Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe Easy

There’s something about cracking open a whole crab, dipping sweet shrimp into melted butter, and licking your fingers clean that just feels like celebration. Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce brings that backyard party energy right to your tablepiled high with corn, potatoes, and spice-kissed seafood that tastes like summer no matter the season.

I shot my first seafood boil spread back in 2016 for a client’s crawfish festival campaign, and the chaos was beautifulsteam rising, butter dripping, everyone elbow-deep in shells. What I learned that day (and in dozens of test runs since) is that layering your spices into the boil waternot just tossing them on topmakes all the difference in flavor. The garlic butter? That’s where the magic really happens.

Thomas Baker

Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe Easy

This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is the ultimate at-home feast, packed with shrimp, crab, sausage, potatoes, corn, and eggs simmered in a spicy, flavorful broth. Topped off with a rich, garlicky butter sauce, this easy seafood boil is perfect for sharing and guaranteed to impress your crowd.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

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, I use the mini ones
• 4-6 hard boiled eggs- optional
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 10 cloves of 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

Method

 

1. Fill a large stockpot with water and beer if using, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the Creole Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, and hot sauce to the boiling liquid, stirring well.
3. Toss in the sliced onion and lemon wedges; stir everything together and let it boil for 15 minutes to build flavor.
4. Add the sliced andouille sausage along with the baby potatoes, stirring to combine.
5. Allow the sausage and potatoes to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork.
6. Carefully place the snow crab clusters, shrimp, and sweet corn into the pot, making sure they are submerged.
7. Stir gently and continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes, until shrimp turn pink.
8. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
9. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to the butter.
10. Simmer the mixture while stirring frequently for 5 to 7 minutes until all flavors are well blended, then remove from heat.
11. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
12. Using a spider strainer, lift the seafood boil ingredients from the pot and spread them on the baking sheet, discarding onion and lemon pieces.
13. Add the hard boiled eggs if using to the baking sheet.
14. Pour the warm garlic butter sauce evenly over the seafood boil and toss gently using your hands or utensils to coat everything completely.
15. Serve the boil directly from the baking sheet for a hands-on experience or portion onto plates.
16. Offer additional lemon wedges on the side and enjoy the bold flavors while saucing up every bite.

Notes

• Adjust the garlic butter sauce consistency by adding some boil broth if you prefer it thinner. For extra zest, add more hot sauce to taste. Use disposable gloves for easier tossing and cleanup.

Why You’ll Love This Cajun Seafood Boil

There’s a reason seafood boils have been a backyard staple for generationsthey’re messy, fun, and utterly delicious. This version brings all that warmth to your own kitchen without needing a giant outdoor burner or a crawfish supplier on speed dial.

• Beginner-friendly chaos: No fancy techniques here. Just layering flavors in one big pot, then dumping everything onto a table for everyone to dig in.
• Built for sharing: Whether it’s a casual Sunday or a birthday celebration, this feeds a crowd with minimal fuss and maximum wow factor.
• That garlic butter sauce: It’s the real MVP. Drizzle it over everything and watch people abandon their forks entirely.
• Customizable heat: Add as much (or as little) hot sauce as your crew can handle. You’re in control of the spice level from start to finish.

What You’ll Need (Ingredients & Tools)

Most of what you need is already sitting in your fridge or pantry. The seafood and sausage are the stars, but don’t skip the beer in the boilit adds a subtle depth that water alone just can’t match.

Key players: jumbo shrimp, snow crab clusters, andouille sausage, baby potatoes, corn on the cob, and hard boiled eggs. The aromaticsyellow onion, lemon wedges, garlicbuild the flavor base. For the sauce, you’ll need butter (two whole sticks, no apologies), more garlic, lemon juice, and a lineup of seasonings: Old Bay, Creole Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley.

Essential tools: An extra-large stockpot (10 quarts minimum), a spider strainer for fishing out all those goodies, and a big rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. If you’re feeling nostalgic, spread newspaper insteadit’s the classic move.

How to Make Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce

The magic happens in stages. You’re building flavor in the broth first, then adding ingredients based on how long they need to cook. Potatoes take the longest, shrimp the shortest. It’s all about timing and keeping everything submerged so the spices can work their way into every bite.

Pro Tip: If your garlic butter feels too thick, stir in a few spoonfuls of the hot boil broth to loosen it up. It’ll cling to the seafood beautifully without pooling at the bottom of the tray.

Swaps and Substitutions

One of the best parts about a seafood boil is how flexible it is. You can swap, skip, or double up based on what’s fresh at the market or what your family loves most.

Note: If you’re using frozen crab, no need to thaw it first. Just add a couple extra minutes to the cooking time and make sure it’s heated all the way through.

How to Serve and Store

The traditional way to serve this is straight from the baking sheeteveryone grabs what they want, peels their own shrimp, and licks their fingers without shame. It’s messy, it’s fun, and honestly, it’s half the experience. Set out extra lemon wedges, napkins, and little bowls for shells.

If you want to plate it, divide everything onto individual dishes and drizzle extra garlic butter on top. Either way, serve it hot and don’t let that sauce go to wastesop it up with crusty bread or spoon it over the potatoes.

Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or broth to keep everything moist. The garlic butter sauce can be stored separately and reheated on the stovetopjust give it a good stir.

Tips for the Best Boil Every Time

• Don’t skip the beer: It adds a subtle malty sweetness that balances the heat and spice.
• Layer your seasoning: Season the water generously at the start. That’s where the flavor really soaks in.
• Watch your shrimp: They cook fastusually 3 to 5 minutes once they hit the pot. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery, so pull them as soon as they’re pink and curled.
• Use gloves for tossing: Disposable kitchen gloves make it way easier (and less messy) to toss everything in that buttery, spicy sauce.
• Make it a party: Set the whole tray in the center of the table, roll out some butcher paper, and let everyone serve themselves. It’s casual, cozy, and exactly how a seafood boil should feel.

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FAQs (Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce)

Final Thoughts

You’ll love how this Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce turns outshrimp perfectly pink and juicy, crab sweet and tender, potatoes soaking up every bit of that spicy, buttery goodness. The aroma alone will have everyone hovering around the table before you even finish plating. It’s messy, it’s fun, and it tastes like the best kind of celebration.

If you want a little extra heat, toss in sliced jalapeños with the corn. For a milder version, dial back the hot sauce and let people add their own at the table. Leftover garlic butter is liquid golddrizzle it over grilled bread the next day or toss it with pasta for a quick lunch. A trick I picked up from shooting dozens of these spreads: line your table with butcher paper and let everyone eat family-style. It keeps cleanup easy and the vibe relaxed.

I’d love to see how yours turns outsnap a photo and tag me, or leave a comment below if you added your own twist. Did you grow up with seafood boils, or is this your first time diving in? Either way, this one’s worth sharing with the people you love. Save it, make it soon, and get ready for some seriously happy faces around your table.