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Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce

Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce

Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is a bold Southern-style stovetop feast featuring shrimp, crab, sausage, potatoes, and corn simmered in a seasoned boil and drenched in a rich, garlicky butter sauce.
Ready in under an hour, it’s perfect for feeding a crowd and turning any gathering into a flavorful, hands-on celebration.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 1000
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cajun seafood boil
  • 3 quarts water
  • 1 12-ounce can beer (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons Creole Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • Hot sauce to taste
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced into half-moons
  • 1 large lemon cut into wedges (plus more for serving)
  • 12 ounces andouille sausage sliced
  • 1 lb baby potatoes red or gold
  • 1 lb pre-cooked snow crab leg clusters
  • 1 to 1½ lbs jumbo shrimp deveined
  • 4 –6 ears sweet corn mini or halved full-size
  • 4 –6 hard boiled eggs optional
For the garlic butter sauce
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 10 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Creole Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Hot sauce to taste

Method
 

  1. In a large stockpot (about 10 quarts or larger) over medium-high heat, combine the water and beer if using. Bring to a boil.
  2. Add the Creole Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce, sliced onion, and lemon wedges. Stir well and let boil for 15 minutes to build flavor.
  3. Add the sliced andouille sausage and baby potatoes. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are nearly fork-tender.
  4. Gently add the snow crab legs, shrimp, and corn. Make sure everything is submerged and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
  5. While the seafood cooks, make the garlic butter sauce by combining butter, garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently and simmer until the butter is fully melted and the sauce is combined, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Line a large baking sheet or table surface with foil, parchment, or newspaper. Using a strainer, remove the seafood boil contents from the pot and transfer to the prepared surface. Discard the onion and lemon pieces. Add the hard boiled eggs if using.
  7. Pour the garlic butter sauce generously over everything. Toss carefully to coat all the seafood, sausage, potatoes, and corn.
  8. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

This isn’t a quiet dinner. It’s loud, buttery, messy, and absolutely unforgettable.
Cajun seafood boil is less about perfection and more about gathering people around something generous and delicious.