Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
Introduction
This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is a festive and flavorful dish perfect for sharing with friends and family. Packed with shrimp, crab, andouille sausage, and sweet corn, it’s a delicious celebration of Southern flavors that’s easy to prepare and utterly satisfying.
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 – 1 ½ lbs jumbo shrimp, deveined, shell-on or peeled
- 4-6 ears sweet corn on the cob (mini corn ears work well)
- 4-6 hard boiled eggs (optional)
- 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
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: In an extra large stockpot or Dutch oven (about 10 quarts or larger), combine water and beer (if using) over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Step 2: Season the boiling liquid 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 to infuse flavors.
- Step 3: Carefully add the andouille sausage slices and baby potatoes to the pot. Stir to combine and cook for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are just fork-tender.
- Step 4: Gently add the snow crab clusters, shrimp, and corn to the pot. Ensure all ingredients are submerged, stir gently, and continue boiling for 5-7 minutes until shrimp turn pink.
- Step 5: While the boil cooks, prepare the garlic butter sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to taste. Simmer, stirring often, until butter melts and the sauce is well blended, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Step 6: Line a large baking sheet with foil, parchment paper, or newspaper. Using a spider strainer, transfer the boil ingredients to the baking sheet, including hard boiled eggs if using. Discard onion and lemon bits from the pot.
- Step 7: Pour the garlic butter sauce over the boil ingredients. Toss everything by hand (use disposable gloves if desired) to coat completely with sauce.
- Step 8: Serve immediately with additional lemon wedges. Guests can enjoy the fun of grabbing their favorite bites straight from the baking sheet or you can plate individually.
Tips & Variations
- For a thinner garlic butter sauce, stir in some of the broth from the seafood boil until you reach your desired consistency.
- Use fresh seafood when possible for the best flavor, but frozen pre-cooked crab and shrimp work well and save time.
- Add extra vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers to the boil for more variety.
- Adjust the heat by varying the amount of hot sauce and Cajun seasoning according to your taste.
- Serve with crusty bread or French fries to soak up the flavorful garlic butter sauce.
Storage
Store leftover seafood boil in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, gently warm in a skillet or microwave until heated through; be careful not to overcook the seafood. Garlic butter sauce can be stored separately and reheated gently before serving.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use other types of seafood in this boil?
Yes, you can swap or add other seafood such as clams, mussels, lobster tails, or crawfish depending on availability and personal preference.
Is it necessary to use beer in the boil?
No, beer is optional but highly recommended as it adds depth and complexity to the flavor of the boil. If you prefer to skip it, just use all water and season accordingly.
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Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
A flavorful Cajun Seafood Boil featuring a mix of andouille sausage, baby potatoes, snow crab, shrimp, and corn, all simmered in a spicy seasoned broth and finished with a rich garlic butter sauce. Perfect for a festive and messy seafood feast that brings friends and family together.
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
Main Ingredients
- 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 size preferred)
- 4–6 hard boiled eggs (optional)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 10 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 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 water and beer if using. Bring to a boil, then add Creole Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, and hot sauce to taste. Stir in sliced onion and lemon wedges. Boil the mixture for 15 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Add the andouille and potatoes: Carefully add sausage rounds and baby potatoes into the boiling pot. Stir well to combine. Let them cook for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are nearly fork-tender.
- Add the seafood and corn: Nestle snow crab clusters, shrimp, and corn on the cob into the pot, ensuring everything is submerged. Stir gently to combine. Continue boiling for 5-7 minutes until shrimp turn pink and seafood is cooked through. While boiling, prepare the garlic butter sauce.
- Make the garlic butter sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with minced garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, chopped parsley, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to taste. Stir frequently and let simmer for 5-7 minutes until well combined. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the seafood boil with sauce: Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Using a spider strainer, remove the boil’s contents from the pot and place onto the sheet with hard boiled eggs if using. Discard onion and lemon bits from the pot. Pour garlic butter sauce over the seafood boil and toss thoroughly to coat every piece.
- Serve the seafood boil: Serve immediately, allowing guests to dig in directly from the baking sheet for a fun and messy experience or plate individually if preferred. Offer additional lemon wedges and encourage sopping up all the garlic butter sauce. Enjoy the robust flavors and textures!
Notes
- Using beer in the boil adds extra depth of flavor but can be omitted if preferred.
- Pre-cooked crab legs speed up cooking time and ensure tenderness.
- Shell-on shrimp provide more flavor but peeled shrimp make eating easier.
- Adjust hot sauce quantities throughout the recipe to suit your preferred spice level.
- If you want a thinner garlic butter sauce, stir in some seafood boil broth to achieve desired consistency.
- Hard boiled eggs are optional but add a nice complementary texture and flavor.
- For best results, use a very large pot to ensure ingredients are fully submerged for even cooking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Cajun
Keywords: Cajun seafood boil, seafood boil, garlic butter sauce, shrimp boil, snow crab boil, andouille sausage, Cajun recipe, seafood party, boil recipe, summer seafood
