Description
This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is a flavorful, hearty feast perfect for gatherings. A combination of spices, tender potatoes, smoky andouille sausage, succulent shrimp, fresh snow crab, and sweet corn are boiled together and drenched in a rich, garlicky butter sauce. The vibrant Cajun and Old Bay seasonings combined with a touch of lemon and hot sauce create a perfect balance of heat and zest, making this boil a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that’s fun to serve and enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cajun Seafood Boil:
- 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 – 1 ½ lbs jumbo shrimp, deveined, shell-on or peeled
- 4–6 ears sweet corn on the cob (mini ones recommended)
- 4–6 hard boiled eggs (optional)
For the Garlic Butter Sauce:
- 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 a large 10-quart stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine water and optional beer. Bring to a boil, then add Creole Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, and hot sauce to taste. Add sliced onion and lemon wedges. Stir well and let the mixture boil for 15 minutes to infuse flavor.
- Add the andouille & potatoes: Carefully add the sliced andouille sausage and baby potatoes to the pot. Stir to combine thoroughly. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add the seafood & corn: Nestle snow crab clusters, shrimp, and corn on the cob into the boiling pot. Ensure all ingredients are submerged. Stir gently and cook for 5-7 minutes until shrimp turns pink, indicating doneness.
- Make the garlic butter sauce: While seafood cooks, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to taste. Stir and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is well combined. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Cajun seafood boil with sauce: Line a large baking sheet with foil, parchment paper, or newspaper. Using a spider strainer, remove seafood boil contents from pot, discard onion and lemon bits, and place boil ingredients along with hard boiled eggs onto lined baking sheet. If desired, thin garlic butter sauce with some boil broth. Pour sauce evenly over the seafood boil ingredients and toss thoroughly using hands (gloves optional) to coat everything well in sauce.
- Serve seafood boil: Serve immediately on the baking sheet for communal fun or divide onto individual plates. Offer lemon wedges for squeezing over. Encourage diners to sopping up any extra garlic butter sauce for maximum flavor. Enjoy the delicious, flavorful feast!
Notes
- Beer in the boil enhances flavor but can be omitted for non-alcoholic version.
- Shell-on shrimp adds more flavor but peeled shrimp can be used for convenience.
- Hard boiled eggs are optional but add a nice texture and flavor contrast.
- Adjust hot sauce quantity in boil and garlic butter sauce to personal heat preference.
- Line serving tray with newspaper for authentic, casual seafood boil experience, but foil or parchment works well for easy cleanup.
- Use disposable gloves when tossing seafood boil in sauce to keep hands clean and for better grip.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 210mg
