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This the BEST Seafood Boil Recipe you’ll ever make! It’s a flavorful feast packed with crab legs, jumbo shrimp, lobster tails, mussels, smoky andouille sausage, corn, and potatoes all cooked a broth so good, you’ll want to drink it by itself! Then everything gets drenched in a rich garlic butter sauce that’ll have you licking the plate clean! It’s hearty, comforting, and easy to make – perfect for feeding a table full of people.
Featured Comment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Absolutely incredible. I swear, I’m never going out for a seafood boil ever again. This is so so delicious, so perfectly seasoned, amazing flavor. I’ve made it a handful of times and am making it again this weekend. Thank you!” – B. McCarthy
There’s nothing like a eating your way through a big, saucy stack of seafood, smoky sausages, potatoes, and corn, absolutely drenched in a flavor packed garlic butter seafood boil sauce!
It’s messy, lip smacking, butter dripping, and absolutely delicious.
This seafood boil recipe has hundreds of rave reviews, pleasing taste buds all over the world!
Recipe Overview: Seafood Boil Recipe
- 🥒 Prep Time: 15 mins
- 🍳Cook Time: 40 mins
- 🕛Ready In: 55 mins
- 👥Serves: 8
- 🔥 Cook Method: Throw everything in a big ol pot, boil, then drench in garlic butter sauce!
- 🥣Flavor Profile: Bold, buttery, garlicky, finger-licking good!
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy!
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Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
(See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities)
For the Seasoned Broth
- Beer: This may come as a surprise but beer actually enhances the flavor of the broth. Use your favorite kind. Avoiding beer? Use low sodium chicken stock or broth for a nonalcoholic option.
- Bay leaves: they add subtle herby and peppery flavors.
- Seafood boil seasoning: I used a combination of Old Bay, smoked paprika, Cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and dried thyme.
- Lemons add a little brightness and a pinch of citrus, perfect for pairing with seafood.
- Garlic and Onions: This recipe calls for lots of fresh garlic so make sure you have plenty! I like using a lot because the garlic and onion, it makes such a flavorful broth. If you don’t feel like chopping up a bunch of garlic, blend it up in a food processor.
Seafood Boil Ingredients
- Red potatoes: If you don’t have access to red potatoes, Yukon potatoes, baby potatoes, or small new potatoes work too. Just keep an eye on them, smaller potatoes cook faster and you don’t want mushy potatoes in your boil.
- Andouille sausage: Andouille is a slightly spicy sausage. In my opinion, it’s the best sausage for a seafood boil but if you prefer something milder, use kielbasa.
- Sweet Corn: fresh or frozen corn work just fine! Cut the corn into thirds for roughly 2-inch pieces – they’ll cook faster and fit perfectly in your hand.
- Jumbo shrimp: Use the biggest shrimp you can find for this seafood boil recipe. Now is not the time to skimp! Colossal shrimp or jumbo shrimp are the best. Also, you can use peeled or shell-on shrimp, depending on your preference. Tip: If using frozen shrimp, thaw the shrimp for about 15-20 minutes in cold water prior to throwing in the boiling water.
- Snow Crab clusters: are already cooked, so you’re really just warming them up. If you can’t find snow crab, try king crab legs or even dungeness crab legs! Just make sure that they’re pre-cooked.
- Lobster tails: you’ll want to Maine Lobsters or North Atlantic Lobsters, also known as cold water lobsters. They have the best flavor and don’t taste fishy like other breeds. I use these for my baked lobster tails too, so so good.
- Mussels: this is optional. I like using pre-cooked mussels, they don’t need to boil as long as raw mussels. Use leftovers to make my mussels in white wine sauce or squid ink pasta with seafood.
- Clams: cook quickly and are done when they open up. Discard any that don’t open after cooking, closed shells mean the clam wasn’t alive and shouldn’t be eaten.
- Bonus bite: some people add eggs to their seafood boils. They soak up all that spicy, seasoned broth nicely, but are not a requirement. If you want hard boiled eggs, cook them in a separate pot and add to the finished boil before pouring on the garlic sauce.
Garlic Butter Sauce
As the seafood cooks, make this rich and buttery sauce that perfectly complements all that fresh seafood. It’s so delicious when poured on top of this seafood boil.
- Butter: The base of this sauce. You can use salted or unsalted.
- Garlic cloves: I told you we’d be using a lot!
- Cajun seasoning: Be generous with this essential seasoning! If you can’t find cajun seasoning, a great option is this homemade cajun seasoning recipe.
- Old bay seasoning: This is added for flavor and color.
- Sugar: The hint of sweetness will balance out the other flavors.
- Reserved broth: If you want a thicker sauce, use less of this. If you want a thinner sauce, use a bit more.
- Red pepper flakes – this is optional. Use if want an extra kick of spice!
Seafood Cooking Times
It’s easy to do – don’t overcook your seafood! Here’s a quick guide to cooking times:
| Item | Size/State | Time | Doneness cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snow Crab Legs/ Clusters | Pre-cooked | 4–5 min | Hot throughout; shell turns bright orange |
| Raw | 7–8 min | Meat opaque, firm | |
| Lobster tails | 4–6 oz (Raw) | 4–5 min | Center opaque white, shell turns red |
| 6–8 oz (Raw) | 5–6 min | As above | |
| Clams/Mussels | Small–medium (pre-cooked) | 3–4 min | Shells opened |
| Shrimp | 21–25 ct/lb (Jumbo), Raw | 2-3 min | Pink/opaque, curls into a C |
| 16–20 ct/lb (Extra Jumbo), Raw | 3-4 mins | As above |
*If using frozen seafood: thaw fully, or add 1–2 min to cooking time and watch doneness cues closely.
Pro tip: The seafood used in this recipe cook at different times. Put the longest cooking items in the boil first! The order is crab legs – lobster tails – clams and mussels (if using) – then shrimp!
How Do You Cook A Seafood Boil?
After reading the list of ingredients, you’d think the cooking process would take forever. However, you really just throw everything into a pot, little by little. If you’re a visual person, check out the video below!
Before we begin: You’ll need a 30 Quart Stock Pot. If you don’t have a large pot, cook in two rounds using two 12–16 qt pots OR make my seafood boil in a bag instead.
Make the Broth
Prep: add beer and water to a large stockpot. Over high heat, bring broth to a rolling boil, then bay leaves, seasonings, sliced lemons, garlic, and onions. If your stove has a power burner, use that. It can take some time!
Add Potatoes, Sausage, and Seafood
Step 1: Add the sausages, corn, and potatoes to the boiling broth.
Step 2: Then add in the seafood and cook. Save 2 cups of the broth, then drain.
Prepare the Garlic Butter Sauce
Step 3: Now make the seafood boil sauce. Melt butter over medium-low heat, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Then add seasonings and brown sugar.
Step 4: Add reserved broth and simmer until slightly thickened. Add a little bit of lemon juice and hot sauce if you like a little heat! Pour over the seafood and reserve the rest for dipping. (It’s SO good)
Expert Tips
- Customize this recipe to your liking! If you have different seafood that you’d like to add, throw it in the pot for the seafood boil. Just be mindful of cooking times so that you don’t overcook any of the ingredients.
- Major Pro tip: Try to use as many fresh ingredients as possible! Fresh ingredients are key to a delicious seafood boil.
- FYI: I would not recommend making this dish ahead of time, it tastes best right out of the pot.
What goes with Cajun Seafood Boil?
After you’ve rolled all of that seafood onto a newspaper and coated every bit in that delicious seafood boil sauce, it’s time to make some sides to go with it!
It’s a must to serve seafood with my homemade cheddar bay biscuits or hush puppies and red beans and rice for a hearty meal. A crusty bread like my cheesy garlic bread goes really well too!
For a more Southern style spread, add some cajun coleslaw, soul food potato salad, deviled eggs, buttermilk fried chicken (for some land and sea action).
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days. When you are ready to reheat, simply add some water or broth (or leftover garlic butter sauce) to a pot with the leftover seafood.
Cook it over low heat until it is evenly warmed, about 8-12 minutes. Do not bring to a boil, it’ll over cook the seafood.
The garlic butter sauce can be stored and frozen for up to 2 months. Simply scoop and microwave when you want to use it.
Recipe FAQs
This seafood boil recipe contains Shrimp, Lobster, Crab Legs, Mussels, Clams, Corn, Potatoes, and Andouille Sausages in a flavorful broth with seasonings, bay leaves, garlic, lemon, and onions. You will also NEED a large stockpot. I recommend at least a 30 quart pot.
Yes! Frozen seafood works great. Just make sure it’s fully thawed and patted dry before adding it to the pot so it cooks evenly and doesn’t water down the broth.
The garlic butter sauce for this seafood boil is a buttery, slightly spicy sauce that’s made with reserved seafood boil broth, spices, butter, and fresh parsley.
Common mistakes in a seafood boil include overcooking the seafood and under-seasoning the water. Avoid this by using a timer while cooking and seasoning up that broth heavily. Another common culprit is adding all ingredients at the same time. Potatoes, corn, sausage, and seafood cook at different speeds so add them in the correct order. Lastly, Overcrowding the pot can cause uneven cooking and watered-down flavor.
Start by bringing well-seasoned water to a boil, then add potatoes first since they take the longest to cook. Next, add sausage and corn, and finish with the seafood – lobster and crab first, then clams and mussels (if using), then shrimp last since it cooks quickly. See the cooking times in the recipe card!
