Grilled Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe
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When having Chinese food, an order of mouthwatering honey walnut shrimp is a must. This Chinese-American dish typically boasts crispy battered shrimp served with honeyed walnuts in a sweet and creamy sauce, resulting in a delightfully balanced and textural bite. If you want to try your hand at making the dish from the comfort of your home, ready in just 15 minutes, check out this grilled honey walnut shrimp recipe from the kitchen of developer Jennine Rye.
This time-saving recipe doesn't require a bath of hot oil. Instead of battering and frying the shrimp, this recipe calls for grilling or griddling lightly seasoned shrimp on skewers, keeping them wonderfully juicy with an added hint of smokiness. This twist on the classic dish is the perfect addition to any grill session and an easy way to impress friends and family. Don't be surprised if it becomes part of your barbecue repertoire.
Gather the ingredients for this grilled honey walnut shrimp recipe
To begin this grilled honey walnut shrimp recipe, first, you will need to gather the ingredients. For the candied walnuts, you should have sugar, water, and walnut pieces. To make the dressing, you will need mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and fresh lemon juice. Finally, this recipe also requires deshelled shrimp, neutral cooking oil, and salt and pepper for seasoning.
Step 1: Prepare a tray for this grilled honey walnut shrimp recipe
To start the candied walnuts, line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: Combine the sugar and water
In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water.
Step 3: Boil the sugar mixture
Place the saucepan over high heat and bring the sugar mixture to a boil.
Step 4: Coat the walnuts with the sugar mixture
Add the walnuts to the pan, stirring to coat each piece with the sugar mixture. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes over medium-high heat until the sugar begins to brown.
Step 5: Cool the candied walnuts
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the candied walnuts onto the prepared baking tray to cool, spreading them out.
Step 6: Combine the grilled honey walnut shrimp dressing ingredients
To make the dressing, in a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, condensed milk, honey, and lemon juice.
Step 7: Mix well
Mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Step 8: Season the shrimp
Moving onto the shrimp, in a bowl, toss the shrimp in oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Step 9: Skewer the shrimp
Thread the shrimp through skewers, leaving enough room for you to hold the bottom of the sticks. Set aside.
Step 10: Get the pan or grill ready
Heat a griddle pan or grill to a medium-high heat.
Step 11: Add the shrimp
Place the shrimp skewers onto the pan or grill.
Step 12: Let the shrimp cook
Cook the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes on one side.
Step 13: Cook the other side
Flip the skewers and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side until the shrimp are cooked through and pink.
Step 14: Plate the grilled shrimp
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cooked shrimp onto a plate.
Step 15: Serve the grilled honey walnut shrimp
Add the dressing and candied walnuts to the shrimp. Serve hot.
What to pair with grilled honey walnut shrimp
Grilled Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe
These grilled honey walnut shrimp taste great straight off the skewers or served with rice. However you enjoy them, you'll be left hungry for more.

Ingredients
- For the candied walnuts
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ cup walnut pieces
- For the dressing
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- For the shrimp
- 12 ounces shrimp, deshelled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Directions
- To start the candied walnuts, line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water.
- Place the saucepan over high heat and bring the sugar mixture to a boil.
- Add the walnuts to the pan, stirring to coat each piece with the sugar mixture. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes over medium-high heat until the sugar begins to brown.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the candied walnuts onto the prepared baking tray to cool, spreading them out.
- To make the dressing, in a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, condensed milk, honey, and lemon juice.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
- Moving onto the shrimp, in a bowl, toss the shrimp in oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Thread the shrimp through skewers, leaving enough room for you to hold the bottom of the sticks. Set aside.
- Heat a griddle pan or grill to a medium-high heat.
- Place the shrimp skewers onto the pan or grill.
- Cook the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes on one side.
- Flip the skewers and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side until the shrimp are cooked through and pink.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cooked shrimp onto a plate.
- Add the dressing and candied walnuts to the shrimp. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving | 796 |
Total Fat | 51.4 g |
Saturated Fat | 6.9 g |
Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
Cholesterol | 291.6 mg |
Total Carbohydrates | 49.1 g |
Dietary Fiber | 2.3 g |
Total Sugars | 44.9 g |
Sodium | 724.1 mg |
Protein | 40.4 g |
Can this honey walnut shrimp recipe be cooked in the air fryer or oven?
Although classic honey walnut shrimp involves frying the shrimp in oil, this grilled recipe allows you to skip that and try something a little different for a change. The shrimp retains juiciness when cooked on a griddle pan or grilled, gaining a delicious smoky element that adds complexity to the succulent meat. However, if grilling isn't your thing and you don't want to scrub a griddle pan, you can always cook the shrimp in an oven or an air fryer.
Sure, these options won't get you the same smoky finish, but you can still enjoy the ease of assembling this dish while keeping the oil content low. To cook the shrimp, they will need roughly 6 to 8 minutes in the oven, or 5 to 6 minutes in the air fryer, meaning that this recipe is just as quick whichever method you choose. Just make sure that the shrimp are cooked through and pink all over before serving them with the sauce and walnuts.
How can this grilled honey walnut shrimp recipe be adapted?
There are several ways to add your own spin on this grilled honey walnut shrimp recipe. If you like things hot, you can add a touch of spice by seasoning the raw shrimp with a pinch or two of chili flakes or drizzling the finished dish with a little sriracha. If you want to add to the sauce, lemon zest will give the mixture a bit more zing, contrasting the sweet and creamy notes. For the garnish, you can serve the grilled honey walnut shrimp with toasted sesame seeds. To add a pop of color and a little freshness, sprinkle on some sliced scallions.
You can also thread other foods onto the skewers with the shrimp — just make sure to pick items of similar sizes and cooking times so that everything is evenly cooked. The sweetness of scallops would work wonderfully with the other elements in this dish. If you're thinking of including fruits or vegetables, pineapple chunks and chopped red bell peppers would be fresh additions.