Classic Louisiana Shrimp Po Boy (Printable)

A Louisiana classic with crispy fried shrimp, fresh lettuce, tomato, and creamy mayo on a soft French roll.

# What You Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 cup cornmeal
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup buttermilk
06 - 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
07 - 1/2 tsp paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 inches in depth)

→ Sandwich Assembly

12 - 4 soft French rolls or hoagie buns
13 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
14 - 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
15 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
16 - 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
17 - 1 tbsp dill pickle slices (optional)
18 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How-To:

01 - Pat the shrimp dry. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk until combined.
02 - In a separate bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Dip each shrimp into the egg mixture, then thoroughly dredge in the flour-cornmeal blend to coat evenly.
04 - Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep skillet or Dutch oven, ensuring about 2 inches depth for frying.
05 - Fry the shrimp in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
06 - Slice the French rolls lengthwise, leaving a hinge to hold the sandwich together.
07 - Mix mayonnaise with hot sauce if desired, then spread generously on both sides of each roll.
08 - Layer shredded lettuce, tomato slices, and fried shrimp inside each roll. Add pickle slices if preferred.
09 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side to garnish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The shrimp gets impossibly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, and you can have a homemade po boy ready faster than delivery would arrive.
  • It's the kind of sandwich that tastes fancy enough to serve guests but casual enough to eat standing up in your kitchen.
  • Once you nail the coating technique, you'll find yourself making these on Friday nights without even planning to.
02 -
  • The temperature of your oil is non-negotiable; I learned this the hard way by eyeballing it once and ending up with shrimp that tasted like a sponge soaked in grease.
  • Build your sandwich to order, not all at once—the bread starts to get soggy within minutes, and part of the magic is that contrast between textures.
  • If your coating is falling off during frying, your shrimp weren't dry enough; start over with fresh shrimp and be ruthless with the paper towels.
03 -
  • If you're feeding a crowd, you can bread all the shrimp ahead of time and refrigerate them for up to 4 hours; they'll fry even better when they're cold.
  • A splash of your favorite hot sauce mixed into the mayo is the real secret to restaurant-quality flavor without any additional fussing.
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