More Seafood Recipes
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Crawfish Boil Recipe
Main Course
Low Country Boil Recipe
Main Course
Fried Catfish
Main Course
Cajun Seafood Gumbo
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Cajun Seafood Boil Recipe
Equipment
- Newspaper or Aluminum Serving Pans (you can also use 2 sheet pans for serving)
Ingredients
- 2 12 oz Beer, (use your favorite beer)
- 8 qts Water, (pot should be about 2/3 the way full, add more water if needed)
- 5 Bay leaves
- 1 cup Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 tbsps Smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp Cayenne pepper, (less or more as desired)
- 1 tbsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Dried thyme
- 2 Lemons, (sliced)
- 10 Garlic cloves, (peeled and smashed)
- 2 Large onions, (peeled and sliced)
- 2 tbsps Salt
- 3 lbs Red potatoes, (halved)
- 6 ears Corn, (peeled and cut into thirds)
- 1 lb Andouille sausage
- 2 lbs Snow crab clusters/legs
- 1 lb Lobster tails
- 1 lb Mussels, , optional
- 1 lb Clams, , optional
- 2 lbs Jumbo shrimp
Seafood Boil Sauce
- 2 cups Butter, , 4 sticks
- 8 Garlic cloves, , diced finely
- 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
- 2 tbsp Old bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes, , optional
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- Salt, , to taste (I used 1 tsp)
- 2 cups Reserved broth, , from above
- Fresh parsley, , garnish
- 1/2 cup Hot sauce, , for serving
Instructions
Seafood Boil
- Add beer, and water to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then add bay leaves, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, thyme, salt, lemons, garlic, onions, and kosher salt. Stir together and boil for 5 minutes to allow flavors to come together. 2 12 oz Beer 8 qts Water 5 Bay leaves 1 cup Old Bay Seasoning 2 tbsps Smoked paprika 2 tbsp Cayenne pepper 1 tbsp Black pepper 2 tbsp Dried thyme 2 Lemons 10 Garlic cloves 2 Large onions 2 tbsps Salt
- Add halved red potatoes and corn to the pot and allow them to cook until the potatoes are tender but not mushy (about 15 minutes). Then add sausages and allow them to cook for another 5 minutes. 3 lbs Red potatoes 6 ears Corn 1 lb Andouille sausage
- Add crab legs and cook for 3 minutes. Then add lobster tails, mussels, and clams. Cover the pot with a lid and allow everything to boil together for 5 minutes, then add shrimp and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. (The mussels and clams will pop open once they are finished and the shrimp will be pink) Stir together, save 2 cups of the broth, then drain. 2 lbs Snow crab clusters/legs 1 lb Lobster tails 1 lb Mussels 1 lb Clams 2 lbs Jumbo shrimp
- Use a strainer or spider to remove seafood from the broth and place seafood onto newspaper or a large serving tray.
Garlic Butter Seafood Sauce
- Make the sauce. Melt butter over medium low heat in a large sauce pan, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Then add cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning, red pepper flakes, onion powder, brown sugar, and salt. Add 1 cup of the reserved broth and simmer on low for 3-5 minutes, until sauce thickens. (For a thinner sauce, add 2 cups) Add freshly diced parsley and remove from the heat. 2 cups Butter 8 Garlic cloves 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning 2 tbsp Old bay seasoning 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes 1 tbsp onion powder 1/2 tbsp brown sugar Salt 2 cups Reserved broth Fresh parsley
- Pour about 3/4 of the sauce over the seafood and toss everything together so that the sauce coats everything. Use leftover sauce as a dip for the seafood. Serve with hot sauce (optional) 1/2 cup Hot sauce
Video
Notes
- If using frozen seafood, you may need to boil it longer than 10 minutes.
- You will need a large stock pot for this recipe! At least 20-30 Qt stockpot. If you don’t have a large stock pot, divide the recipe between two pots as needed.
- Be sure not to overcook your shrimp. You’ll know when the shrimp is finished when it turns pink and curls a bit. If it appears your shrimp is cooking faster than everything else, take them out of the pot.
- Customize this recipe to your liking! If you have a seafood that you’d like to add, throw it in the pot for the seafood boil. Just be mindful of cooking times so that you don’t overcook any of the ingredients.
- Try to use as many fresh ingredients as possible! Fresh ingredients are key to a delicious seafood boil.
- I would not recommend making this dish ahead of time, it tastes best from out of the pot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So darn good. My daughter loves a seafood boil and we decided to do it ourselves this time. She’s decided that we are never going out to eat this ever again.
Thank you Britney. We LOVE it here in Texas.
Best
Thank you so much, Glenda!
Oh this is soooo good
Thank you!
This recipe was a hit and I would not change anything except now I have to change it! Where almost everyone loves the spiciness I need to make it less spicy for my mom who has a very sensitive stomach. Any suggestions to make it less hot? Eliminate cayenne and red pepper flakes? Thank you all!
Hi Letty! I’m so happy that you enjoy this recipe! To make it less spicy, I’d just remove the cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes, cut the old bay in half, and use kielbasa instead of andouille! I hope that this helps and thanks for the love! ❤️❤️