Crawfish Boil Recipe

Reader Favorite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is the most flavorful and delicious seafood boil I have ever tried! The sauce is amazing! My family and I will be making this again and again.”

It’s FINALLY crawfish season and I’m SO excited to crack open some crawfish and drench it all in butter! It’s no secret, I LOVE New Orleans and Cajun cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines on the planet – in fact, my Cajun seafood boil recipe has became one of my most popular recipes on the blog.

So, I had to bring you all another classic, flavor packed Louisiana style meal – a proper crawfish boil recipe… and it’s GOOD ya’ll.

While traditional Louisiana crawfish boils are often cooked outside in large propane pots, this stovetop method keeps things simple and approachable for home cooks. I’ve tested and tweaked this recipe to bring those same bold Louisiana flavors without needing a giant outdoor boiler.

If you’re looking for an easy crawfish boil recipe packed with authentic Southern flavor, this one delivers every time. 

If you love a good crawfish boil, you’ll love my old bay shrimp boil, and low country boil too.

What You Need To Make a Crawfish Boil

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card) 

• 5 Pounds of Crawfish – I used fresh live crawfish, however, frozen whole crawfish works too. Keep in mind cook time – fresh crawfish takes about 5 minutes to boil while frozen crawfish takes only 2-4 minutes because it’s already cooked. (you’re just heating it up) Use leftover crawfish and make my crawfish etouffee recipe next.
• Crawfish boil seasoning – I used Louisiana Crawfish Shrimp and Crab Boil Seasoning, this is a complete seasoning that prevents you from needing to mix a bunch of spices together. It’s tasty and saves a lot of time.
• Vinegar – the vinegar helps cut the fishy taste.
• Chicken Bouillon and Chicken Broth – this is simply to enhance the flavor of the broth.
• Holy Trinity – onions, celery stalks, green bell peppers. What’s a cajun meal without the holy trinity? These ingredients add tons of flavor to the crawfish boil water.
• Garlic cloves – in addition to the holy trinity, garlic is the “pope” in Cajun cooking. It makes that broth so flavorful.
• Oranges and Lemons – citrus fruits add great flavor and brightness to the boil.
• Smashed Garlic Boil Booster intensifies the flavor and helps the seasoning penetrate deeper into the shells and tail meat. I swear by this stuff, it’s so good! You get the perfect crawfish boil every time.
• Andouille Sausage – any smoked sausage works here, andouille is my favorite and pairs really well with the seasonings in the broth.
• Small red Potatoes – baby potatoes, red potatoes, new potatoes all work here. If you have big potatoes, cut them in half or quarters so that they boil faster.
• Sweet Corn – I used frozen corn on the cob. If you’re using fresh corn on the cob, keep in mind it cooks in about 5 minutes so add it in with the crawfish at the end.

Equipment

Unlike my seafood boil in a bag, you will need a LARGE Stock pot for this crawfish boil recipe. Preferably, a large stock pot that’s at least 30 quarts with a wire basket insert.

No large pot with a basket? Don’t worry. You can split the recipe between two large pots and still get great results. I also recommend having plenty of paper towels or newspaper on hand, plus a bucket for the shells.

How To Make The Best Crawfish Boil 

Prep: Rinse the live crawfish in a clean sink or large cooler filled with fresh water. Let them sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse and agitate them until the water runs clear. Remove any debris and discard any floating or straight-tailed crawfish. (Tip: Live Crawfish should be lively and active. Any floating or dead crawfish should always be discarded.)

Step 1: Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add vinegar, chicken broth, bouillon, crawfish boil seasoning, onions, celery, bell peppers, bay leaves, and garlic. Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons into the pot, then add the citrus halves and let everything come to a rolling boil. Add butter, potatoes, and sausage and let it boil for 5-10 minutes. Tip: Let the boiling water go for about 15 minutes so the spices fully infuse in the water.

Step 2: Add the crawfish and corn using a basket insert (or directly into the pot) and boil for 5–6 minutes, until bright red. Turn the heat off and begin the soaking process. Add a few ice cubes to the water to cool it down and let the crawfish sit in the broth to absorb the flavors, for about 15-30 minutes. Transfer to a serving tray or newspaper-lined table. Finish with melted butter, Cajun seasoning or Creole Seasoning, parsley, lemon juice, and hot sauce.