There’s something to be said about Southern cooking; once you try this crispy, flavor-packed Shrimp Po’ Boy, you’ll understand the irresistible appeal.
I first visited Louisiana in 2008, and at the time, I was a practicing vegan. I can count on one hand the number of times that I broke veganism, and those infractions usually involved nibbles of cheesecake at my family’s Christmas dinner (forgive me, I’m but a mere mortal). The most memorable time I decided to step outside the bounds of my vegan diet happened to be when I was celebrating my best friend’s birthday in Louisiana. I decided that I wasn’t going to stifle my curiosity, and I tried it all: the jambalaya, the gumbo, the beignets, the po’ boys, and beyond. No regrets there.
If you’ve ever spotted a shrimp po’ boy on a restaurant menu, you probably didn’t think of labor strikes or working-class solidarity, but that’s exactly how this iconic sandwich came into existence. It’s said that the po’ boy originated in New Orleans in the late 1920s, during a streetcar workers’ strike. Siblings Benny and Clovis Martin, the local owners of Martin Brothers’ French Market Restaurant and Coffee Stand, are credited with creating the sandwich to feed the striking workers, offering them inexpensive, hearty meals on French bread, often filled with fried seafood like shrimp. The name “po’ boy” is thought to be a nod to the “poor boys” the Martins were feeding during the strike.
If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of exploring what the New Orleans food scene has to offer, this shrimp po’ boy recipe brings something distinctly Louisianan to your table. The shrimp is coated in a blend of Cajun seasoning, cornmeal, and buttermilk, then fried until golden, making it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Tuck them inside a toasted French roll with all the fixings, and the resulting po’ boy is a classic Louisiana flavor. When I think of Southern comfort food, this dish is at the top of my mind.
Is This Shrimp Po’ Boy Healthy?
The shrimp po’ boy, while truly yummy, tends to be on the calorically dense side due to the deep-fried shrimp and white bread. To reduce the calories and saturated fat, try grilling the shrimp instead of frying them. For a gluten-free version, grill the shrimp (or fry with gluten-free flour), and swap the traditional French bread for a gluten-free roll or even a lettuce wrap. To suit a vegan diet, simply replace the fried shrimp with crispy fried vegetables like cauliflower or mushrooms, and use your favorite plant-based mayonnaise to retain the sandwich’s signature flavor. Note that you’ll need a vegan batter that doesn’t use buttermilk or eggs.
Buttermilk: The Key to Delicious & Tender Shrimp
Buttermilk plays such an important role in properly marinating the shrimp for this po’ boy. The acid in buttermilk helps to break down the proteins in the shrimp, resulting in the ideal texture when fried. Also, buttermilk acts as the perfect binder for the seasoned flour coating, ensuring that each shrimp is evenly-coated and flavored. The tangy undertones of buttermilk balance out the Cajun seasoning.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon Creole mustard, plus more for spreading
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cups cornmeal
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 8 French rolls, split and toasted
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1-2 large tomatoes, sliced
- 2/3 cup dill pickles, sliced
- 1/2 cup-1 cup mayonnaise
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinate
Prepare and marinate shrimp.
Fry
Fry shrimp until golden and crispy.
Assemble
Build your sandwich with veggies and shrimp.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
Store your leftover shrimp and toppings in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Be sure to store your rolls, shrimp, and po’ boy fillings separately. Wrapping up a completely-assembled shrimp po’ boy and keeping it in the fridge will result in an unfortunately soggy affair.
Be sure to pat your shrimp dry before you marinate them in the buttermilk mixture. This will help the batter stick to the shrimp. You can also refrigerate the shrimp for 10-15 minutes once you’ve coated them in batter; this will help make the batter more cohesive.
If your batter is falling off while frying, another possibility is that your oil isn’t the right temperature. Check the temperature with an oil thermometer before you put in your first batch, and let the oil heat back up to temperature between each batch.
You can absolutely use frozen shrimp. First, though, you must thaw it safely. Keep in mind that the FDA recommends thawing frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. This is the safest way to thaw shrimp as it prevents the overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Always exercise caution when thawing any seafood.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re looking for some good sides to complement these delicious shrimp po’ boys, look no further than this creamy Keto Coleslaw. If you’re really hungry, you can also add a smoky, savory protein, and you can’t go wrong with this Blackened Cod – it will go great on the po’ boy itself, even. I love to serve any sort of roasted vegetables that I might have on hand; these Roasted Green Beans are always an excellent choice.
Shrimp Po’ Boy
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon Creole mustard plus more for spreading
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cups cornmeal
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 8 French rolls split and toasted
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1-2 large tomatoes sliced
- 2/3 cup dill pickles sliced
- 1/2 cup – 1 cup mayonnaise
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, mustard, 1.5 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add shrimp, toss to coat, and marinate for 20 minutes.
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Combine flour, cornmeal, and remaining 1.5 tablespoons Cajun seasoning with salt to taste in a shallow dish. Dredge the marinated shrimp in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
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Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 350° Fahrenheit. Fry the shrimp in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
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Spread mayonnaise and Creole mustard on the toasted French rolls. Layer with lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, and fried shrimp. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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