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Bring summer to your plate in as little as 20 minutes with this easy cajun shrimp boil recipe. Perfectly cooked shrimp, potatoes, corn, and smoked sausage flavored with Old Bay and drenched in a flavorful Cajun butter sauce!
Table of Contents
- The Best Cajun Shrimp Boil Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Shrimp Boil Ingredients
- What Is Shrimp Boil Seasoning Made Of
- Recipe Variations
- How To Make Cajun-Style Shrimp Boil
- Can I Make Shrimp Sausage Boil In The Oven
- Helpful Tips for Home Cooks
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What To Serve With This Recipe
- Shrimp Boil Recipe
The Best Cajun Shrimp Boil Recipe
No summer is complete without a good old-fashioned seafood boil, crawfish boil, or shrimp boil party. I love spending the entire day with family and friends, enjoying the warm weather outdoors, sipping cold drinks, and feasting on fresh, juicy seafood!
It’s an all-American summer tradition that I can easily enjoy with one of the classic Louisiana shrimp boil recipes like this one. The best part? This recipe won’t even take me more than 30 minutes to prep and cook!
Want to grill your shrimp instead? Make my Old Bay Shrimp recipe for a quick and easy summer meal!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy. You can’t go wrong with anything that takes just 20 minutes to make! This cajun shrimp boil recipe is perfect for a last-minute gathering or a quick weeknight dinner.
- Bold, satisfying flavors. A blend of Old Bay and Cajun spices gives this dish a spicy, smoky kick that tastes amazing with shrimp, potatoes, corn, and sausage. All without being too overwhelming!
- Meant to be shared. I love setting everything out on a large serving platter or a newspaper-covered table so everyone can dig in together. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a meal with family and friends!
Shrimp Boil Ingredients
- Shrimp – the main ingredient! I use shelled and deveined medium-sized shrimp with the tail on. You can also use large or jumbo shrimp and even frozen shrimp if that’s all you have.
- Potatoes – I use baby potatoes for easier prep, but you can opt for red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, preferably the smaller ones. Make sure to chop them into uniform-sized pieces before boiling.
- Corn – adds natural sweetness and texture to your shrimp cajun boil. And it’s something you can munch on in between bites of juicy shrimp!
- Sausage – for that added smoky flavor and protein. I use Hillshire Smoked Sausage Rope, but you can use other types of smoked sausage.
- Seasonings – I use Old Bay and Cajun seasoning for their distinct flavors. More info on these below!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
What Is Shrimp Boil Seasoning Made Of
Shrimp boil seasoning is typically a blend of herbs and spices that give the dish its signature bold flavors. To keep things simple, I’m using store-bought Old Bay seasoning as the base for boiling all the ingredients. It’s a simple blend of celery salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, paprika, and a lot more spices!
For the sauce, I’m mixing Cajun seasoning and melted butter to give the cooked shrimp boil extra heat, richness, and a little bit of tanginess. You can either make homemade Cajun seasoning or use a pre-made blend like I did.
Recipe Variations
- Sausage. Use other types of sausage like Andouille sausage or beef sausage for a different flavor profile.
- Load it up. Transform your shrimp boil to a seafood boil by adding clams, crawfish, mussels, crabs, and if you’re feeling fancy, lobster.
- Extra spicy. Add a dash of Louisiana hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika to the Cajun butter sauce to dial up the spice!
- Shrimp foil packets. Make this recipe even more convenient by mixing the boiled ingredients with Cajun butter sauce in individual foil packets. You can then grill or bake the packets in less than 15 minutes!
How To Make Cajun-Style Shrimp Boil
Two great things about this cajun shrimp boil recipe: it’s extremely quick and easy to make AND it’s packed with the most amazing flavors! Here’s how you can make low country shrimp boil at home in just 20 minutes:
Fill a big stock pot with water halfway and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once it’s boiling, toss in the Old Bay seasoning, then add your potatoes and corn. Pop the lid on and let it boil for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are nice and tender.
While the potatoes and corn are cooking, mix together the melted butter and Cajun seasoning. Give it a good stir to combine everything well, then set it aside.
Once the potatoes and corn are ready, add the shrimp and smoked sausage to the stock pot. Boil for about one minute, just until the shrimp turns orange or pink. Once done, carefully drain everything using a colander— you might need to do it in two batches if your colander isn’t big enough.
Pro tip: Don’t let the shrimp overcook! Once they turn orange or pink, take them off the heat right away.
Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the Cajun Butter sauce to the boiled ingredients and give it a good stir to mix everything together. Then, transfer the shrimp boil to a sheet pan or serving platter, sprinkle with some chopped parsley, and serve right away.
Can I Make Shrimp Sausage Boil In The Oven
Yes, absolutely! You can choose to pre-boil the ingredients or put them straight in the oven with the Cajun butter sauce on a sheet pan. Mix well and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until the shrimp and corn are cooked through.
Helpful Tips for Home Cooks
- I find Zatarain’s seasoning too salty so I don’t recommend using it.
- It takes practically 1 minute to cook medium-sized shrimp in boiling water. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or they will turn rubbery and bland.
- For an extra saucy dish, make more of that delicious Cajun butter sauce to drizzle on top or use as dipping sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, cajun shrimp boil is packed with protein from the shrimp and sausage as well as carbs from the corn and potatoes. The Cajun butter sauce may add a few calories, so be mindful of your serving sizes!
Yes, rinse shrimp with cold water before you peel and devein to remove any lingering fishy flavor and other dirt.
It depends! In this recipe, I peeled the shrimp and left the tail on to make it more convenient to eat. However, you can also leave the shrimp unpeeled and let your guests peel them as they eat.
Shrimp only takes one to two minutes to cook in boiling water, depending on the size.
This cajun shrimp boil recipe has 605 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
This spicy shrimp boil recipe goes well with many summer side dishes. For a complete summer feast, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Shrimp Boil
Ingredients
- water, for boiling
- 4 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 8 oz. (230g) baby potatoes, cut into halves
- 2 ears corn on the cob, cut into 2-inch (5cm) pieces
- 12 oz. (350g) smoked sausage, cut into pieces (Hillshire Smoke Sausage Rope)
- 1 lb. (500g) shrimp, shelled, deveined, tail-in
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnishing
Cajun Butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, McCormick
Instructions
- Fill a large stockpot halfway with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the Old Bay seasoning, followed by the potatoes and corn. