Description
Homemade Cajun Seafood Boil with Spicy Garlic Butter is a flavorful dish that brings together a variety of seafood and spices for a delicious experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- Seasoning Blend
- 1 cup Old Bay seasoning
- ½ cup smoked paprika
- 6 tbsp Cajun seasoning (salt-free if possible)
- 4 tbsp onion powder
- 4 tbsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp cayenne
- 3 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp ground mustard
- 2 tbsp celery seed
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- Seafood Boil
- ~20 quarts water
- 6½ tbsp kosher salt
- 12 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3 medium onions, quartered
- 3 lemons, sliced into rounds
- ¼ cup Louisiana-style hot sauce
- 6 bay leaves
- 3 lbs red potatoes
- 3 lbs whole shrimp
- 3 lbs mussels
- 2 lbs snow crab clusters
- 2 lbs andouille sausage, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 6 ears sweet corn, halved
- Cajun Spicy Garlic Butter Sauce
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium lemon (juice + zest)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (optional)
- 2–3 cups liquid from the boil
- Remaining seasoning blend (to taste)
- Lemons + parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Make the Seasoning Blend: In a bowl, combine all seasoning blend ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
- Bring the Water to a Boil: Fill a very large stockpot about ½ to ⅔ full with water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Season the Boil: Once boiling, add kosher salt, bay leaves, onions, hot sauce, smashed garlic, lemon slices, and 2¾ cups of the seasoning mix.
- Cook the Potatoes: Add potatoes and boil about 12 minutes, until mostly tender.
- Add Seafood + Sausage, Then Corn: Add shrimp, mussels, crab, and sausage. Cover and gently boil for 10 minutes. Add corn and boil for 5 minutes more.
- Make the Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce: Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook gently. Stir in the remaining seasoning blend slowly, add lemon zest and juice, and thin with 2–3 cups of hot liquid from the boil.
- Serve: Drain or scoop everything out and spread on a newspaper-lined table or a large sheet pan. Drizzle with some butter sauce, garnish with parsley and lemon wedges, and serve with extra sauce on the side.
Notes
- Plan ahead: Getting 20 quarts boiling can take 60–90 minutes.
- Shrimp: Use large shrimp (13/15 count or larger). Shell-on for best flavor.
- Seafood timing: Shrimp 3–5 minutes, mussels/clams ~5 minutes, pre-cooked crab 5–7 minutes.
- Salt warning: If using Morton’s/table salt, reduce by half.
- Customize: Swap in clams, crawfish, king crab, or lobster tails.
- Sausage swap: Smoked kielbasa works if you can’t find andouille.
- Optional beer: Add beer to the boil liquid or sauce.
- Make sauce ahead: Make 1–2 hours ahead and reheat gently.
- Storage: Store leftovers 1–2 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes or steam.
- Freezing: Not recommended for seafood/veg; butter sauce can be frozen up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 1142
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 6879mg
- Fat: 69g
- Saturated Fat: 35g
- Unsaturated Fat: 34g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 79g
- Cholesterol: 295mg
Keywords: Cajun seafood boil, spicy garlic butter, homemade seafood boil, Cajun recipe