No food captures the spirit of Louisiana quite like the poboy.
The history of this famous and beloved sandwich is debated, but one of the most popular stories claims that the Martin brothers invented the recipe in New Orleans to feed striking streetcar drivers in 1929. These sandwiches quickly caught on throughout the region, and the Louisiana poboy was born.
This Louisiana staple varies depending on the restaurant and town, but typically, a classic poboy includes toasted French bread stuffed with some type of fried meat, and the sandwich is “dressed” with tomatoes, romaine lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise and a generous spread of hot sauce for a Creole “kick.”
To help you recreate your favorite poboy, we’ve gathered some of the best poboy recipes around — keep reading to find the perfect variation for your next meal.
The essential poboy recipe, this sandwich combines crispy, melt-in-your-mouth shrimp drizzled with creamy remoulade sauce for some added tang.
The beauty of this classic down-home poboy is its simplicity. Start with New Orleans-style French bread rolls and fresh jumbo shrimp, and add butter, garlic, eggs, flour and Creole seasoning for spice. The remoulade sauce combines creamy mayonnaise and horseradish with hints of garlic and pepper for a zesty finish. Add spoonfuls of pickle relish and lime for even more classic flavor.
For a twist on the classic sandwich, try cooking up a chicken poboy. Balancing butter-fried chicken breast with homemade tartar sauce, this recipe is sure to impress family and guests alike.
This poboy is all about the sauce — use a blender or food processor to cream cayenne pepper, parsley, mustard, dill pickle, scallion and mayo together to create the perfect dressing for your favorite sandwich. Breadcrumbs and butter keep the chicken crispy, and crunchy lettuce and ripe tomatoes add a fresh profile to this delicious sandwich.
Try this variation for the days where you want the flavor of a classic poboy without all the calories. The original poboy drips with butter — to cut back on the dairy, try sautéing the shrimp instead of frying it. This hearty alternative is filled with herbs and spices, giving it a flavor-filled finish.
Topped with a heaping portion of herb buttermilk slaw, this sandwich has enough fresh flavors to satisfy even the most dedicated poboy connoisseur. To cut down on carbs even more, choose a large baguette and hollow out the inside to make a kind of bread boat. Not only does this pack the sandwich with flavor, but it also reduces caloric intake.
Follow this recipe for a healthier take on the classic poboy!
You always need a little more seafood in your life. This recipe combines shrimp and tilapia for a filling poboy with a rich, savory flavor.
Let the fish and shrimp sit in milk for a few minutes to increase creaminess. For a smooth dressing, combine garlic, lemon juice and mayonnaise then spread generously. Spread each side of the bread with the sauce and top with tomato, lettuce and the hot sauce of your choice.
You could substitute almost any type of fish to vary the taste, but whatever kind you choose, you can be sure that this will be a delicious addition to your menu.
For an extra kick, try this Cajun twist on the poboy.
This recipe uses shrimp as its base, but the sauce is the real star of this sandwich. Combine paprika, mayo, mustard, relish, cayenne pepper and hot sauce for an extra-spicy dressing that takes this poboy to the next level. If needed, you can refrigerate the sauce until you’re ready to make the sandwiches, which makes this recipe great for the days when you need to plan ahead.
If you don’t have access to New Orleans French bread, you can substitute Italian or hoagie rolls for a similarly hearty sandwich.
If you can get your hands on fresh oysters, this upscale oyster poboy is a guaranteed showstopper.
The key to this poboy is soaking the oysters in milk before frying them. This gives the shellfish an added creaminess and makes sure that they have a crispy shell with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth center. The spicy remoulade sauce is a rich combination of mayo, mustard, garlic, pickle juice, capers, cayenne and horseradish. Add a dash of your favorite hot sauce to the remoulade to give these sandwiches a personal and spicy touch.
For the crab-lovers in your life, try this mouth-watering crab poboy recipe.
