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These lighter Shrimp Po Boys with Avocado Mango Slaw are a game changer.
I know thatโs saying kind of a lot, but honestly, these are really good. So much flavor, so many textures, and actually pretty good for us too, for real. Instead of breading and frying the shrimp, like in a traditional po boy, I seared them in a skillet with lots of spices and a little olive oil. Sure, theyโre not breaded and fried, but I swear all the favor is still there and I actually think I prefer the shrimp minus the bread. I mean, you can really taste all the spices this way.
And then as if the shrimp was not enough, I of course had to add a slaw. But a sweeter one to balance out the spices, because you know thatโs the way I like to do things. Sweet and spicy. Always and forever.
I feel like I have been excited to share these po boys with you for weeks. I mean, I only made them a week ago, but Iโve been thinking them up for a while now, and with Mardi Gras approaching I figured now was the time to share! Plus, itโs Wednesday, and Wednesdays usually need a sandwich like this one. I mean, whatโs not to love about a loaded, healthified shrimp po boy mid-week?!
I know Iโm all about it. Obviously.
Normally, Iโm not big on making sandwiches, but only because I always have such a hard time photographing them. I dunno why, but theyโre just really tricky for me. BUT, I decided these po boys were worth the stress of trying to make the photos work. As it turned out,ย they actually werenโt that badโฆbonus! I blame the pretty avocado and mango slaw. They made my day a lot easierโฆand more delicious!
Sidenote: I also avoid hamburger recipes because oh my gosh, I cannot take a pretty photo of a burger for the life of me. Plus, my thought on the burger is that itโs pretty good as is. Bun, meat, plenty of cheese, hopefully an avocado, and finish with a bun. Some things just donโt need to be messed withโฆalthough I doโฆand Iโm sure will continue to do so. ๐
Anyway, back to these yummy po boys.
The shrimp is seasoned up with a little creole seasoning, which I think is probably the star of the spices, that andย the smoked paprika. The two together add an insane amount of flavor. I also add a lot of cayenne for an extra hit of heat, so be warned, the shrimp is spicy. If youโre not into spicy, just tone down the amount of cayenne in the shrimp.
Seeing as I made the shrimp spicy, I wanted to balance the heat with a sweet slaw. You guys know that I am mango obsessed and the combo of shrimp + mango + avocado, was just too good to pass up. It might not be classic southern style, but hey, itโs really freaking good.
To keep things on the light and healthy side, I like to used greek yogurt in place of mayo. Again, not traditional, but you really cannot tell the difference, and if Iโm being honest, I really hate mayoโฆbut my brother, who may or may not be reading this, loves mayo and begs me to make him YUM YUM sauce to eatย with this Korean BBQ every time heโs in town. <โ I am determined to fool him one day with a mayo-less YUM YUM sauce. Hee, hee, heeโฆhope heโs not reading!
Possibly the best part about this recipe thoughโฆthe fact that it is SO easy. Iโm talking dinner in under thirty minutes. YESSS. If you want, you can prep the shrimp in the morning and let it marinate all day for added flavor, but itโs definitely not necessary.
So, what do you think? After yesterdayโs pizza on Facebook Live, healthy Po Boys tonight?
Yes, yes, letโs!
Lighter Shrimp Po Boys with Avocado Mango Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled
- 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 whole wheat hoagie rolls
Avocado Mango Slaw
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 mango, thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 1 avocado, diced or sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or basil, chopped
Instructions
- 1. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, creole, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and olive oil. Let sit while you make the slaw or place in the fridge up to overnight. 2. Make the slaw. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, hot sauce, lemon juice, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust spices to your liking. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, mango, avocado, and cilantro. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the yogurt sauce, gently tossing to combine. Reserve the remaining yogurt for serving. 4. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook, stirring once or twice until the shrimp have turned pink and are cooked through. 5. To assemble. Divide the shrimp among the hoagie rolls and drizzle with yogurt sauce. Top with slaw. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
ps. My brother is majorly shaking his head at me for using yogurt in place of mayo. <โsorry not sorry.
Followed the recipe as written and it was unbearably spicy. It has good potential but I would recommend reducing some of the cayenne and hot sauce (and I can handle heat!)
Hi Christie,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was spicy! xTieghan