Shrimp Po Boy

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The Lowdown on My Shrimp Po Boy

This authentic Shrimp Po Boy recipe has the same flavors as the Po Boy’s you will find on the streets of New Orleans.

I have spent so much time in New Orleans now that I claim it as my home away from home. And, when I get NOLA sick, I make this Shrimp Po Boy to keep myself sane.

It’s got crispy cajun-fried shrimp on a French baguette with all the classic fixin’s, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles that’s drizzled with a Creole remoulade sauce making it the real deal boos.

Get into it, Boo!
– Jocelyn

Shrimp Po Boy Ingredients

For the Remoulade Sauce:

• Mayonnaise: The base of the sauce. If you want something lighter, Greek yogurt works, but it won’t have the same richness or taste.
• Dill pickle relish: If you don’t have relish, finely chop some dill pickles.
• Lemon juice: Bottled works in a pinch, but fresh is best.
• Hot sauce: Adds heat—use whatever brand you like or skip it if you’re not into spice.
• Capers: These give the sauce a little briny kick. If you don’t have them, you can leave them out.
• Paprika: Smoked or regular both work, but smoked paprika gives the sauce more oomph.
• Creole or Dijon mustard: Creole mustard has a bit more spice, but Dijon works fine too.
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds umami and a little sweetness.
• Garlic: Fresh is best, but garlic powder works if that’s what you have. Use 1/2 teaspoon per clove.

For the Fried Shrimp:

• Shrimp: Medium-sized, peeled, deveined, and tail-off makes them easier to eat in a sandwich.
• Kosher salt: Seasons the shrimp before frying. Regular salt works too, but use a little less.
• Paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper: The spice blend that gives the shrimp flavor. If you want less heat, cut back on the cayenne.
• Flour and cornmeal: The combo gives the shrimp a crispy, slightly crunchy texture.
• Buttermilk: Helps the breading stick and keeps the shrimp tender. If you don’t have it, mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of regular milk and let sit undisturbed for 10 mins. Homemade buttermilk!
• Hot sauce: Goes into the buttermilk for extra flavor.

For the Po’ Boy Assembly:

• French bread: Something soft on the inside with a little crunch on the outside works best. A good baguette or hoagie roll also does the trick.
• Dill pickles: Classic for that extra tang.
• Shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes: Keep it simple—crisp iceberg and ripe tomatoes work best.

How to make Classic shrimp po boys

Step 1: Make the Remoulade Sauce

1

Add all remoulade ingredients to a bowl.

2

Mix everything together and chill in the refrigerator until you are finished frying the shrimp.

Step 2: Prep and Fry the Shrimp

3

Add the salt, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

4

Mix together then divide the spice mixture in half.

5

Season the shrimp with half of the spice mixture.

6

Add the flour, cornmeal and the rest of the spice mixture together in a bowl.

7

Mix until combined.

8

In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and hot sauce together.

9

Dip seasoned shrimp in the buttermilk.

10

Coat with the cornmeal mixture shaking off any excess. If you like a thicker coating you can repeat this step.

11

Once breaded, chill the shrimp in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

12

Pour the oil into a deep, wide pot to the depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil to 350° Fahrenheit. Working in batches, fry shrimp until golden brown about 3-4 minutes per batch.

13

Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Step 3: Dress Your Po Boy

14

Build your sandwich by adding remoulade to the bread then dress your sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and pickles then finally pile on the shrimp.

What to serve with fried shrimp po boys

• Classic Sides: Serve these fried poboys up with traditional sides like hush puppies, Southern potato salad and fried okra.
• Chill Drinks: Make a big ole pitcher of lemonade or sweet tea to serve along with these.
• Game Day Party: Get your poboys on a platter and serve along with lemon pepper wings, Southern chili, and salted caramel chocolate chip cookies.

Recipe Variations and Additions

• Gluten-Free: Swap out the flour in the shrimp batter for gluten-free and replace the bread with your fave gluten-free option.
• Add Blackened Flavor: Coat the shrimp in this delish homemade blackened seasoning and sear for some serious spicy kick.
• Use Garlic Bread: Instead of regular French bread, use homemade garlic bread for your bread base.
• Add Fried Green Tomatoes: Replace the tomato slices with fried green tomatoes.