Combining mayonnaise, crab and Old Bay seasoning, this sandwich transports you to the shoreline with fresh, seaside flavors. Crisp celery adds a satisfying crunch, and a squeeze of lemon gives this poboy a distinct, refreshing and light taste. Make sure to keep the paprika in the remoulade sauce — it gives the key flavor!
You might have to live in the Deep South to make this poboy. Centered around fried alligator meat, this specialty sandwich is easy to make if you have access to fresh gator.
Once you find alligator steak, the recipe resembles a classic poboy — shredded lettuce, juicy tomatoes, Cajun seasoning and plenty of mayo in the remoulade sauce. Add a teaspoon of Everglades all-purpose seasoning for a real taste of the bayou.
For a truly unique poboy experience, buy some gator next time you’re at the market — you can even use alligator sausage for a darker meat filling.
Another Southern classic, crawfish meat has a distinct flavor — similar in taste to lobster or crab, it has a slightly chewier texture than shrimp. But this freshwater crustacean has a special place in traditional Louisiana dishes, from gumbo to crawfish étoufée.
The poboy is no exception. In this crawfish poboy recipe, you fry the crustaceans in a pale ale batter to give the sandwich a robust and crisp flavor. Finish with a spicy tartar sauce for a perfect Louisiana-style poboy.
If you prefer your sandwiches without meat, try this vegetable-stuffed poboy. A variety of fresh garden veggies gives this poboy a complex, flavorful taste, and it has enough variety to please even the pickiest eater.
The secret to this recipe is grilled asparagus — this gives the sandwich smoky, charred undertones, and brings out the juice in the vegetables. Add some goat cheese for a gourmet touch, or if you want a vegan alternative, substitute cashew cheese for a creamy spread.
For a rich and savory sandwich, look no further than a roast beef poboy. The roast brings a juicy, filling center to the sandwich, and when paired with a savory gravy-like sauce, the resulting sandwich is a perfect combination of heartiness and creaminess.
To get the most out of your roast, let it simmer for about three hours after it has been seared. The meat will absorb the flavors of garlic and pepper, and to finish the poboy, layer the sandwich with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and pickles before serving.
Try a catfish poboy for a taste of the river. In this recipe, the sauce has both mustard and mayo, which gives the sandwich a touch of spice. Before frying, coat the fish in a mixture of flour, bread crumbs, cornmeal, garlic and Cajun seasoning for a genuine Louisiana taste.
Once the fish has fried, stuff it into crisp French bread or hoagie rolls and topped with a spoonful of crisp coleslaw. Add some banana peppers, cherry tomato halves and a lemon wedge, and it’s ready to serve!
Fry some green tomatoes for a meatless poboy alternative. With a crunchy coating and a soft center, these delicious tomatoes will make you forget you’re biting into vegetables.
Tomatoes aren’t the only green ingredient in this poboy — layer in a few avocado slices to add a refreshing and creamy flavor to the sandwich. Add bacon, lettuce and tomatoes for a BLT-twist, and don’t forget the Creole-inspired remoulade sauce. Stuff everything into six-inch-long baguettes and your tomato sandwiches are done!
For another version of a meatless poboy, substitute meat for crispy fried tofu. The light flavor of tofu absorbs hot Cajun seasonings, creating a vegetarian sandwich with all the spice and deliciousness of a classic po’boy.
For a crispy filling, use super firm tofu and press it beforehand to remove excess water. Swap out traditional mayo for a vegan mayonnaise for a dairy-free coleslaw. If you want something different than typical French bread, try this poboy with buttery pretzel rolls.
This take on the classic poboy features grilled pork patties and a creamy mayonnaise sauce filled with pickles, shallot and spoon-full of mustard.
The grilled pork is tender and juicy, and when combined with crisp lettuce, tomatoes and spicy hot sauce, the result is a stuffed sandwich bursting with flavor. This recipe won’t take too much time, either — once the grill is hot, the pork only takes about eight minutes to cook through.
