp are tossed in starch and pan-fried until golden and crispy, the candied walnuts are sweet, crunchy, and completely irresistible on their own, and the sauce ties everything together in the best way.
What I love most about this version is the sauce. Most honey walnut shrimp recipes use sweetened condensed milk, which works but can taste a little one-note sweet. I swap it for plain yogurt, which adds just a touch of tang that makes the whole thing taste more balanced and a little brighter. It’s a small change with a noticeable difference, and nobody ever guesses what’s in it.
The other thing worth knowing is that you don’t need a deep fryer. A good amount of oil in a skillet gets the shrimp just as golden and crispy as the restaurant version, with a fraction of the mess. The sauce and the candied walnuts can both be made a day or two ahead, which makes this genuinely easy to pull together on a weeknight or serve at a party.
READ MORE: Bang Bang Shrimp
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
Once the shrimp are fried, they’re best eaten right away, but both the sauce and the candied walnuts can be made several days in advance.
If you’d like to serve this as an appetizer for friends, serve the sauce on the side. That way, people can dip the shrimp, and you don’t have to worry about them becoming soggy if left out for a little while.
Honey Walnut Shrimp (Panda Express Copycat)
Ingredients
The Candied Walnuts
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ cup walnut halves
The Sweet Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise (can be light mayo)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (thick yogurt works best)
The Shrimp
- ½ cup tapioca starch or cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water (whisked)
- 1 lb uncooked peeled shrimp (about 30)
- Neutral-flavored oil (such as avocado or canola for pan-frying)
Instructions
- Heat the honey and water in a small pan over medium-high heat. Once it starts to boil, add the walnuts and stir. Keep stirring until the liquid is mostly gone. Immediately spoon the walnuts onto a piece of parchment paper in a single layer.2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons water, ½ cup walnut halves
- In a small-sized bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, honey, and yogurt.½ cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg and water. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water, 1 lb uncooked peeled shrimp (about 30)
- Whisk the starch with the salt and pepper in another bowl. Add the shrimp to the bowl – do not pour them from the egg bowl as you don't want the extra egg. Toss to coat the shrimp in the starch.½ cup tapioca starch or cornstarch, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- Heat ½ inch of oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add half of the shrimp. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place the cooked shrimp in a bowl then repeat with the remaining shrimp.Neutral-flavored oil
- Toss the shrimp with the candied walnuts and honey sauce and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
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This one’s a keeper. Easy, quick, all ingredients I had on hand & really good. My picky family loved the shrimp!
That’s the best kind of win—easy, quick, and picky-family approved! So glad you had everything on hand and that the shrimp was a hit. Thanks for the kind words! 🦐😊
This was so yummy my hubby licked his plate clean! Thanks for sharing such a simple yet tasty recipe! This will be going into my regular circulation. 😎👍🏻
easy and really delicious. Making the nuts and sauce ahead makes prep a breeze. Used plain greek yogurt and it worked well. Served with brown rice and broccoli and was wonderful together. first time on this site but will be back to try more soon
This is such a delicious recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. I’ve always wanted to make this but always been too intimidated. Wayyy less complicated than I thought! Thanks again!
I love honey walnut shrimp and this recipe is fantastic! I used very little oil to fry the shrimp. I’ve made this twice and will make it many more times to come.
Looks amazing! Can you sub the plain yogurt with Greek?
You can but regular plain yogurt is usually quite thin so the sauce will be a lot thinner. Just something to keep in mind. 🙂
Just made this tonight with a couple subs. It turned out amazing. Instead of thick yogurt I used yogurt cashew milk and veginnaise, put finished product on brown rice and steamed broccoli tossed in vegan butter. I will be doing this again soon. Thanks for the quick thrown together meal.
You’re so welcome!
Delicious recipe, thanks for sharing. I hope it’s not too spicy, Im just kidding 🙂
Thanks, keren!
So delicious and easy!
That’s so great to hear, Amy!
Sounds Yummy. Going to try it.
I hope you love it!