Tips for making the best homemade shrimp po boy

1. Get the Right Shrimp: You want plump shrimp you can eat in one bite. If your shrimp are too big, they make your sandwich difficult to eat. Look for size 16/20 shrimp (basically this means there are 16-20 shrimp per pound). Buy shrimp that are peeled and deveined with the tails off.
2. Oil Temp is Important: Heat the oil to 350°F to ensure the shrimp fry quickly and come out super crispy and not soggy from absorbing oil.
3. Make the Remoulade Ahead: I would make this a few hours or even a day ahead so those flavors can really come together and pop.
4. Let the Batter Rest: Let the shrimp rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before frying. This helps the coating to stick to the shrimp better. You don’t want all of your delicious, crispy coating falling off the shrimp as you fry them.

How to store & reheat shrimp po boys

It’s best to store all of the components separately. Add the shrimp to an airtight container after it cools and pop in the fridge. Keep the fresh veggies and remoulade in separate containers in the fridge. Finally, add your bread to a ziptop bag and keep at room temp.

The shrimp should last up to 2 days. The bread should stay fresh about 1-2 days, and the remoulade lasts the longest staying all good for about 5 days.

When you want to reheat the shrimp, I prefer using an air fryer at 350°F for 4-5 minutes or oven at 375°F for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway to keep the crunch popping. Just don’t microwave boos.

More New Orleans inspired recipes

• Bananas Foster
• Red Beans and Rice
• Shrimp Creole
• Shrimp Etouffee
• Shrimp and Grits
• Beignets

Shrimp Po’ Boy Recipe

This Shrimp Po Boy Recipe is made with medium-sized shrimp that have been seasoned and fried crispy, piled on a French baguette, and topped with a creole-inspired, creamy remoulade sauce! 

4.65 from 157 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

For the Remoulade Sauce

• ▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 tbsp dill pickle relish
• ▢ 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tsp hot sauce
• ▢ 2 tsp capers roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• ▢ 1 tsp Creole mustard or Dijon
• ▢ 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced

For the Fried Shrimp

• ▢ 3 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 2 lbs raw medium shrimp (about 45), peeled, deveined and tail off
• ▢ Canola or Vegetable oil for frying
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 3 tbsp hot sauce

For the Po'Boy Assembly

• ▢ 4 French loaves 8 inches long, split horizontally
• ▢ dill pickles for garnish
• ▢ Shredded iceberg lettuce
• ▢ Sliced tomatoes

Instructions

For the Remoulade Sauce

• Mix everything together and chill in the refrigerator until you are finished frying the shrimp

For the Fried Shrimp

• Mix the salt, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper together then divide the spice mixture in half
• Season the shrimp with half of the spice mixture
• Mix the flour, cornmeal and the rest of the spice mixture together in a bowl
• In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and hot sauce together
• Dip seasoned shrimp in the buttermilk, then coat with flour mixture shaking off any excess. If you like a thicker coating you can repeat this step. Chill the shrimp in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Pour the oil into a deep, wide pot to the depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil to 350° Fahrenheit
• Working in batches, fry shrimp until golden brown about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

To Assemble Po'Boy

• Build your sandwich with on the French bread with mayonnaise or Remoulade, dress your sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and pickles then pile on the shrimp.

Notes

How to store & reheat shrimp po boys

It’s best to store all of the components separately. Add the shrimp to an airtight container after it cools and pop in the fridge. Keep the fresh veggies and remoulade in separate containers too in the fridge. Finally add your bread to a ziptop bag and keep at room temp. When you want to reheat the shrimp, I prefer using an air fryer at 350°F for 4-5 minutes or oven at 375°F for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway to keep the crunch intact. Just don’t microwave boos.

How long will shrimp po boys last in the fridge?

The shrimp should last up to 2 days. The bread should stay fresh about 1-2 days, and the remoulade lasts the longest staying all good for about 5 days.

Can I freeze this shrimp po boy recipe?

You can freeze the fried shrimp. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze individually, and then transfer them to a ziplock freezer bag. They can last up to 2 months in the freezer. Just keep in mind that they will more than likely overcook so they won’t be the same texture after reheating. Just keepin it real.

Nutrition

Calories: 2044kcal | Carbohydrates: 281g | Protein: 101g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 30g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 395mg | Sodium: 5299mg | Potassium: 1442mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1138IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 450mg | Iron: 21mg

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