Description
A flavorful Cajun Seafood Boil featuring shrimp, snow crab, andouille sausage, potatoes, corn, and a rich garlic butter sauce. This dish is perfect for a festive gathering, combining spicy, zesty, and buttery flavors in a fun, hands-on meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood 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)
- 1 lb pre-cooked snow crab leg clusters, fresh or frozen
- 1 – 1 ½ lbs jumbo shrimp, deveined, shell-on or peeled
- 4–6 ears sweet corn on the cob (mini ears preferred)
- 4–6 hard boiled eggs (optional)
Garlic Butter Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 10 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Creole Cajun Seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the boil: In an extra-large stockpot or Dutch oven (about 10 quarts or larger) over medium-high heat, combine the water and beer (if using). Bring the liquid to a boil. Season with Creole Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, and hot sauce to taste. Add sliced onion and lemon wedges, stir well, and let boil for 15 minutes.
- Add the andouille & potatoes: Carefully add andouille sausage rounds and baby potatoes to the boiling pot. Stir to combine. Cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are nearly fork-tender.
- Add the seafood & corn: Nestle snow crab clusters, shrimp, and corn on the cob into the pot, ensuring everything is submerged. Stir gently and continue boiling for 5-7 minutes until shrimp turns pink. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic butter sauce.
- Make the garlic butter sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to taste. Stir often and simmer until butter is melted and sauce is well combined, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Cajun seafood boil with sauce: Line a large baking sheet with foil, parchment paper, or newspaper. Use a spider strainer to remove boil contents, placing them on the sheet along with hard boiled eggs if using. Discard onion and lemon bits. Optionally thin garlic butter sauce with some boil broth for desired consistency. Pour sauce over seafood boil and toss thoroughly to coat.
- Serve the seafood boil: Serve the boil directly from the baking sheet for a casual, communal experience or portion onto plates. Garnish with extra lemon wedges and enjoy immediately, encouraging guests to soak up any leftover garlic butter sauce.
Notes
- Beer is optional but adds great flavor to the boil liquid.
- Shell-on shrimp offers more flavor but peeled works fine too.
- Mini corn cobs shorten cooking time and are perfect for seafood boils.
- Hard boiled eggs are optional but add a nice texture contrast.
- Adjust hot sauce amounts in boil and sauce to suit your preferred spice level.
- Using a large pot ensures all ingredients cook evenly and remain submerged.
- Use disposable gloves if desired when tossing the sauce for easier handling and cleaner hands.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
