Ultimate Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce (Easy Crowd-Pleaser)
This Ultimate Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is a flavorful and hearty dish perfect for feeding a crowd. Loaded with jumbo shrimp, snow crab clusters, andouille sausage, baby potatoes, corn on the cob, and optional hard boiled eggs, everything is simmered in a spiced Cajun broth and then drenched in a rich garlic butter sauce. This southern-inspired recipe delivers a finger-licking, messy, and fun dining experience right at home.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern
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)
- 1 lb pre-cooked snow crab leg clusters, fresh or frozen
- 1 – 1½ 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)
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 stockpot or Dutch oven (10 quarts or larger) over medium-high heat, combine water and beer (if using). Bring 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 to develop flavor.
- Add the andouille & potatoes: Carefully add andouille sausage rounds and baby potatoes to the boiling broth. Stir to combine. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are nearly fork-tender.
- Add the seafood & corn: Gently place snow crab clusters, shrimp, and corn on the cob into the pot, ensuring everything is submerged. Stir carefully to combine. Continue boiling for 5-7 minutes until shrimp turn pink and seafood is cooked through.
- Make the garlic butter sauce: On a separate burner, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to taste. Stir and simmer for 5-7 minutes until fully combined and fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the seafood boil with sauce: Line a large baking sheet with foil, parchment paper, or newspaper. Using a spider strainer, remove seafood boil contents from the pot and place on the baking sheet. Remove and discard onion and lemon wedges. Add hard boiled eggs if using. If desired, thin the garlic butter sauce with some broth to reach preferred consistency. Pour garlic butter sauce over the seafood boil and toss thoroughly, coating everything evenly.
- Serve the seafood boil: Serve family-style directly from the baking sheet for a fun, casual experience, or plate individually. Provide extra lemon wedges for squeezing and encourage sopping up the delicious garlic butter sauce. Enjoy immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Please read the original blog post for additional tips and tricks to make this seafood boil perfect.
- The beer is optional but adds depth and richness to the broth.
- Use pre-cooked crab clusters for quicker cooking time.
- Adjust hot sauce amounts to control spiciness level.
- Wearing disposable gloves during tossing helps keep hands clean while coating the seafood in sauce.
- For thinner sauce, add some reserved seafood boil broth to garlic butter sauce as needed.
- Serve with plenty of napkins and crab crackers to enjoy the full seafood boil experience.