I love sandwiches. For every meal. I love fried food. I love creamy sauces. This all adds up to shrimp po boy sandwiches being one of my favorite dinners ever. Ever, ever ever. The remoulade is soooo good (every ingredient brings something to the table), and the shrimp are super crispy. You’ll love it too.
Shrimp Po-Boys
Ingredients
Prepping the Shrimp
- 2 pounds jumbo-sized raw shrimp (peeled and deveined, 21-25 shrimp per pound)
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
Shrimp Batter
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups ice-cold water
Breading and Frying
- 3 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 3 cups cooking oil (peanut, vegetable, or canola oil)
Assembling Sandwiches
- 4 French bread rolls (small baguettes, or hoagie bread, sliced in half almost all the way through)
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce (shredded)
- 2 large tomatoes (sliced)
- 1 cup sliced dill pickles
Remoulade Sauce
- 1 ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 teaspoons country dijon or coarse ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon Creole seasoning
Instructions
- Make Remoulade Sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, garlic cloves, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, and ¾ teaspoon creole seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Coat Shrimp. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Creole seasoning.
- Marinate Shrimp. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of the Creole seasoning, and baking powder. Whisk in the water and egg. Add the shrimp to the batter and let it marinate while you heat the oil.
- Heat Pan. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, pour enough oil to be about ½ inch tall in the pan and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat Shrimp in Breadcrumbs. Pour 1 cup of the Panko bread crumbs into a pie pan or wide bowl. Using tongs, remove shrimp one at a time from the bowl, allowing the excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Lay the shrimp flat over the breadcrumbs without overlapping. Pour a couple of tablespoons of breadcrumbs over the top to ensure the shrimp are covered in breadcrumbs. Repeat with all of the shrimp, laying the breaded shrimp on a cookie sheet.
- Cook Shrimp. Cook shrimp in batches in heated oil for about 2 minutes on each side in a single layer. Place cooked shrimp on a paper towel-lined baking sheet with a cooling rack placed over the top to prevent shrimp from getting soggy.
- Make The Sandwich and Serve. On the bottom side of the sliced bread, place the desired amount of lettuce, tomato slices, and pickle slices. Generously add shrimp over the top. Generously spread the remoulade sauce on the other side of the bread and place the top of the bread over the shrimp. Serve immediately with additional remoulade sauce and additional pickles if desired.
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Notes
Nutrition
I love seafood, and this sandwich definitely hits the spot. I was so happy once I figured out how to make this at home because it’s not like I could go back to New Orleans every time I was craving it (although I wish I could). I usually serve these with a cold drink, like strawberry sweet tea, and a side of fries.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Key Ingredients and Tools
You’ll need a few important tools and ingredients to make this recipe right.
- Creole seasoning. This blend of spices adds authentic flavor to the shrimp and remoulade sauce. If you can’t find it, a mix of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and thyme can work as a substitute. You can also quickly make my Prairie Dust seasoning, which uses most of these ingredients.
- Panko bread crumbs. These Japanese-style bread crumbs are lighter and flakier than regular bread crumbs, giving the shrimp a super crispy coating.
- Cooking oil with a high smoke point. Peanut, vegetable, or canola oil are good choices because they can handle the high heat needed for frying without burning.
- Ice-cold water. It’s crucial for the batter because it helps keep the coating light and crisp when frying.
Using the right seasoning, bread crumbs, cooking oil, and water really makes a difference in this recipe.
Troubleshooting and Help
Absolutely! Just make sure to thaw the shrimp completely and pat them dry before coating them in the batter. This will help the coating stick better and fry up nice and crispy.
No problem! You can make your own by mixing paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and thyme. Or you can make my Prairie Dust seasoning. It won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll still taste great.
You can, but they won’t be as crispy. If you decide to bake them, I’d recommend spraying the shrimp lightly with cooking spray and baking at 400°F until golden and cooked through. Just keep in mind that frying will give you that authentic crunch.
After frying, place the shrimp on a wire rack over a baking sheet. This lets the excess oil drain off and keeps the shrimp crispy. Avoid stacking them on a plate, as that can make them soggy.
Yes, you can! The sauce tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours. Store it in an airtight container, and it’ll be ready when you are.
I hope you enjoy making and eating these shrimp po-boy sandwiches. They are a delicious way to bring a bit of New Orleans into your home or relive a previous visit. The crispy shrimp, tangy remoulade sauce, and fresh toppings make this sandwich one of my favorites and hopefully yours too.
Love,
