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This roasted shrimp po’ boy recipe is a quicker, easier version of the classic New Orleans sandwich! There’s no need for messy deep-frying, and instead the shrimp cooks in the oven in about 5 minutes. Add zesty, creamy remoulade sauce, along with pickles, lettuce, and tomato on crusty French bread, and you’ve got a delicious Cajun-inspired lunch or dinner with very little effort!
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Hearty sandwiches like Sloppy Joes, crab rolls, and bratwurst sandwiches can be a quick, easy, satisfying, and crowd-pleasing meal at any time of day. Fortunately, you don’t have to travel to NOLA to enjoy one of our favorite sandwiches: a shrimp po’ boy!
Instead, this delicious combination of plump, zesty, tender Cajun shrimp and creamy remoulade sauce comes together on a toasted roll in about 30 minutes. Best of all, you can skip the hassle of messy, time-consuming, crispy fried shrimp, and instead let the oven do the work!
What is in a traditional po-boy?
A po’ boy (also called a po-boy or po boy) is a traditional sandwich from Louisiana. It typically includes a meat filling, such as roast beef, baked ham, Louisiana hot sausage, fried chicken, or fried seafood, like shrimp, crawfish, crab, oysters, or catfish.
What is a shrimp po boy made of?
In addition to the meat or fried seafood in a traditional po boy, the sandwich also includes New Orleans French bread (or “po’ boy bread”), which is known for its crispy exterior and soft, fluffy inside. Since it’s hard to get “New Orleans French bread” outside of Louisiana, you can use a similar store-bought French bread here, which tends to have a somewhat softer crust than a classic baguette (although the chewier baguette would also be fine).
A “dressed” po boy usually includes shredded lettuce (we love cool, crisp, iceberg lettuce in this sandwich!), sliced tomatoes, sliced dill pickles, and a sauce to bring it all together.
What is po-boy sauce made of?
There are a variety of options when it comes to your po boy sauce. Here I’ve shown a homemade remoulade sauce, which is a mayonnaise-based dressing with mustard, pickle relish, paprika, Cajun or Creole seasoning, horseradish, hot sauce, and more. While it’s very easy to whisk together, you can also take a shortcut and purchase a bottle of store-bought remoulade sauce.
Other good sauce options for your shrimp po’ boy sandwiches include mayonnaise (Duke’s brand is our favorite), cool and creamy buttermilk dressing, melted butter, Louisiana hot sauce, gravy, and Creole mustard. You might also like to make a simple spicy mustard by stirring a little bit of hot sauce into your mayo.
Why is it called a shrimp po boy?
The derivation of the term po’ boy isn’t clear. A popular New Orleans theory claims that the “poor boy” (later shortened to “po’ boy”), was first named by Bennie and Clovis Martin, who owned a New Orleans restaurant that served streetcar workers these free sandwiches during a four-month long strike in 1929.
Others believe that the Martins created these sandwiches for farmers, dock workers, and other “poor boys” who frequented their original location near the French Market.
Ingredients for a Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a roasted shrimp po’ boy recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Creole or Cajun seasoning: these two spice blends are not the same, but either will work fine in this recipe. Creole seasoning tends to be a bit more mild than Cajun seasoning, since Cajun seasoning features an array of ground peppers (such as black, white, and cayenne), while Creole seasoning is more herbal (with oregano, thyme, rosemary, and paprika). Use whatever you prefer!
- Lemon juice: a fresh, acidic note that brightens up the shrimp.
- Olive oil: the fat is an important component in the shrimp marinade, since it helps transfer fat-soluble flavors into the shellfish. The oil also helps the shrimp retain moisture as it cooks, and keeps the acidic flavors from overwhelming the dish.
- Shrimp: any size shrimp will work! We love plump, tender, “Jumbo” shrimp (about 16-20 count per pound), but smaller medium shrimp are also great. You’ll just need to adjust the total baking time depending on the size of your shrimp, since the smaller shrimp will cook a little bit faster.
- French bread: I buy a loaf of soft French bread in the bakery section at my grocery store, which weighs about 13-16 ounces. You can use a baguette, sub rolls, or any similar crusty bread with a soft inside.
- Lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, and hot sauce: toppings that add extra flavor and fresh texture to the sandwich.
- Remoulade sauce: I’ve included instructions below for a homemade remoulade sauce, but you can also purchase a bottle of store-bought remoulade, or just dress your po boys with mayonnaise (or a spicy mayo made by adding hot sauce to the mayonnaise).
How to Make a Shrimp Po Boy
This recipe comes from Louisiana Cookin’ magazine, which blew my mind when it suggested that I could make my own shrimp po’boy at home without the mess of dredging in a cornmeal or all purpose flour mixture before deep-frying. There’s no need to work in batches over a hot stove, no need to drain the shrimp on paper towels, no need for a deep fryer, and no greasy splatter in your kitchen. Genius!
I’ve tweaked it slightly, but the idea is the same. You can never go wrong with marinated, roasted, Cajun shrimp on crusty bread with a creamy sauce — and minimal prep time!
- Toss together the shrimp, Creole or Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Stir together the remoulade sauce.
- Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet that’s greased with nonstick cooking spray.
- Roast the shrimp in a 450°F oven for 4-5 minutes, or until they’re pink and firm.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spreading the remoulade sauce on each piece of golden brown toasted bread. Add the roasted shrimp, and top with lettuce, tomato, and dill pickle chips. Serve with Crystal hot sauce on the side.
