This seafood boil sauce recipe is one for the record books. It's full of garlic and butter and a hint of spice for a rich sauce that pairs perfectly with seafood boils.
This easy sauce comes together in about 20 minutes and only requires a few simple ingredients! Grab you favorite type of seafood and let's make this delicious sauce!
This sauce is perfect with my tried and true cajun seafood boil, old bay shrimp boil, and low country boil!
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This sauce is essential for seafood boil recipes. Whether it be a crab boil, crawfish boil, shrimp boil, or just dipping your snow crab legs or lobster tails - you have to try this recipe. Only thing is, you may become addicted and never want to go to the seafood restaurant again because this will become your favorite seafood boil sauce, I can guarantee it. It's such a treat for your taste buds.
Best part? Cooking time from start to finish is 20 minutes. You'll have a delicious seafood butter sauce on your plate in no time!
Ingredients
A few simple ingredients go a long way for this
- Butter: the star of the show, of course. Melted butter is the basis of this sauce. I used salted butter but feel free to use unsalted to control the saltiness of the sauce.
- Yellow Onion and Fresh Garlic: these give the sauce a delicious aromatic flavor that goes so well with seafood. pro tip - dice the onions as finely as possible!
- Homemade Seafood Seasoning mix: cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Salt and black pepper, to taste, of course.
- Brown Sugar: hear me out - the sugar balances all of the salty flavors and makes this sauce divine. It doesn't make it sweet at all so don't worry about having a seafood boil dipping sauce that's sugary.
- Chicken stock: the stock adds an additional layer of flavoring to the sauce and also loosens it up a bit. If you can't find stock, chicken broth works too.
- Lemon juice: the lemon juices adds brightness to the sauce and gives it a slight citrus flavor.
Tips
- Adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more (or less) red pepper flakes. If you want add extra spice, add a dash of hot sauce. I'm super sensitive to hot foods and would say that this sauce is pretty mild and flavorful. Taste as you go and adjust the ingredients as per your liking. See the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Dice onions and garlic and finely as possible. This is key to releasing the flavors when cooking it in the butter.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce, add another ½ cup of chicken stock.
- Not all cajun seasonings are created equally. Some brands are salt free and others include salt in their blend. Be mindful of this while cooking and taste as you go to prevent having a sauce that's too spicy or too salty.
- If you'd like to add a little bit of umami flavor, add some Worcestershire sauce.
How to make Seafood Boil Sauce
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once all of the butter is melted, add diced onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then add diced garlic and continue to cook in the butter for 3 minutes.
- Add in the cajun seasoning, old bay, onion powder, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and cook for 5 minutes. Then add chicken stock. Stir and allow the sauce to come to a boil then simmer for 6-8 minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat and squeeze in lemon juice and parsley.
- Pour over cooked seafood and use any leftovers as a dipping sauce.
What to serve with Seafood Boil Sauce
Eat this great recipe with fresh seafood or any seafood dish. If you need some inspiration, try these recipes:
- Seafood Boil
- Pan Seared Shrimp
- Low country Boil
- Salmon New Orleans
- Shrimp and Broccoli Skillet
- Boom Boom Sauce
For more, here's an entire post on what to eat with a seafood boil.
Recipe FAQs
This seafood sauce recipe consists of cajun seasoning, old bay, garlic, onion powder, red pepper flakes, onions, butter, brown sugar, chicken stock, lemon juice, and fresh parsley.
Reheat the sauce two ways. For best results, add it to a pan over low heat and allow it to warm. You can also heat in the microwave in 30 second increments to ensure that the cooking process doesn't start again and burn the ingredients.
More Seafood Recipes
- Crawfish Boil Recipe
- Coconut Shrimp with Dipping Sauce
- Crispy Shrimp Po'boy with Old Bay Sauce
- Creamy Salmon Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Lime Ranch
- Pesto Shrimp Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes
Seafood Boil Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups Salted Butter
- 1 Onion , diced
- 8 cloves Garlic , diced
- ¼ cup Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tbsps Old Bay
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 ½ tbsps Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 cup Chicken Stock
- 2 tbsps Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley , chopped
Directions
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once all of the butter is melted, add diced onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then add diced garlic and continue to cook in the butter for 3 minutes.
- Add in the cajun seasoning, old bay, onion powder, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and cook for 5 minutes. Then add chicken stock. Stir and allow the sauce to come to a boil then simmer for 6-8 minutes to thicken.
- Remove from the heat and squeeze in lemon juice and parsley.Pour over cooked seafood and use any leftovers as a dipping sauce.
Notes
- Adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more (or less) red pepper flakes. If you want add extra spice, add a dash of hot sauce. I'm super sensitive to hot foods and would say that this sauce is pretty mild and flavorful. Taste as you go and adjust the ingredients as per your liking. See the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Dice onions and garlic and finely as possible. This is key to releasing the flavors when cooking it in the butter.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce, add another ½ cup of chicken stock.
- Not all cajun seasonings are created equally. Some brands are salt free and others include salt in their blend. Be mindful of this while cooking and taste as you go to prevent having a sauce that's too spicy or too salty.
- If you'd like to add a little bit of umami flavor, add some Worcestershire sauce.
Really good. Better than most restaurants!
Thank you!
By far the best sauce I've ever had.
Thank you!
I used your sauce recipe for our first boil of the season and it was a hit! No leftovers. Thank you!
I've always been intimidated to make a seafood boil at home but your recipe got me knocking it out of the park! The garlic, butter and seasoning is ridiculously good. I'm already planning to have some family and friends over in a few weeks to do this again!
It seems that my comment was lost. This is the PERFECT boil that keeps me from having to head to the seafood boil restaurant too many times in one month. Perfect butter to seasoning ration and the flavor is DIVINE!
Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe!
I’ve only had seafood boil a few times and I’ve always wanted to try to make the sauce at home but never knew where to start. Your recipe saved the day! It was flavourful and so easy to follow. I am saving this for later too.
This Seafood Boil Sauce is the thing I did not know was missing in my life. I made a little extra to keep in the refrigerator to pour over vegetables and chicken wings. Delectable!
Hey Britney! I made your seafood boil sauce for my family's crab feast and it was a total game-changer! Everyone loved the rich, garlicky goodness and kept asking for your recipe. Thank you so much. xx
I'm so happy that you and your family enjoyed it!
As someone who spent a few years living in Maryland, I can say with authority that this is a legit seafood boil sauce if not one that sets the standard. All of the flavors were on point and really elevated the taste of my plain seafood.
I'm so happy to hear that, thank you!
This sauce is amazing! Enjoying this for dinner this evening!!
Thank you!