This shrimp sandwich is anything but basic. This poboy combines crispy fried shrimp with spicy buffalo sauce for a unique take on the classic poboy recipe.
For a lighter alternative to traditional mayonnaise-based sauces, try using a bleu cheese or gorgonzola dressing — it gives you the perfect amount of creaminess without the heaviness of the classic dressings. This recipe also swaps coconut oil for butter to reduce the dairy content. Tangy and tender, this poboy is sure to be a favorite.
Combining buttery lobster with a stunning remoulade sauce, this lobster poboy recipe is a guaranteed success.
Season fresh lobster with garlic powder and hot sauce for a layer of spice. The sauce blends a wide variety of ingredients including mustard, mayonnaise, paprika, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce to create a creamy and refreshing spread. Toast your bread, spread the sauce and finish the sandwiches with romaine lettuce and cut tomatoes.
For a poboy with the warm taste of summer barbecue, try this recipe for BBQ shrimp poboys.
In this sandwich, the filling isn’t fried — instead, the shrimp simmer until cooked in a skillet filled with butter, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, cayenne and garlic. This keeps the shrimp tender and full of flavor. For barbecue shrimp poboys, you don’t need additional sauce — just spoon the shrimp and juice onto toasted French rolls for a perfect poboy that’s simultaneously crispy and juicy.
In this sandwich, delicious beer-braised smoked sausage is topped with grilled onions and a spicy mustard sauce for an authentic Cajun taste.
The beer gives both the sausage and the onions a full and robust flavor, and the mustard and mayo sauce brings the sandwich a slight kick of spice. The combination of sweet barbecue sauce and spicy mustard spread give the poboy a depth of hearty flavor. Pile onto a toasted poboy bun and pair with Cajun barbecue sauce for additional tang.
Tender pork roast is at the center of this poboy recipe. Combine with a Creole mayonnaise and refreshing coleslaw, and you have a sandwich that’s a guaranteed winner.
The key to this cochon de lait poboy is to put your roast in a slow cooker for seven to eight hours before preparation. This allows the meat to soak up flavor and keeps it moist and juicy. Once the pork begins to fall apart and shreds easily, pile it onto warm bread slathered with a tangy mayo sauce and crisp coleslaw for the ideal poboy experience.
For a more portable spin on a classic po’boy, try making some poboy sliders.
These small sandwiches are filled with fried shrimp and doused in a creamy remoulade sauce. Topped with fresh lettuce and tomatoes, these sliders are the perfect food to bring to a party or event. Use your favorite hot sauce in the remoulade to control the level of spice — depending on your guests, you may need to make it more or less spicy.
Once you try them, you’ll definitely add these mini-poboys to your menu rotation!
Avocados are taking over menus around the country, and for good reason — the creamy fruit adds a rich and smooth note to just about any dish.
For this sandwich, avocados are mixed with hot sauce and salt until they have a paste consistency. Spread the avocado mixture on one side of the hot roll, fill with warm sautéed shrimp and spread mayonnaise on the other side of the sandwich.
For a classic poboy with a fresh and modern twist, try an avocado shrimp poboy for your next meal.
For a genuine Louisiana lunch, nothing beats a warm and crispy po’boy. Why settle for less than the best?
At Milford’s on Third, we combine the freshness of a New York delicatessen with the warmth of our Southern roots. Stop by and taste one of our many lunch options, ranging from hot matzo ball soup to our signature sandwiches. We offer two distinct poboys — the Hot Sausage Poboy and the Third Street.
The Hot Sausage Poboy combines juicy split green onion sausage link with the classic poboy toppings of lettuce, tomato and a mayonnaise spread. Our Third Street poboy is piled with tender roasted round and layered with provolone, pickles, mayo and gravy for a savory and rich favor.
With daily-made, mouth-watering sandwiches, we always have something new to try. Stop by Milford’s on Third for your next Baton Rouge poboy — you won’t be disappointed!
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