What Sides to Serve with Shrimp Po Boys
Here are some easy sides to serve with the sandwiches:
- Baked Potato Wedges, Potato Chips, or French Fries
- Hush Puppies
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Hoe Cakes
- Skillet Cornbread, Sweet Cornbread, Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Honey Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Sweet Cornbread Muffins, or Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
- Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Easy Potato Salad
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Tomato Salad
- Fried Corn or Summer Corn Salad
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Cucumber Salad with Vinegar, Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad, or Cucumber Dill Salad
- Southern Collard Greens
- Fried Okra
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Southern Squash Casserole
Storage
The cooked leftover shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Remoulade sauce will be fine in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up at least 1 week. Once assembled, the sandwiches should be enjoyed immediately. Otherwise the bread will get stale and soggy.
Recipe Variations for Shrimp Po’ Boy Sandwiches
- For a fried shrimp po’ boy, use this shrimp recipe. You might also like an oyster po’ boy using this recipe.
- Creole or Cajun seasoning will both work for this recipe, so use whichever you prefer. Creole seasoning tends to be a bit more mild than Cajun seasoning, since Cajun seasoning features an array of ground peppers (such as black, white, and cayenne), while Creole seasoning is more herbal (with oregano, thyme, rosemary, and paprika). Feel free to add extra flavor to your shrimp with even more garlic powder, onion powder, and/or cayenne pepper.
- If you can’t find a loaf of soft French bread at your grocery store’s bakery, feel free to substitute with French baguette, hoagie or sub rolls, or another crusty bread of your choice.
- Instead of a homemade remoulade sauce, take a shortcut and purchase a bottle of prepared remoulade. You might also prefer to dress your sandwiches with plain mayo, Creole mustard, or a spicy mayo made by adding hot sauce to regular mayonnaise.
- Any size shrimp (fresh or frozen) will work. We like Jumbo shrimp for their plump, meaty texture, but smaller shrimp are also great. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Tips for the Best Shrimp Po Boy Recipe
- Spread the inside of the bread with butter before toasting for maximum flavor! You can toast the bread in the same oven as your shrimp, put it in a toaster oven, or toast it on a griddle on the stovetop.
- Do not marinate the shrimp for more than about 1 hour (15-20 minutes is plenty). If seafood sits in the acidic marinade for too long, it will have a mushy texture when cooked.
- The Creole or Cajun seasoning typically includes salt, so wait to season your shrimp with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper until you taste it after roasting.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp. Smaller shrimp will cook faster, so keep an eye on them. When the shrimp are pink and firm, pull them out of the oven. Do not overcook the shrimp or they’ll be tough and chewy.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes to Try
New England Shrimp Rolls
15 minutes mins
Southern Shrimp and Grits Recipe
25 minutes mins
BBQ Shrimp {New Orleans Style}
23 minutes mins
Roasted Shrimp Po’ Boy
Ingredients
FOR THE PO’ BOYS
- 1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb. jumbo shrimp (16-20 count per pound), peeled and deveined
- 4 pieces of French bread, halved lengthwise (about 4-5 inches each) and lightly toasted
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 2 sliced tomatoes
- Sliced dill pickles
- Hot sauce, for serving
FOR THE REMOULADE SAUCE
- 1 cup mayonnaise (we prefer Duke’s mayo)
- 3 tablespoons Creole mustard (or sub with Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard, or stone-ground mustard)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 clove garlic, grated (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the shrimp, Creole or Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- While the shrimp marinate in the fridge, prepare the remoulade sauce. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the marinade; arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast the shrimp until they’re pink and firm, about 4-5 minutes.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spreading some of the remoulade sauce on each piece of lightly toasted bread. Add roasted shrimp, and top with lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Serve with hot sauce on the side.
Notes
- Spread the inside of the bread with butter before toasting for maximum flavor! You can toast the bread in the same oven as your shrimp, put it in the toaster oven, or toast it on a griddle on the stovetop.
- Do not marinate the shrimp for more than about 1 hour (15-20 minutes is plenty). If seafood sits in the acidic marinade for too long, it will have a mushy texture when cooked.
- The Creole or Cajun seasoning typically includes salt, so wait to season your shrimp with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper until you taste it after roasting.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp. Smaller shrimp will cook faster, so keep an eye on them. When the shrimp are pink and firm, pull them out of the oven. Do not overcook the shrimp or they’ll be tough and chewy.
- For a fried shrimp po’ boy, use this shrimp recipe. You might also like an oyster po’ boy using this recipe.
- Creole or Cajun seasoning will both work for this recipe, so use whichever you prefer. Creole seasoning tends to be a bit more mild than Cajun seasoning, since Cajun seasoning features an array of ground peppers (such as black, white, and cayenne), while Creole seasoning is more herbal (with oregano, thyme, rosemary, and paprika). Feel free to add extra flavor to your shrimp with even more garlic powder, onion powder, and/or cayenne pepper.
- If you can’t find a loaf of soft French bread at your grocery store’s bakery, feel free to substitute with French baguette, hoagie or sub rolls, or another crusty bread of your choice.
- Instead of a homemade remoulade sauce, take a shortcut and purchase a bottle of prepared remoulade. You might also prefer to dress your sandwiches with plain mayo, Creole mustard, or a spicy mayo made by adding hot sauce to regular mayonnaise.
- Any size shrimp (fresh or frozen) will work. We like Jumbo shrimp for their plump, meaty texture, but smaller shrimp are also great. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Recipe slightly adapted from Louisiana Cookin’ magazine.
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