I've never actually been to New Orleans. I want to put that out there before anyone accuses me of claiming authenticity I don't have. What I have done is eaten a lot of Po'Boys from many different places over the years, read way too many articles about what makes one "correct," and eventually just started making my own version at home because I got tired of waiting for someone else to make it for me.
This one's built around crispy buttermilk-fried shrimp, a peri-peri coleslaw that I'll admit isn't traditional but should be, and a French loaf that I hollow out slightly so it can actually hold everything without falling apart the second you pick it up. That last trick, by the way, is the one thing I'd tell you not to skip. More on that below.
## The Shrimp: Where All the Flavor Actually Comes From ##
The marination here is simple, but don't let that fool you into rushing it.
What you need:
- 10-12 shrimps
- 200 ml buttermilk
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tsp corn flour
Mix the buttermilk with the red chili powder and salt in a bowl until it's fully combined. Drop the shrimp in and let them sit for 15 minutes. I know 15 minutes doesn't sound like much, but buttermilk works fast on shrimp — any longer, and you risk the texture going a bit mushy.
While that's marinating, take your corn flour on a separate plate, season it with a bit of salt, and set it aside. Once the shrimp are done marinating, lift them out of the buttermilk, coat them in the corn flour, and fry on medium flame until they turn a proper golden crispy brown. Medium flame matters here — too high and the coating browns before the shrimp actually cooks through.
## The Peri-Peri Mayo (This Is the Part People Ask About) ##
Take 2 tsp mayonnaise and 1 tsp peri-peri powder, then mix until smooth. That's it. It sounds too simple to matter, but this is genuinely what makes this sandwich taste like more than "fried shrimp in bread." I use this same mix as the base for the coleslaw, instead of plain mayo, so the tang and heat run through the whole sandwich rather than sitting on top.
## Building the Coleslaw ##
- 100g chopped cabbage
- Half a medium carrot, shredded
Mix the cabbage and carrot into the peri-peri mayo mixture until everything's coated. I like mine a little chunky rather than finely shredded — it holds up better inside the sandwich and doesn't turn watery as fast.
## Assembling the Sandwich ##
Here's where the small technique I mentioned earlier comes in.
Cut your French loaf (or a sub roll, if that's what you've got) in half lengthwise. Take one half and, using a fork, carefully scoop out a bit of the soft bread from the middle to create a shallow well. This isn't complicated, but it's the difference between a sandwich that holds together and one that squeezes everything out the sides the moment you bite into it.
Fill that hollowed-out section with the coleslaw, then add some boiled corn on top of that. Place your crispy shrimp over the corn, followed by a cheese slice and a good handful of green lettuce. Spread coleslaw on the other half of the loaf too, then close the sandwich.
Press down gently, cut it if you're sharing (you probably won't want to), and eat it while the shrimp are still warm and crispy. This one doesn't sit well for long, so it's very much a "make it right before you eat it" kind of sandwich.
## Key Notes ##
If you don't have a French loaf, any sturdy sub roll works, but avoid anything too soft — it won't hold up once the coleslaw and shrimp go in.
The hollowing-out step feels like an extra step you can skip, but I promise it's the reason this sandwich doesn't fall apart in your hands the way a lot of loaded sandwiches do.
If you like more heat, add a bit more peri-peri powder to the mayo mix rather than adding hot sauce on top later — it distributes the spice more evenly through the coleslaw so it doesn't just sit in one bite.
I've had a few people swap the shrimp for crispy fried chicken strips when they didn't have seafood on hand, and it holds up surprisingly well with the same coleslaw and mayo. Not a Po'Boy anymore at that point, technically, but still good.
Let me know if you try this one, and if buttermilk-fried shrimp becomes as much of an obsession for you as it has for me.
Prefer to watch it come together? Check out the full video below where I make this Shrimp Po'Boy step by step — it's the easiest way to see the exact texture and technique before you try it yourself.
