A classic mardi gras seafood sandwich.

Why you’ll love these shrimp po boys

A woman in a pink sweater smiles widely while holding a dish of fresh salad with greens and strawberries, standing at a wooden table against a light background—perfectly capturing the inviting spirit of a food blog.

I’m going to be completely honest here, the first time I ever had a shrimp po boy was when I started developing this recipe. Southern food is definitely not my forte, but not because I don’t enjoy it.

I just haven’t had much experience with it (other than a few short months spent in Texas), and I’m slowly realizing that it may be time to book a visit to some of the southern states. And, I think New Orleans might be on the top of my list as far as food is concerned.

We’ll be celebrating Mardi Gras next week, so I teamed up with some of my favorite bloggers to celebrate the occasion. Since I’ve been baking quite a bit lately (hello, brownie sundaes and chocolate chocolate chip cookies), I thought it might be nice to have a little fun with a more savory Mardi Gras recipe.

And, while I would love to make an authentic gumbo or jambalaya, I just really wanted to try something a little different. Plus, this shrimp po boy recipe will be a perfect addition to my favorite Lent recipes.

→ If you like this recipe, you should try these: lemon garlic shrimp with coconut grits / shrimp fettuccine / shrimp salad

Homemade cajun remoulade sauce for a po boy sandwich in a white ramekin on a sheet of parchment paper with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes to the side.
A shrimp po boy sandwich, featuring pan fried shrimp, shredded green lettuce and sliced tomatoes on a demi-baguette, homemade Cajun remoulade sauce in a white ramekin and two pickle spears to the side on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Ingredient notes:

  • Shrimp – Medium shrimp are a great size for sandwiches since they’re easy to bite into, but make sure to opt for peeled and deveined, with tails removed.
  • Cajun seasoning – If you don’t have a cajun blend on hand, you can mix up your own easily. Combine 1/2 teaspoon each of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper with a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want a bit of spice.
  • Canola oil – Any neutral oil (like vegetable oil) works for great for frying the shrimp. Vegan butter will add rich, buttery flavor, but if you don’t need a vegan or dairy free option you can use regular butter
  • Mayonnaise – You can use your favorite mayo, plant based or regular. If you are out of mayo you can substitute plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt.

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

→ More mardi gras recipes: jalapeno margarita / beer battered onion straws / instant pot baked beans / broccoli salad with grapes / Vieux Carre cocktail

A shrimp po boy sandwich, featuring pan fried shrimp, shredded green lettuce and sliced tomatoes, topped with homemade Cajun remoulade sauce on a demi-baguette, two pickle spears in the background and a second sandwich to the left side.
warning: may contain milk

Is there milk in your bread?

Make sure you’re checking to see if your bread has milk listed in the ingredients. I like to buy the take and bake demi-baguettes when I’m going to this shrimp po boy recipe because I know they’re safe and they only take about 8 minutes to bake.

A shrimp po boy sandwich, featuring pan fried shrimp, shredded green lettuce and sliced tomatoes on a demi-baguette, homemade Cajun remoulade sauce in a white ramekin to the side on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Shrimp Po Boys with Cajun Remoulade

By: Melissa Belanger
This recipe for the classic sandwich from New Orleans, Louisiana is made a little healthier with lightly breaded and pan fried shrimp topped with homemade cajun remoulade sauce. Top it with slaw rather than lettuce for a more authentic version.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients 

For the shrimp:

  • 16 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails off.
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dairy free butter or canola oil

For the remoulade:

  • 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise, or vegan mayo for egg free
  • 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish
  • 1 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon pickle juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Coarse salt, to taste

For the po boys:

  • French bread
  • Sliced tomatoes
  • Shredded green lettuce

Instructions 

  • Make your cajun remoulade. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
    • If you make this ahead of time, it will allow the sauce to develop extra flavor.
  • Fry the shrimp. In a large bowl, whisk together your flour and cajun seasoning. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss them around in the bowl (or stir) until they are all evenly coated.
    Then, melt dairy free butter (or oil) in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and fry until golden brown on both sides.
    Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to work in batches. Place the fried shrimp on a paper towel lined plate while you fry the rest of the shrimp.
  • Assemble your po boy sandwich. Divide the shrimp evenly between the bread and top with cajun remoulade, shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 637kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 52g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 183mg, Sodium: 720mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

A woman wearing a pink sweater smiles excitedly while holding a plate of fresh salad with greens and strawberries, standing at a wooden table beside a delicious turkey salad sandwich.

Hi! I'm Melissa.

I create easy, dairy free recipes because I know how hard living without milk can be. I believe you can live a completely satisfying life without dairy, and I want to teach you how.

Read more about me

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5 from 1 vote

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1 Comment

  1. Chloe says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely fire the sauce makes it and I had fried green tomatoes on mine 🤤🤤🤤

    Reply