Toriano Gordon, the owner and creator of the Vegan Mob restaurant, pulls out all the stops with this vegan fried shrimp recipe. It comes from his new cookbook Vegan Mob: Vegan BBQ & Soul Food, which was put together with the help of Korsha Wilson.

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Summer is in full swing, and this is the perfect vegan BBQ recipe. Whether you’re welcoming friends over the weekend or simply feeding the family, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

The extensive recipe shows you how to create each element from scratch — except for the French rolls. There’s nothing quite like a recipe you can reuse over and over. And the elements in this vegan fried shrimp po’ boy recipe prove that.

You’ll learn how to make your vegan shrimp exactly as the restaurant serves it. Since vegan seafood has taken off worldwide, you’ll easily be able to find brands online or in-store to use in this recipe. Moreover, you’ll discover how to make beloved sides like the Creamy Cajun Mob Sauce and Tasha’s Slaw. These sides are fabulous additions to any type of soul food or BBQ dish that suits those flavors. Trust us, you’ll come back to this recipe again and again.

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Vegan fried shrimp

Made in honor of a friend, this classic fried shrimp po' boy is one of the original recipes on the Vegan Mob menu and is a filling soul food treat. There are three elements to this dish: the vegan shrimp, Tasha's Slaw, and the Creamy Mob Sauce. Give this recipe a go if you're looking to expand your vegan BBQ and soul food repertoire.

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Servings

Ingredients

4 French rolls
5 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

Ragin Cajun Fried Shrimp (Serves 4)

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp Creole seasoning preferably Tony Chachere’s Original
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup water
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
2 10-ounce bag frozen vegan shrimp, preferably BeLeaf, defrosted
Vegetable oil for frying

Tasha’s Slaw (Makes 4 cups, serves 8)

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt plus more if needed
3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
½ head green or white cabbage thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2 carrots shredded on the medium side of a box grater or mandolin
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup sliced red onion

Creamy Cajun Mob Sauce (makes 2 cups)

1½ cups vegan mayonnaise
⅓ cup chili garlic sauce
¼ cup ketchup
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp Mob Sauce or any barbecue sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the Ragin Cajun Fried Shrimp

Whisk together the flour, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the water in a steady stream while whisking until a batter forms. It should resemble a cake batter with few lumps.
Put the panko onto a plate and set aside.
In batches of six, dip the vegan shrimp into the wet batter and remove, shaking off excess batter. Set on the plate of panko breadcrumbs. Using your dry hand, toss the shrimp in the panko to coat all over and create a crust. When one batch of shrimp is coated, place on a sheet pan in a single layer. Continue working in batches until all the shrimp are coated.
Freeze the shrimp on the sheet pan for at least 3 hours until firm, or overnight.
When you are ready to cook, in a heavy pot or Dutch oven heat 3 inches of the oil until the temperature reaches 350°F, or until a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped in the oil. Line a plate with paper towels.
Fry the shrimp six at time, until they are golden brown all over, about 2½ minutes.
Remove from the oil and drain on the paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Serve immediately.

For Tasha’s Slaw

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and vegan mayo. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, cranberries, and red onion. Combine with the mayo dressing mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. This is a good time to grab gloves and get your hands in there to mix it up good.
Taste and adjust the salt, if needed.
Serve alongside Smoked Vegan Brisket or on top of a po’ boy.

For the Creamy Cajun Mob Sauce

Mix ingredients together and set aside until you’re ready to assemble.

To Serve

Split open each French roll and toast it in the oven until the bread is warmed through and crusty on the outside, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven.
When the rolls are cool enough to handle, spread 1¼ tablespoons of the vegan mayonnaise on the inside of each roll.
Add the shrimp to the rolls and top with slaw and Creamy Cajun Sauce split evenly among all of the sandwiches.
Sprinkle each with the green onions and close the rolls.
Serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Vegan Mob: Vegan BBQ and Soul Food by Toriano Gordon with Korsha Wilson copyright © 2024. Photographs copyright © 2024 by Ed Anderson. Illustrations copyright © 2024 by Photo Doctor Graphics. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

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