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The secret is a zesty sauce!

If you can't make it down to New Orleans for an authentic shrimp po'boy, don't worry—this recipe is the next best thing! Piled high with crispy fried shrimp on crusty French bread slathered with a zesty, spicy mayo, it's the ultimate dinner sandwich that's just as delicious as cheeseburgers and hoagies. If you're a fan of shrimp recipes, this is definitely one to try!

Why is it called a po'boy?

Shortened from "poor boy," the name po'boy became attached to this delicious sandwich when it rose to fame during a streetcar conductors' strike in New Orleans in the late 1920s. Originally intended as an inexpensive lunch that jazzed up  leftover bread with flavorful toppings, po'boys—especially shrimp po'boys—have grown in popularity since their humble beginnings.

While oyster po'boys and roast beef po'boys with "debris" (gravy) are delicious, it's hard to beat a po'boy loaded with golden fried shrimp. It can be tricky to find authentic, crusty yet tender po'boy bread outside of New Orleans (pro tip: you can often find similar bread at Vietnamese grocery stores), but you can substitute French bread (the soft kind, not baguettes). Aside from the crispy fried shrimp, po'boys are loaded with shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and, of course, that special sauce.

What's in po' boy sauce?

This po'boy sauce is based on a French-Cajun classic, remoulade. It's super easy to make—just spice up your favorite mayonnaise with some Creole seasoning and mustard, along with capers, hot sauce, horseradish, lemon, garlic, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Like everything Cajun, it's full of flavor and great with any kind of seafood, or for dipping fries into!

coarse grain or Creole mustard

Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying

medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

hoagie rolls or 6-inch pieces of French bread, split lengthwise 

Use an instant read thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temperature when frying the shrimp, and adjust the heat of the stove as needed.