Crispy Fried Shrimp Po Boy

I didn’t have my first real po’ boy until I was in my thirties on a trip to New Orleans. Before that, I thought any sandwich with fried stuff on French bread could pass as one. I was wrong.

A true po’ boy needs three things: crispy, well-seasoned fried shrimp, tangy remoulade sauce, and bread that’s crusty on the outside but soft enough inside that it doesn’t shred the roof of your mouth. The shrimp should stay crunchy even after you pile on the toppings. The sauce should have enough kick to make things interesting without overpowering everything else.

This recipe gets you there without needing a plane ticket to Louisiana. The buttermilk soak keeps the shrimp tender, and the cornmeal-flour combo gives you that satisfying crunch that holds up. It’s messy to eat, but that’s kind of the point.

What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For a po boy, you’ll want to use medium-sized shrimp, which are the perfect size for getting a good crispy coating without overcooking the inside. Fresh shrimp is great if you can find it, but frozen shrimp works just as well for this recipe – just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry before breading. When buying shrimp, look for ones that are already peeled and deveined with the tails removed to save yourself some prep time. If you’re at the seafood counter and they ask about the count, medium shrimp are typically labeled as 41-50 per pound, which means you’ll get nice bite-sized pieces that fit perfectly in your sandwich.

Options for Substitutions

This po’ boy recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make:

• Shrimp: If shrimp isn’t your thing or you want to mix it up, try using oysters, catfish, or even chicken tenders. The breading and frying method stays the same.
• Buttermilk: Don’t have buttermilk? Mix 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Creole mustard: Dijon works great as mentioned, but you can also use whole grain mustard or even regular yellow mustard if that’s what you have.
• French loaves: Look for crusty French bread or baguettes. In a pinch, hoagie rolls or sub rolls will work, though they won’t have quite the same crispy exterior.
• Cornmeal: If you’re out of cornmeal, you can use all flour instead, though you’ll lose some of that classic crunchy texture. Panko breadcrumbs mixed with flour also works well.
• Capers: Skip these if you don’t have them – the remoulade sauce will still taste great. Or add a bit more pickle relish for extra tang.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when frying shrimp is overcrowding the pot, which drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy, soggy shrimp instead of crispy ones – fry in small batches and let the oil come back up to 350°F between batches.

Skipping the 20-minute chill time after breading might seem like a time-saver, but it actually causes the coating to fall off during frying, so be patient and let that breading set in the fridge.

Another common error is frying the shrimp too long, since they cook quickly and become rubbery when overdone – pull them out as soon as they turn golden brown, which usually takes just 3-4 minutes.

Finally, don’t make your po’ boy ahead of time, as the hot shrimp will steam the bread and make it soggy – assemble right before serving for the best texture contrast between crispy shrimp and soft bread.

What to Serve With Fried Shrimp Po’ Boys?

A fried shrimp po’ boy is pretty filling on its own, but I always like to serve it with crispy French fries or sweet potato fries on the side for the full experience. Coleslaw is another great option – the cool, crunchy slaw balances out the fried shrimp and rich sauce perfectly. If you want to keep things simple, a handful of potato chips or kettle chips works just as well and saves you time in the kitchen. For a lighter side, try a simple cucumber and tomato salad with a light vinaigrette, or even some pickled vegetables to add a tangy crunch alongside your sandwich.

Storage Instructions

Store the Sauce: The remoulade sauce actually gets better after sitting for a bit! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I usually make mine a day ahead so the flavors have time to meld together.

Store Fried Shrimp: Fried shrimp is always best fresh and crispy, but if you have leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To bring back some of that crunch, reheat them in a 400°F oven for about 5-7 minutes instead of the microwave.

Assemble Fresh: Don’t assemble the sandwiches ahead of time or they’ll get soggy. Keep all your components separate and build your po’ boys right before serving for the best texture and flavor.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3900-4400
• Protein: 170-200 g
• Fat: 210-250 g
• Carbohydrates: 340-390 g

Ingredients

For the remoulade sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp relish
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp capers (finely minced)
• 1.5 tsp paprika
• 1.5 tsp coarse mustard
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)

For the shrimp seasoning and batter:

• 2 lb shrimp
• 3.5 tsp salt
• 2.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 tbsp hot sauce
• oil for frying

For the sandwiches:

• 4 loaves French bread (lightly toasted)
• Dill pickle slices
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• Sliced beefsteak tomatoes

Step 1: Prepare the Remoulade Sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp relish
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp capers
• 1.5 tsp paprika
• 1.5 tsp coarse mustard
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley

Combine mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, hot sauce, minced capers, paprika, coarse mustard, worcestershire sauce, minced garlic cloves, and fresh parsley in a bowl and stir until well blended.

Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the shrimp—this allows the flavors to meld together and gives you a cold, creamy sauce ready for assembly.

Step 2: Create the Seasoning Blend and Coat the Shrimp

• 2 lb shrimp
• 3.5 tsp salt
• 2.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

In a small bowl, combine salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

Divide this spice mixture in half—one half will season the raw shrimp, and the other half will be added to the flour coating.

Pat the 2 lb shrimp dry with paper towels, then toss them with the first half of the spice mixture, making sure each shrimp is evenly coated.

I like to let seasoned shrimp sit for a few minutes so the spices really stick to them before breading.

Step 3: Prepare the Dry and Wet Breading Stations

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 tbsp hot sauce

In one bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornmeal, and cornstarch, then stir in the reserved half of the spice mixture until evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce until combined.

Setting up these two stations ahead of time keeps the breading process smooth and prevents any lumps from forming in your coatings.

Step 4: Bread and Chill the Shrimp

• seasoned shrimp from Step 2
• wet breading mixture from Step 3
• dry breading mixture from Step 3

Working with a few shrimp at a time, dip each seasoned shrimp into the buttermilk mixture from Step 3, allowing excess to drip off, then immediately roll it in the flour mixture from Step 3, coating all sides evenly.

Place the breaded shrimp on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes—this resting time helps the coating adhere better and creates a crispier crust when fried.

Step 5: Heat Oil and Fry the Shrimp

• oil for frying
• breaded shrimp from Step 4

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 350°F (use a thermometer to check).

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully lower the chilled breaded shrimp into the hot oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the coating turns golden brown and the shrimp are cooked through.

Transfer the fried shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Step 6: Toast the Bread and Assemble the Sandwiches

• 4 loaves French bread
• remoulade sauce from Step 1
• fried shrimp from Step 5
• Dill pickle slices
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• Sliced beefsteak tomatoes

Lightly toast the French bread loaves to give them a sturdy exterior that won’t get soggy from the sauce and toppings.

Spread a generous amount of the chilled remoulade sauce from Step 1 on the inside of each toasted bread loaf, then layer the fried shrimp from Step 5 down the middle, followed by shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced beefsteak tomatoes, and dill pickle slices.

Crispy Fried Shrimp Po Boy

Delicious Crispy Fried Shrimp Po Boy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 4150 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the remoulade sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp relish
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp capers (finely minced)
• 1.5 tsp paprika
• 1.5 tsp coarse mustard
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)

For the shrimp seasoning and batter

• 2 lb shrimp
• 3.5 tsp salt
• 2.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 tbsp hot sauce
• oil for frying

For the sandwiches

• 4 loaves French bread (lightly toasted)
• Dill pickle slices
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• Sliced beefsteak tomatoes

Instructions

 

• Combine mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, hot sauce, minced capers, paprika, coarse mustard, worcestershire sauce, minced garlic cloves, and fresh parsley in a bowl and stir until well blended. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the shrimp—this allows the flavors to meld together and gives you a cold, creamy sauce ready for assembly.
• In a small bowl, combine salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Divide this spice mixture in half—one half will season the raw shrimp, and the other half will be added to the flour coating. Pat the 2 lb shrimp dry with paper towels, then toss them with the first half of the spice mixture, making sure each shrimp is evenly coated. I like to let seasoned shrimp sit for a few minutes so the spices really stick to them before breading.
• In one bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornmeal, and cornstarch, then stir in the reserved half of the spice mixture until evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce until combined. Setting up these two stations ahead of time keeps the breading process smooth and prevents any lumps from forming in your coatings.
• Working with a few shrimp at a time, dip each seasoned shrimp into the buttermilk mixture from Step 3, allowing excess to drip off, then immediately roll it in the flour mixture from Step 3, coating all sides evenly. Place the breaded shrimp on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes—this resting time helps the coating adhere better and creates a crispier crust when fried.
• Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 350°F (use a thermometer to check). Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully lower the chilled breaded shrimp into the hot oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the coating turns golden brown and the shrimp are cooked through. Transfer the fried shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
• Lightly toast the French bread loaves to give them a sturdy exterior that won't get soggy from the sauce and toppings. Spread a generous amount of the chilled remoulade sauce from Step 1 on the inside of each toasted bread loaf, then layer the fried shrimp from Step 5 down the middle, followed by shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced beefsteak tomatoes, and dill pickle slices.