Craving something bold, buttery, and irresistibly messy? This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce delivers a feast of shrimp, crab, sausage, and corn drenched in rich, spicy butter. Perfect for parties or family nights, it’s easy, fun, and full of flavor.
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Why You’ll Love This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce
This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is everything you want in a crowd-pleasing seafood feast. It’s full of bold Cajun seasoning, juicy shrimp, tender crab, and smoky sausage all tossed in buttery, garlicky perfection. Every bite bursts with spice, citrus, and that signature Southern comfort vibe. Plus, it’s surprisingly easy to make for a crowd. Just boil, toss, and serve — no fancy equipment needed. You can spread it over a tray for casual dining or pile it high for a show-stopping centerpiece. It’s social food at its best: grab, dip, laugh, and enjoy. With its mix of spice and butter, it’s the kind of meal that brings everyone together.
What You’ll Need (Ingredients & Equipment)
Key Ingredients for Flavor
Shrimp and crab are the stars here, adding natural sweetness that soaks up the spicy butter beautifully. Andouille sausage brings smoky depth, while potatoes and corn balance everything with hearty texture and sweetness. The real magic, though, is the garlic butter sauce. It’s rich, tangy, and coats every bite with lemon, paprika, and herbs. Don’t skip the Cajun and Old Bay combo — they give the boil its iconic flavor. Lemon wedges brighten the finish, and if you love extra kick, a few drops of hot sauce tie it all together.
Tools & Equipment
You’ll need a large stockpot, ideally 10 quarts or more, to fit all the seafood and sides comfortably. Use sturdy tongs or a strainer to lift everything out when it’s done. A large baking sheet lined with foil keeps cleanup easy and doubles as a serving tray. Disposable gloves help when mixing the seafood with sauce — especially if it’s spicy. For serving, you can go traditional and pour it out over newspaper or keep it neat on trays.
Building Flavor: The Cajun Boil Base
A great seafood boil starts with the right liquid base. In this recipe, you’ll build that by simmering water (or beer for extra depth) with Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, onions, lemon wedges, and a dash of hot sauce. Let it bubble gently so the spices and aromatics infuse every drop. This base acts like a flavor bath for your seafood and sides. By the time you add the sausage and potatoes, the water is deeply seasoned, and every ingredient you drop in absorbs that savory, citrusy heat. Simmering it first ensures you get bold, layered flavor — not just surface seasoning.
Step-by-Step: How to Make a Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce
Create the Flavorful Boil
Bring water and optional beer to a rolling boil in a large pot. Stir in Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, lemon, onion, and hot sauce. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes so the flavors fully develop.
Cook the Potatoes and Sausage
Next, add the baby potatoes and sausage rounds. Cook until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 15–20 minutes. This gives them time to soak up the spicy broth without falling apart.
Add the Seafood and Corn
Now, toss in your crab clusters, shrimp, and corn. Make sure everything is submerged. Cook until the shrimp turn pink and firm, about 5–7 minutes. If you’re adding boiled eggs, slide them in now to warm through.
Make the Garlic Butter Sauce
In a separate pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, smoked paprika, parsley, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Keep it warm — this sauce is pure gold.
Combine and Serve
Remove everything from the pot using a strainer and spread it on a lined baking sheet. Discard the onion and lemon slices. Pour the warm garlic butter sauce all over the seafood and toss gently to coat. Serve hot with extra lemon wedges for squeezing.
Serving Suggestions & Presentation Ideas
A Cajun Seafood Boil is best enjoyed hands-on. For a fun, casual meal, cover your table with newspaper and pour the seafood straight down the center. Or keep things tidy by serving it on a large tray. Sprinkle with fresh parsley for color and add lemon wedges all around. Offer small bowls of melted butter or extra hot sauce for dipping. Cold drinks like lemonade, iced tea, or beer pair perfectly with the spicy butter flavor.
Expert Tips & Helpful Notes
If you’re skipping beer, chicken broth works great for depth. Frozen crab is fine as long as it’s pre-cooked. To keep cleanup easy, use gloves when tossing everything in the butter sauce. Adjust spice levels by adding more or less hot sauce. You can swap andouille for kielbasa or beef sausage if preferred. For the perfect texture, don’t overcook the seafood — shrimp turn rubbery fast. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and reheated gently on the stove with a little butter or water to restore moisture.
Conclusion or Final Thoughts
This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is a guaranteed hit. It’s festive, full of flavor, and simple enough for any home cook. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or making a fun weekend dinner, it turns mealtime into a celebration. Gather your friends, grab some napkins, and dig in — because this is one recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
For more delicious dishes, visit Microwaves Recipes or check out Recent Recipes. You can also find inspiration for plating and presentation on Ellie’s Pinterest
Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce
Equipment
- Large stockpot (10-quart or bigger) Essential for fitting all seafood and vegetables.
- Tongs or strainer For removing seafood safely.
- Large baking sheet Use for mixing and serving the boil.
- Gloves (optional) Helps when tossing the seafood in butter sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 1 can (12 oz) 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 into rounds
- 1 lb baby potatoes (red, gold, or a mix)
- 1 lb pre-cooked snow crab leg clusters (fresh or frozen)
- 1.5 lbs jumbo shrimp, deveined, shell-on or peeled
- 4–6 mini ears sweet corn
- 4–6 hard-boiled eggs (optional)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 10 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (for sauce)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Creole Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Bring water and beer (if using) to a boil in a large 10-quart stockpot. Add Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, hot sauce, onion, and lemon wedges. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add sausage and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are almost fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes.
- Add crab legs, shrimp, and corn. Ensure all ingredients are submerged and cook until shrimp are pink, 5–7 minutes.
- In a separate pan, melt butter and stir in garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay, parsley, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and hot sauce. Mix until combined and warmed through.
- Use a strainer to remove seafood and vegetables from the pot. Discard onions and lemon. Transfer to a lined baking sheet, pour over garlic butter sauce, and toss to coat. Serve with lemon wedges.
