Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp

Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp is a delicious low-carb version of a popular Chinese-American dish that is usually high in carbs.

However, with a few keto-friendly ingredient swaps, you can enjoy this sweet and savory dish without breaking your diet.

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Honey walnut shrimp is a classic Chinese dish that has captivated taste buds worldwide.

The combination of crispy fried shrimp, creamy sweet mayo sauce, and candied walnuts is no doubt a treat for the senses.

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However, for those who follow a ketogenic or low-carb diet, indulging in this dish can be a challenge due to its high carb content. 

But fear not; Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp is here to save the day, allowing you to enjoy this delicious dish without compromising your diet.

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This was inspired by my Keto Oven Fried Garlic Parmesan Shrimp recipe.

Components of Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp

Batter 

The batter is the key to creating the perfect Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp. Traditional batters often contain high-carb ingredients such as flour and cornstarch, making them unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. 

To make a keto-friendly batter, we replace the high-carb ingredients with low-carb alternatives such as almond flour. Adding sparkling water and eggs helps create a light, airy batter that clings to the shrimp without falling off during frying.

Sweet Mayo Sauce 

The sweet mayo sauce is an essential component of Honey Walnut Shrimp, providing the dish with its signature creamy sweetness. 

In the keto version, actual honey is replaced with a keto-friendly sweetener or keto honey replacement. Combined with mayo, heavy cream, and butter, the sauce maintains its delicious flavor while remaining low in carbs.

Candied Walnuts 

Candied walnuts add a delightful crunch and sweetness to the dish. Making sugar-free candied walnuts is surprisingly simple.

 All you need to do is boil a keto-friendly sweetener with water, then toss in the walnuts to coat them evenly. Once coated, remove the walnuts and let them harden, resulting in a delicious, low-carb topping for your Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp.

Ingredients

For the Candied Walnuts

• ⅓ cup Chopped Walnuts
• ⅓ cup Water
•  3 tablespoons Low-Carb Granular Sweetener

Cream Sauce

• 1 tablespoon Butter
• ¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream, or Coconut Milk for Paleo
• 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1 ½ teaspoon Keto Honey Substitute, or Keto Brown Sweetener, or Coconut Sugar for Paleo
• ⅛ teaspoon Salt

The Shrimp

• 1 lb. Uncooked Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ⅔ cups Almond Flour
• ⅓ cup Sparkling Water, unflavored
• 2 Eggs
• ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ⅛ teaspoon Salt 
• 3 tablespoons Avocado Oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons Chopped Green Onion *optional garnish

See the printable recipe card for nutritional data and more details.

Instructions

First make the candied walnuts: Begin by heating a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sweetener and water. Mix everything until fully combined, and let the mixture heat up. Stir occasionally.

Once the sweetener has fully melted, add in the walnuts. Stir the nuts until evenly coated. Keep stirring occasionally until the sweetener begins to crystallize on the walnuts. Turn off the heat.

Take the pan off the stove and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Then, use a wooden spoon to break apart the walnuts before they stick together due to crystallization. Reserve and set aside for later.

To make the sauce, add the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and set it over medium-high heat.

Let it simmer until it thickens. Once done, remove the saucepan from the heat. Set it aside. 

Next, heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat & while the skillet heats up mix and whisk almond flour, sparkling water, eggs, garlic powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add the shrimp to the batter and mix until the shrimp is evenly coated.

Once the oil in the skillet is hot (to around 375°F), fry the shrimp evenly for a couple of minutes on both sides until they turn golden brown.

 After frying, place the shrimp on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Finally, toss the fried shrimp and candied walnuts in the cream sauce to coat. Garnish with chopped green onion and serve.

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Hints:

• Ensure the shrimp is completely dried off with a paper towel. This will help the batter stick to the shrimp.
• If the batter seems runny and isn't coating the shrimp properly, adjust by adding 1 teaspoon of almond flour at a time. Different brands of almond flour may produce varying consistencies.
• Make sure the oil reaches a temperature of at least 375°F before frying. If the oil isn't hot enough, the coating won't fry properly, resulting in a soggy mess.

Variations

• Instead of walnuts, you can use pecans or almonds to create a similar crunchy topping.
• Add a dash of sriracha or hot sauce to the sweet mayo sauce for a spicier version.

FAQ

📖 Printable Recipe Card

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Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp

Keto Honey Walnut Shrimp is a delicious low-carb version of a popular Chinese-American dish.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

Calories 525 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Candied Walnuts

• ⅓ cup Chopped Walnuts
• ⅓ cup Water
• 3 tablespoons Low-Carb Granular Sweetener

For the Sauce

• 1 tablespoon Butter
• ¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream or Coconut Milk for Paleo
• 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1 ½ teaspoon Keto Honey or Keto Brown Sweetener, or Coconut Sugar for Paleo
• ⅛ teaspoon Salt

For the Shrimp

• 1 lb. Uncooked Shrimp peeled and deveined
• ⅔ cups Almond Flour
• ⅓ cup Sparkling Water
• 2 Eggs
• ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ⅛ teaspoon Salt
• 3 tablespoons Avocado Oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons Chopped Green Onion *optional garnish

Instructions

 

• First make the candied walnuts:
• Begin by heating a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sweetene3 tablespoons Low-Carb Granular Sweetenerr and water. Mix everything together until fully combined, and let the mixture heat up. Stir occasionally.
  3 tablespoons Low-Carb Granular Sweetener, ⅓ cup Water
• Once the sweetener has fully melted, add in the walnuts. Stir the nuts until evenly coated. Keep stirring occasionally until the sweetener begins to crystallize on the walnuts. Turn off the heat.
  ⅓ cup Chopped Walnuts
• Take the pan off the stove and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Then, use a wooden spoon to break apart the walnuts before they stick together due to crystallization. Reserve and set aside for later.
• To make the sauce, add the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. Let it simmer until it thickens. Once done, remove the saucepan from the heat. Set it aside.
  1 tablespoon Butter, ¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream, 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise, 1 ½ teaspoon Keto Honey, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
• Next, heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the skillet heats up.
  3 tablespoons Avocado Oil for frying
• Take a mixing bowl and whisk together almond flour, sparkling water, eggs, garlic powder, and salt.
  ⅔ cups Almond Flour, ⅓ cup Sparkling Water, 2 Eggs, ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
• Add the shrimp to the batter and mix until the shrimp is evenly coated. Once the oil in the skillet is hot (to around 375°F), fry the shrimp evenly on both sides until they turn golden brown. After frying, place the shrimp on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
  1 lb. Uncooked Shrimp
• Finally, toss the fried shrimp and candied walnuts in the cream sauce to coat. Garnish with chopped green onion and serve.
  2 tablespoons Chopped Green Onion *optional garnish

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Notes

*All Nutritional Data are Estimates Only Based on the Products I Used*

Servings: 4, Serving Size: ¼ LB ( ¼ of recipe), Net Carbs per Serving: 4g, Amounts per Serving~

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25lbCalories: 525kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 29gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 256mgSodium: 535mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2g

Keyword honey walnut shrimp, keto honey walnut shrimp, low carb asian recipes

Tried this recipe?Mention @gfbeautyandthefoodie or tag #gfbeautyandthefoodie

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven. However, the shrimp will not be as crisp, and this dish is best consumed as soon as it is prepared to keep the crisp texture.

Serving Suggestions

For a beautiful presentation, serve the honey walnut shrimp on a bed of cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Related

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Food safety

• Cook shrimp to a minimum temperature of 120°F (50°C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.