Shrimp Po’ Boy

Shrimp po boy sandwiches are a tribute to our honeymoon that started in New Orleans. We learned not all Po Boys are fried, and the shrimp sandwiches tossed with garlic butter became our favorite. These are your new favorite skillet dinner for two, made in just 30 minutes.

Shrimp po boy sandwiches

I have a prediction for you: For the foreseeable future, all of my Dinner For Two recipes will be inspired by the meals we had on our honeymoon.

On our honeymoon, we visited: New Orleans, Birmingham, Alabama, Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina. The food of New Orleans sticks out in my mind the most, probably because after one heck of a wedding day on Saturday and then an 8-hour drive to New Orleans on Sunday, you work up quite an appetite.

New Orleans was where we first relaxed and ‘let it all go.’ We dropped our suitcases, and promptly headed downstairs to the Carousel bar (we stayed at the Monteleone on Royal). We fueled up on Sazeracs, and headed out to the streets hungry, mostly in search of authentic New Orleans Beignets, of course.

I didn’t plan too many of our New Orleans meals ahead of time, because I knew that almost everything would be delicious. It turns out, we didn’t have a bad po’ boy in that town.  We also learned that not all po’ boys are fried.  Our favorites contained seafood sauteed in a garlic butter sauce, like these shrimp po boy sandwiches you see here. Some po boys also contain nothing but gravy and french fries, and we recommend at least one of those in your life!

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Authentic New Orleans Shrimp Po Boys

These buttery shrimp sandwiches are the perfect weekend lunch that remind me of my favorite authentic New Orleans po boy. Yes, most shrimp po boy sandwiches are fried, but they definitely don’t have to be. We had plenty that were not fried. We also learned that if your po boy shop doesn’t have oyster po boys that day, it’s because he didn’t buy any at the dock that morning. The oysters probably weren’t up to his standards, so always trust your sandwich maker and buy the special po boy of the day.

The spicy Creole mayonnaise is a flavorful addition to this shrimp po boy sandwich that makes up for the fact that the shrimp aren’t fried. The crispy bun also helps with that, too. You can use any leftover Creole seasoning on my instant pot Cajun chicken pasta, of course! I also love Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning sprinkled over my instant pot potato salad. Cajun seasoning has so many uses in the kitchen; buy a bottle and enjoy it in many things!

Shrimp Po Boy Ingredients

• wheat sandwich rolls: If you can find Mexican bolillo rolls, I think they make the best sandwiches. If not, any long hoagie-style roll works!
• butter
• mayonnaise
• Creole seasoning: I reach for Tony Chachere brand of Creole seasoning, and I believe it can be found in the spice section of almost any well-stocked grocery store. I’ve lived all over the U.S., and I’ve never had trouble finding it in any state.
• shrimp: Buy the clean, deveined and tail-less shrimp that are on the smaller side, like 31-50 shrimp per pound. You only need a half pound for this recipe.
• garlic
• lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• chives: for garnish

Shrimp Po Boy Sauce

The best sauce for a po boy is a spicy mayonnaise sauce. I blend mayonnaise with Creole seasoning, and that’s it! Just 2 ingredients!

How to Make a Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich

1. This is a one-skillet recipe that you make while the bread toasts in the oven; it’s so easy! First, slice your bread rolls open, and toast in a toaster oven or oven at a low temperature. Check them after 4-5 minutes, don’t let them get overly crisp.
   
2. Next, make the Creole mayonnaise by measuring out the seasoning and stirring it into the mayonnaise. I use olive oil mayo, for reference, because I think it has the cleanest, brightest flavor.
   
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When the butter is sizzling, stir in the garlic and shrimp.
   
4. When the shrimp is cooked, in about 4-5 minutes, turn off the heat.
5. Assemble the sandwiches by spreading both sides generously with Creole mayo, topping it with shrimp, and then piling in lettuce, tomatoes, and freshly snipped chives.

Other easy shrimp dinner ideas:

• Shrimp Fried Rice
• Lemon Risotto with Shrimp
• Garlic Butter Shrimp

Continue to Content

Yield: 2

Shrimp Po Boy

Print

Unfried shrimp po boy sandwiches, with spicy Creole mayonnaise.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 wheat sandwich rolls*
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Cajun Creole seasoning
• 8 ounces shrimp, cleaned and tails removed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic, fresh, chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• Chives, chopped, to taste
• Tomato, chopped, to taste

Instructions

1. Split the wheat rolls and butter the insides with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Toast the bread in a toaster oven or in a low oven for just 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't get too crisp.
2. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise and Cajun seasoning and set aside.
3. Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining butter to the skillet. When it starts to sizzle, add the shrimp and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. After 1 minute, stir the shrimp and let them cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Do not overcook. When done, add the lemon juice and stir.
4. Assemble sandwiches: To each side of the bread, spread the mayonnaise mixture. Top with lettuce, shrimp, then onionsand tomatoes. Serve hot.

Notes

wheat sandwich rolls: If you can find Mexican bolillo rolls, I think they make the best sandwiches. If not, any long hoagie-style roll works!
Creole seasoning: I reach for Tony Chachere brand of Creole seasoning, and I believe it can be found in the spice section of almost any well-stocked grocery store. I've lived all over the U.S., and I've never had trouble finding it in any state.
shrimp: Buy the clean, deveined and tail-less shrimp that are on the smaller side, like 31-50 shrimp per pound. You only need a half pound for this recipe.
chives: optional, for garnish

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1208Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 285mgSodium: 2929mgCarbohydrates: 151gFiber: 26gSugar: 3gProtein: 59g

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