This Cajun Seafood Boil is loaded with tender crab, shrimp, red creamer potatoes, fresh corn on the cob, and andouille sausage all coated in a Cajun garlic butter sauce.
If you're really truly looking for a casual dish to impress your family and friends, this Cajun seafood boil is for YOU. This recipe is loaded with all the things that most people love... crab and shrimp. It's simple, made in one pot, with the most incredible flavor.
Can I just tell you about the Cajun garlic butter sauce? This is pure liquid gold. I'm sure you've heard the phrase everything tastes better with butter and this simple sauce is no exception. This sauce honestly takes this seafood boil to the 10th power. The butter and garlic alone is delicious but the addition of Cajun seasoning elevates the flavor and makes it a perfect combination.
So, tell me... are you down for serving this incredible Cajun seafood boil to your family and friends?
Ingredients
- Crab (Dungeness crab, snow crab, Jonah crab claws, king crab legs)
- Sausage (smoked, andouille)
- Shrimp (jumbo sized shrimp, prawns)
- Fresh corn on the cob
- Potatoes (Yukon gold, red potatoes, creamer potatoes, 2-bite potatoes)
- Cajun seasoning (homemade or favorite store brand)
- Kosher salt
- Onion
- Lemon juice (from fresh lemons)
Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh minced garlic
- Cajun spice blend
Essentials
- Large pot (heavy bottom pot, boiling pot)
- Paring knife (for cleaning shrimp)
- Scrub brush (for cleaning crab)
How to make Cajun seafood boil
Veggies: Slice onion into thick slices, smash large garlic cloves and set aside.
Crab: Clean crab and set aside.
Shrimp: De-vein and rinse shrimp and set aside
Sausage: Cut sausage into thick slices and set aside.
Potatoes: If using medium or large red or Yukon potatoes cut into quarters otherwise if using 2-bite potatoes or creamer potatoes just wash and set aside.
Corn on the cob: If using fresh corn, remove the husk and cut each ear of corn in half or thirds and set aside. Frozen corn on the cobs works too.
Cajun garlic butter sauce: Melt butter into a sauce pan, add minced garlic and Cajun seasoning, whisk and set aside.
The Boil: Fill a large pot of water about half full, add in sliced onions, smashed garlic cloves, kosher salt, Cajun seasoning, potatoes, corn and sausage and allow the water to come to a gentle boil. When the potatoes are nearly done, add in the crab and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, then add in the shrimp and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes then turn off heat.
Using a large slotted spoon, remove all the crab, shrimp, potatoes, and corn from the water and place in a roasting pan. Pour the Cajun garlic butter sauce over the seafood, corn and sausage and gently mix until all is coated. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, and dash of kosher salt and garnish with curly-leaf parsley.
Serve immediately and enjoy.
Tips
- FIRST place potatoes, sausage, corn, sausage and seasoning in pot THEN bring to a gentle boil
- Feel free to use a clean and chemical-free scrub brush to help scrub the hair from the crab
- Use a paring knife to de-vein the shrimp (it's so much easier)
- Prep all ingredients first and have them close by
- You can use shell-on or peeled shrimp (I prefer peeled shrimp with the tail-on mostly for presentation)
- You can use smokey Kielbasa or Andouille sausage (I prefer andouille for its smokey, spicy, garlicky taste)
- You can also add clams, mussels and lobster to your seafood boil
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice is highly recommended
- Large sized shrimp or prawns are best
- Fresh corn on the cob is best
- Although you can use, dungeness crab, snow crab, Jonah crab claws, or king crab legs, I prefer dungeness
- The amount of ingredients I used for this recipe is for serving a crowd (please feel free to cut the amount of ingredients in half if serving less people)
What to serve with a seafood boil
Cajun seafood boil is the star of the show and can certainly be served on its own; however, if you're looking for the perfect side dish to accompany this dish, I suggest garlic bread as simple as it may sound.
