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This Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe by Chef Laura Lea is going to blow you away! Laura Lea envisioned this take out classic in a healthier way for her new cookbook, Simply Laura Lea, without losing ANY of the flavor.
We went right to Chef Laura Lea’s kitchen so she could demonstrate her Honey Walnut Shrimp recipe for us. I’ve already made it with my family (albeit with pecans instead of walnuts because that’s all we had in our self-quarantine kitchen) and it was so delicious that I cannot wait to make it again.
Watch our interview from the April episode of The Sami Cone Show:
You can get Chef Laura Lea’s fullrecipe below:
Honey Walnut Shrimp
A healthier version of the takeout classic without losing any of the flavor or crunch.
Ingredients
- Walnut Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter (sub avocado oil)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅔ cup raw walnuts
- Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon miso paste
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Shrimp Ingredients:
- ¼ cup arrowroot starch
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound/16 ounces raw shrimp, fresh or thawed-from-frozen, peeled & deveined (I also get them with tails removed, but that’s up to you)
- 2 tablespoons butter (sub avocado oil)
- Optional: 8 ounces sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
Instructions
Walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with nonstick parchment paper.
- Spread walnuts over parchment in an even layer. Combine butter (or oil) and honey in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until melted (butter might not look melted but stir for a bit and it should melt).
- Pour mixture over walnuts and use a spatula to evenly coat. Roast for 12 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, then set aside to cool.
- As they harden, they’ll create a delectable butter/honey “film” between them--don’t discard this!
Sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. I like to mash miso paste against the side of the bowl to thin it out, making it easier to incorporate. Set aside.
Shrimp:
- Pat shrimp with a dish towel to remove any excess liquid. To a large sealable bag or another marinating container, add starch, salt, and onion powder and gently stir to combine. Add shrimp, seal tightly and shake to evenly coat.
- Heat a large saute pan to medium-high and add butter. When butter is melted and making “popping” sounds, add half of your shrimp in an even layer. Don’t stir! Allow shrimp to cook 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown on the bottom (ok, you can peek to check), before using tongs to flip. Repeat on the remaining side, or until shrimp is completely opaque throughout, approximately 2 minutes.
- Transfer shrimp to a large heatproof mixing bowl, then repeat with remaining shrimp. You might want to add a little more butter and/or turn the heat down a bit. This batch should take a minute or so less than the first.
- Once all of your shrimp is cooked and in the same bowl, fold in walnuts with their honey/butter “film” and water chestnuts, if using. Add sauce to taste and gently toss (I use all of the sauce).
- Leftover shrimp will keep tightly sealed in the refrigerator for 2 days. I do not recommend freezing.
