Honey Walnut Shrimp
This delicious honey walnut shrimp brings restaurant flavors right to your kitchen! Anyone who loves sweet and savory combinations will absolutely fall for this dish, and the best part is it’s ready in just 15 minutes.
Recipe Details
Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 15 minutes, Serves: 4 people.
Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb, Healthy Aging, Low-Sodium, Soy-Free, High-Protein, Gluten-Free.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 358 Calories, 24g Fat, 14g Carbs, 25g Protein.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Water: Just 2 tablespoons to help dissolve the brown sugar for our caramel coating. This creates the perfect base for those sweet, crunchy walnuts!
Light brown sugar: You’ll need 2 tablespoons to make that gorgeous caramel coating. The molasses in brown sugar gives such a rich flavor compared to regular white sugar.
Walnuts: Half a cup of coarsely chopped walnuts adds the perfect crunch. I love how they soak up all that caramel goodness!
Jumbo shrimp: One pound of peeled and deveined raw shrimp makes this dish feel special. Jumbo shrimp cook quickly and look so impressive on the plate.
Honey: Just 1 tablespoon gives the shrimp a lovely sweet glaze. It pairs beautifully with the caramelized walnuts.
Extra-virgin olive oil: You’ll use 2 tablespoons total, divided between cooking the shrimp and making the creamy sauce. It adds such nice flavor!
Mayonnaise: 2½ tablespoons creates that creamy, restaurant-style sauce that brings everything together perfectly.
Lemon juice: One tablespoon brightens up the whole dish. Fresh lemon juice works best, but bottled is totally fine too!
Ground pepper: Half a teaspoon adds just the right amount of warmth without being spicy.
Salt: A quarter teaspoon enhances all the other flavors beautifully.
Scallions: Half a cup sliced gives a fresh, mild onion flavor and pretty green color on top.
Cooked rice: 2 cups of hot brown or white rice is optional but makes this a complete meal. Use whatever rice you love best!
How to Make Honey Walnut Shrimp
Step 1: Bring water and brown sugar to a simmer in your large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook until the sugar completely dissolves, about 2 minutes. Stir in the walnuts and cook, stirring often, until the sugar turns golden and caramelized, about 2 minutes more. Spread those beautiful caramelized walnuts on a parchment-lined plate. Wipe out your pan completely.
Step 2: Mix the shrimp, honey, and 1 tablespoon of oil together in a bowl. Return your clean skillet to medium-high heat. Add the shrimp mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are well browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 3: Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Add this creamy sauce to the shrimp in the pan, stirring to coat everything nicely. Sprinkle with those gorgeous caramelized walnuts and fresh scallions. Serve with rice if you’d like!
Easy and Quick Honey Walnut Shrimp Version
Want to make this even faster? You can skip making the caramelized walnuts and just toast ½ cup chopped walnuts in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes! Then toss them with 1 tablespoon honey and a pinch of salt. It’s still absolutely delicious and saves you a few minutes on busy weeknights.
Serving Ideas
This honey walnut shrimp makes a complete meal when served over fluffy rice. I love adding some steamed broccoli or snap peas on the side for extra color and crunch. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar also pairs wonderfully with the sweet and savory flavors.
Storage
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. To reheat, warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring carefully. The microwave works too – just use 30-second intervals to avoid overcooking the shrimp.
Substitutions
No walnuts? Try chopped pecans or cashews instead – they’re equally delicious! If you don’t have honey, maple syrup works great too. You can swap the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt if you want a lighter version, though the texture will be a bit different.
Pro Tips
- Perfect Shrimp: Don’t overcook the shrimp! They’re done when they turn pink and curl up slightly.
- Caramel Success: Watch the sugar carefully when making the caramel – it can go from perfect to burnt quickly!
- Extra Flavor: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a tiny bit of heat.
- Make Ahead: You can caramelize the walnuts earlier in the day and store them at room temperature.
FAQs
Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?
You bet! Just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels before cooking. Frozen shrimp work just as well as fresh ones for this dish.
What if I don’t have a nonstick skillet?
Sure, you can use a regular skillet! Just add a tiny bit more oil to prevent sticking, especially when making the caramelized walnuts.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Absolutely! Use vegan mayonnaise instead of regular mayo, and you’re all set. The recipe is naturally dairy-free otherwise.
How do I know when the shrimp are perfectly cooked?
Great question! The shrimp are done when they turn pink and opaque all the way through, and they’ll curl into a C-shape. This usually takes about 4 minutes, but keep an eye on them!
Final Thoughts
I hope you love this honey walnut shrimp as much as my family does! It’s become our go-to recipe when we want something special but don’t have much time. Let me know how yours turns out – I’d love to hear about any fun variations you try!