You may also like
White Wine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Creamy Shrimp Asparagus Pasta (No Cream)
For more recipe ideas and inspiration, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.
Thanks for visiting,
Cree
Cajun Seafood Boil
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling
- paring knife for de-veining shrimp and scraping crab
Ingredients
- 8 lbs Dungeness crab (or either of the following: snow crab, Jonah crab claws, king crab legs)
- 3 cups chicken andouille sausage (cut into large slices (smoked, andouille, or kielbasa sausage))
- 4 lbs shrimp (jumbo sized shrimp or prawns)
- 4 ears corn on the cob (cut in half or in thirds)
- 1.5 lbs red potatoes (or either of the following: Yukon gold, red potatoes, creamer potatoes, or 2-bite potatoes (or any combination))
- 5 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (3 tablespoon reserved for water, 2 tablespoon reserved for garlic butter sauce (homemade or favorite store brand Cajun seasoning will work))
- kosher salt (for salting water (3 tbsp))
- 1 small onion (1 small onion cut into thick slices or half of a large onion)
- 6 tablespoon lemon juice (from freshly squeezed lemons)
- 5 cloves garlic (smash and remove paper from garlic cloves and reserve for boiling water)
Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1.5 sticks unsalted butter (melted)
- 5 cloves garlic (fresh minced garlic)
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Clean crab. Set aside.
- Clean shrimp. Set aside.
- Cut sausage on a bias (angle) into thick slices. Set aside.
- Shuck the corn on the cob if it hasn't been already. Set aside.
- Cut large potatoes into quarters, cut smaller potatoes in half, leave 2-bite potatoes or creamer potatoes whole. Set aside.
- Fill a large pot halfway or ¾ way with water. Do not fill the pot entirely with water as it will overflow as you add in your ingredients. Add kosher salt, Cajun seasoning, onion, smashed garlic cloves, corn on the cob, potatoes, and sausage to the water. Using a large spoon, give a big stir. Then, turn the pot to high heat.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Cajun garlic butter sauce by adding butter to a saucepan to melt. Add in the minced garlic and Cajun seasoning and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Check the potatoes periodically. When the potatoes are halfway done (about 10 to 15 minutes, add in the crab. Cook for an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Then add in the shrimp and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Use a large slotted spoon to remove the crab, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn from the water and place in a roasting pan or large serving platter.
- Pour the Cajun garlic butter sauce over the top of the seafood mixture and use your clean hands to combine making sure the seafood mixture is coated. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, sprinkle in a dash of kosher salt, and garnish with parsley.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- FIRST place potatoes, sausage, corn, sausage and seasoning in pot THEN bring to a gentle boil
- Feel free to use a clean and chemical-free scrub brush to help scrub the hair from the crab
- Use a paring knife to de-vein the shrimp (it's so much easier)
- Prep all ingredients first and have them close by
- You can use shell-on or peeled shrimp (I prefer peeled shrimp with the tail-on mostly for presentation)
- You can use smokey Kielbasa or Andouille sausage (I prefer andouille for its smokey, spicy, garlicky taste)
- You can also add clams, mussels and lobster to your seafood boil
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice is highly recommended
- Large sized shrimp or prawns are best
- Fresh corn on the cob is best for this recipe
- Although you can use, dungeness crab, snow crab, Jonah crab claws, or king crab legs, I prefer dungeness
- The amount of ingredients I used for this recipe is for serving a crowd (please feel free to cut the amount of ingredients in half if serving less people)
R. Ward
The recipe does not say how to make "cajun seasoning" or "cajun spice mix".
Cree
Hello - You could purchase your favorite store brand; however, if you'd like to make it from scratch just combine these ingredients:
4 Tbsp granulated garlic powder
4 Tbsp onion powder
4 Tbsp smoked paprika
3 tsp dried thyme
3 tsp dried parsley
3 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending on your level of heat)
I usually make a big batch and store it in an airtight container and place it in my pantry. When I need more, I can make it quickly as I always have those ingredients on hand. I hope this helps.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.