Description
This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is a festive and flavorful dish perfect for seafood lovers. Combining shrimp, snow crab, andouille sausage, potatoes, and corn, all seasoned with a bold Creole Cajun spice blend, it’s simmered in a beer-infused broth to enhance the taste. A rich, garlicky butter sauce with lemon and smoked paprika ties it all together for a messy, fun, and delicious gathering meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Boil Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 1 (12-ounce) can of beer (optional but highly recommended)
- 3 tablespoons Creole Cajun Seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- Hot sauce, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly sliced into half-moons
- 1 large lemon, cut into wedges (plus more for serving)
- 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 lb baby potatoes, red or gold (or a mix of both)
- 1 lb pre-cooked snow crab leg clusters, fresh or frozen
- 1 to 1 ½ lbs jumbo shrimp, deveined, shell-on or peeled
- 4–6 ears sweet corn on the cob (mini ones preferred)
- 4–6 hard boiled eggs (optional)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 10 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Creole Cajun Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Old Bay seasoning (to taste)
- Hot sauce (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the boil: In an extra large stockpot or Dutch oven (10 quarts or larger) over medium-high heat, combine the water and beer (if using). Bring to a boil, then season with Creole Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, and hot sauce to taste. Add the sliced onion and lemon wedges, stirring well. Let the mixture boil for 15 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Add the andouille & potatoes: Carefully add the andouille sausage rounds and baby potatoes into the pot, stirring to combine. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are just fork-tender.
- Add the seafood & corn: Gently nestle the snow crab clusters, shrimp, and corn on the cob into the pot, ensuring everything is submerged. Stir gently and continue boiling for another 5-7 minutes until shrimp turn pink. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic butter sauce.
- Make the garlic butter sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to taste. Stir frequently and simmer for 5-7 minutes until well combined, then remove from heat.
- Assemble the seafood boil with sauce: Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Using a spider strainer, transfer the seafood boil ingredients to the sheet, discarding the onion and lemon from the pot. Add hard boiled eggs if using. Pour the garlic butter sauce over everything and toss thoroughly, coating all pieces evenly.
- Serve: Serve the Cajun seafood boil immediately. Guests can dig in directly from the baking sheet for a fun, casual experience or plate individually. Provide lemon wedges for squeezing and encourage sopping up any extra garlic butter sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read the full blog post for additional tips and tricks to perfect your boil.
- Adjust hot sauce amounts based on your preferred spice level.
- You can use either fresh or frozen pre-cooked snow crab clusters.
- Shell-on shrimp gives more flavor during boiling but peeled shrimp can be added for convenience.
- The garlic butter sauce can be thinned with some of the boil broth if desired.
- Serving hard boiled eggs is optional but traditional in many seafood boils.
Keywords: Cajun, seafood boil, shrimp, crab, andouille sausage, garlic butter sauce, Creole seasoning, New Orleans, southern cuisine, boil recipe, spicy seafood