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Crispy fried shrimp with lettuce, tomato, and red onion on a french roll topped with a next level creamy old bay sauce! These all come together to make this Shrimp PoBoy unforgettable!
It’s the shrimp version of the classic Louisiana po boy sandwich and is so easy to make. Bring a piece of the big easy home with you with this Cajun-inspired meal that’s sure to please!
Love seafood? Try my super popular Seafood Boil then make this Shrimp Po’Boy with my New Orleans Style Beignets or my Low Country Boil!
Every time I go to New Orleans, I make it a point to go to the French quarter to get a crispy shrimp poboy! It’s one of my favorite sandwiches. I love walking around the French market and seeing all of the vendors but the food is what hooks me every time!
There’s something about sinking your teeth into that french baguette and getting a big mouthful of golden fried shrimp, creamy remoulade sauce, and fresh crisp iceberg lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and onion.
With Mardi Gras coming up, I’ve been dreaming of the Big Easy lately. Since I can’t visit, I’ve decided to bring a piece of it home and make this super easy and delicious shrimp poboy recipe.
To make the shrimp nice and crispy I soak it in milk for about 10 minutes then coat it in seasoned flour and fry it up! Then I make the creamy old bay sauce that makes the BEST poboy sauce.
Table of Contents
What is a po’boy?
A po’boy is a sandwich that is typically made on a french loaf of bread. It has fried meat (shrimp, beef, chicken, oysters etc) usually seasoned with creole seasoning or cajun seasoning and is topped with single layer of sweet tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and a sauce – mayo or Creole sauce/remoulade.
It’s like a shrimp sub depending on where you’re from .. or a shrimp sandwich if you will.
Why is it called a po’boy?
I read this article about poboy sandwiches and found it super interesting and an exceptional read about the cultural history and influence on New Orleans cuisine!
A po’boy was a sandwich given to newly unemployed streetcar workers who were on strike – hence the name “Po’boy”, or “poor boy sandwich”. The poor boys would receive stale bread and beef sandwiches as handouts and the term quickly caught on and became a staple in New Orleans cuisine.
The fillings for these tasty sandwiches range from shrimp to oysters, beef to chicken!
Ingredients
Simple and easy ingredients that you can find at any grocery store!
This shrimp poboy sandwich consists of:
- Shrimp: I recommend using jumbo shrimp.
- Seasonings: red pepper flakes, grond coriander, onion powder, and salt and black pepper. Tip: if you like a little heat, add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Milk: this is to soak the shrimp prior to frying to remove the fishy taste. Trust me, it works!
- Breading (for the breaded shrimp): flour, chili powder, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, and smoked paprika.
- Vegetable oil: you’ll need about 3 cups. There should be about a 1-inch of oil in the skillet. You can also use canola oil or peanut oil if that’s what you have on hand.
For the old bay sauce you’ll need:
- Dijon Mustard
- Mayo
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Lemon Juice
- Sour Cream
- Sugar
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Optional / Pro tip: add a little hot sauce for a spicy kick! I love using crystal hot sauce.
Another sauce you can make with these fried shrimp sandwiches is my boom boom sauce recipe! It’s a quick zesty sauce, similar to a remoulade!
The best bread for po’boys
Bread is a critical component of this poboy sandwich, so make sure to use a french loaf/french roll or french baguette. The pillowy soft interior with hard outer shell are perfect for this recipe.
If you can’t find french bread, you can use sub rolls. The kind of bread you use is a critical aspect of the po’boy so keep this in mind when making this recipe.
How to you make a Shrimp Poboy
- Start by soaking shrimp in milk and seasonings.
- Make the dredge by combining flour and seasoning in a large bowl. Then dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture.
- Make the old bay sauce by combining all of the ingredients (listed below) and mix together until smooth.
- Add oil to a skillet over medium heat. Fry the shrimp in oil for about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove shrimp from the oil with a slotted spoon or tongs and place on paper towels to allow any excess oil to drain off (you can also use a wire rack).
- Spread the old bay sauce on the French bread and add lettuce, tomato, red onion, and shrimp.
- Eat up! This crispy fried shrimp recipe will quickly become a family favorite.
FAQs
omatoes, lettuce, and sauce – whether it be tartar sauce, plain mayonnaise, or a homemade remoulade sauce .. or in this case, an old bay sauce!
Yes! Coat shrimp in the breading and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes, until the shrimp is crispy.
I’ve always had them with french fries! The crunchy shrimp with some fries fresh off of the deep fryer is delicious! You can also have chips, fresh cut veggies, or eat it alone!
More Recipes
- Cajun Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Lime Ranch
- Shrimp Remoulade
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pot
- Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad
- Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Dipping Sauce
- California Avocado Shrimp Salad
- Cajun Orzo with Kielbasa
- Lobster Roll Recipe
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Crispy Shrimp Po’Boy
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp Smoked paprika
- 4 french bread/rolls
- vegetable oil
- 1 head lettuce, sliced
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
Old Bay Sauce
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup Mayo
- 1 tbsp old bay seasoning
- 1/2 lemon, juiced/squeezed
- 3 tbsps sour cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add shrimp to a large bowl and season with red pepper flakes, ground coriander, and onion powder. Add milk and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine flour, chili powder, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, and smoked paprika. Mix together.
- While shrimp is sitting, make the old bay sauce. In a small bowl, combine dijon mustard, mayo, old bay seasoning, lemon juice, sour cream, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Mix together until smooth.
- Heat about 1-inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once shrimp is finished sitting, dip each shrimp in the flour mixture. It should be fully submerged. Remove it and set it aside on a plate or cooling rack.
- Test the oil by adding a tiny pinch of flour. If the flour bubbles, the oil is ready. Add 4-5 shrimp to the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until shrimp is crispy and golden.
- Spread old bay sauce on the buns. Place lettuce, tomato, red onions, and shrimp into the buns.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this for dinner tonight. This was the best shrimp poboy ever. It doesn’t get better than this.
Thank you so much! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it!
Enjoyed it VERY MUCH!!! That sauce was the BOMB!!! Thanks for the recipe. I’ll try more of them 😁
I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!!
The shrimp with the old bay sauce was freaking amazing. I made this twice this week!!
Thanks so much!
The sandwich was delicious but that old bayvsauce stile the show!! Delicious!!!
Thank you so much! I love the old bay sauce too!
I’ve been to New Orleans and had their poboys and I can honestly say this one was the BEST I’ve ever had/made. The old bay sauce was delicious, I’m going to use the sauce on everything!!!!
wow thank you!! I love the old bay sauce too, so flavorful!
This sandwich is everything and then some! It is such a light and nice treat for lunch! BUT what makes it even more enjoyable is the delicious sauce! Myself and my belly enjoyed these!
Thank you so much Candiace! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe!