This shrimp po' boy recipe is piled high with seasoned shrimp served on crispy toasted French rolls, topped with creamy Cajun remoulade sauce. So easy to make!

Shrimp Po' Boy Recipe
If you've never tried a Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich, I'm glad you found this recipe because it's going to change your life. Dramatic, I know. But true!
I tried my first po' boy down in New Orleans just before Mardi Gras and frankly fell in love with it. It's a simple sandwich, really, nothing complicated about it. But it's the perfect bite.
Every ingredient works together perfectly. Crunchy. Flavorful. Satisfying.
One taste and it is obvious why the sandwich recipe has lasted so very long.
What is a Po' Boy?
A po' boy is a sandwich made popular in Louisiana. It is usually made with roast beef or seafood served on a baguette or crispy French bread. The name "po' boy" is the shortened version of "poor boy", a name attributed to a 1929 strike in New Orleans.
The story goes that restaurant owners, Benny and Clovis Martin, served up free sandwiches to striking streetcar workers. The restaurant staff jokingly referred to the sandwiches as "poor boys", a name which stuck and became shortened to "po' boys".
Some historians dispute this story, but it's the one I heard during my trip to New Orleans, so I'm sharing it here.
What Meats Go On a Po' Boy Sandwich?
Popular meats for po' boy sandwiches include roast beef, shrimp, oysters, crawfish, fish or crab. While the seafood is typically fried, the sandwiches can be made by blackening, grilling, or pan frying the meats.
My particular recipe calls for grilling, as my goal is to keep the sandwich on the lighter side, though you can certainly fry the shrimp if you'd like with a coating of flour and cornmeal until golden brown. It's great either way.
Shrimp is easy to grill and cooks up quickly, making this recipe one of our favorites.
Let's talk about how to make shrimp po boy sandwiches, shall we?
I got your grilled shrimp po' boy sandwich right here!
Shrimp Po Boy Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Shrimp. You can use frozen, thawed.
- Seasonings. Use a Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning blend.
- Vegetable Oil.
- French Sandwich Rolls. Or use baguettes.
- Shredded Iceberg Lettuce.
- Tomato. Sliced.
- FOR THE REMOULADE / Po Boy Sauce
- Mayonnaise.
- Sriracha. Or use chili sauce.
- Mustard. I prefer spicy brown or Creole mustard.
- Prepared Horseradish.
- Worcestershire Sauce.
- Jalapeno.
- Shallot.
- Garlic.
- Lemon Juice.
- Spices. Cajun or Creole seasonings, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Hot Sauce. Use your favorite.
How to Make a Shrimp Po' Boy - the Recipe Method
Seasoning. First, season your shrimp with a good helping of Cajun or Creole Seasonings. You can usually find these at your local grocer in the seasonings aisle, or you can try either of my homemade Cajun seasoning recipe or homemade Creole seasoning recipe. You can also try my shrimp marinade recipe.
Cook the Shrimp. Heat a grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the shrimp a couple minutes per side, until they are cooked through. You can also cook the shrimp on the stove in a grill pan or sauté them in a regular pan.
Toast the French Rolls. While the shrimp is grilling, lightly toast your French rolls. They are best when they are crispy on the outside but nice and soft on the inside.
Make the Po' Boys. Pile the grilled shrimp onto the buns along with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced peppers (optional, I like to include them).
Sauce it Up. Finally, drizzle them with a creamy Cajun remoulade sauce that really nails the flavor. So delicious.
Add a bit of hot sauce, too! Crystal hot sauce preferred for Cajun cooking!

About the Cajun Remoulade Sauce
A good Cajun cream sauce is key to this recipe. You want that extra moisture and flavor to top it all off. I like to make my own Cajun remoulade, which consists of a base of mayo, sriracha, mustard and horseradish, along with a mixture of piquant spices.
You can whip it together in minutes by stirring or whisking all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. You can also customize it with extra sriracha, adding in hot sauce, different seasonings, etc. Go ahead and make it your own.

It is perfect for seafood like shrimp, fried oysters, crab cakes, white fish, and YES, po' boy sandwiches. Very versatile and easy to make your own.
Check out my homemade Cajun remoulade sauce recipe or my homemade tartar sauce recipe.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your shrimp po' boy sandwich! Definitely one of my favorites! Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Seasonings. If you're unable to find Cajun or Creole seasonings, use a blackening seasoning blend. Or, use a simple blend of paprika and/or cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and oregano.
- Po' Boy Variations. As a variation, make this with grilled or smoked oysters. Talk about delicious. You can also make it with grilled, blackened or pan seared fish, particularly catfish, which is popular in Louisiana. There are many ways to adjust this shrimp po boy recipe.
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftover shrimp in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days. You can gently reheat in a pan on the stovetop to make more sandwiches with fresh toasted rolls.
Store any leftover remoulade for up to 1 month in a sealed container in the fridge.
Need Cajun side dish ideas for your po' boy sandwich?
Try Some of My Popular Recipes
Try Some of My Other Shrimp Recipes

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Shrimp Po' Boy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2-3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning blend (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 French sandwich rolls or use baguettes
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 1 jalapeno pepper thinly sliced (optional for some spiciness)
FOR THE REMOULADE
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sriracha or use chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard or use Creole mustard
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish I used HOT
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 jalapeno pepper minced
- 1 small shallot minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced (or use garlic powder)
- Juice from half a lemon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning blend
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- First, season your shrimp with a good helping of Cajun or Creole Seasonings.
- Heat a grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the shrimp a couple minutes per side, until they are cooked through. Alternatively, cook the shrimp on the stove top in a grill pan, or saute them in a large oiled pan.
- While the shrimp is grilling, lightly toast your French rolls. They are best when they are crispy on the outside but nice and soft on the inside.
- Pile the grilled shrimp onto the buns along with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced peppers (optional, I like to include them).
- Finally, drizzle them with a creamy Cajun remoulade sauce that really nails the flavor. So delicious.
- FOR THE REMOULADE
- Whisk or mix all of the remoulade ingredients together in a medium bowl. Or, process them together in a blender or food processor. Use as needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/16/20 to include new information. It was originally published on 5/8/2019.
Pat says
Made this tonight for something different and we all loved it. I also used Dijon mustard because I had it in the frig. Held back about half the cayenne peper and served Crystal Hot Sauce on the side to hd down the heat a little from those who don't like it as spicy. For the remoulade I just chucked the onion and jalapenos and put all the ingredients in the container for our stick blender and blended it all up in a few seconds. we will make this again. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Mike H. says
I am so glad to read that you've customized it to your preference, Pat. Well done and thanks a lot for sharing your experience with the recipe!
Roger Lewis says
Great recipe, sauce brilliant, photo not so good. ,
Mike Hultquist says
LOL.
equus says
Oh my stars!!! This was amazing!
Mike H. says
Haha, thank you, Equus - enjoy!
Dawn Sobel says
Made this tonight for our dinner I didn’t change a thing. My husband said you gotta make that again. I’m so glad I found the recipe. I know I’ll pay a small price for the sodium but it was worth it.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Dawn! You can work in some salt alternatives. Plus, my recipe card calculator isn't always the best.
Anthony Boydston says
Hello Mike, We made your Po-Boy recipe and it came out great. We didn't have the Siracha, so we used a chopped red pepper sauce in the sauce.
Mike Hultquist says
Great to hear, Anthony! Very happy you enjoyed it! Thanks!
Lynn says
This was delicious! Husband wants This on our monthly rotation. Only thing I changed was the mustard. Didn't have spicy brown so used Dijon. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear! Thanks, Lynn! Best to your husband.
Lois says
So good! We really liked the remoulade. It gave a nice continuing heat. When you thought it was done it gave you a nice little zap again.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Lois. I appreciate it. Yes, got a bit heat there! I love it.
Jérémie says
I'm a sandwich lover. It's funny: I just used your recipe, this week, before you updated it. Love the po'boy! Sooooo good!!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jeremie! Yes, I love these so much!
Jason says
Thanks so much for this Mike! Every once in a while I crave these but no where around here serves them...not even the ubiquitous lobster chain restaurant if which we have a couple or the crab boil place...which is just weird to me. Who doesn't like a shrimp po'boy? They're perfect for the hot weather we've been having. I definitely need to make this ASAP and I have to try your remoulade too. I'd much rather make what I need and use the condiments I have instead of buying another container that I have to find room for.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes, perfect, Jason! We really love this recipe. I love a good po' boy sammich. So good!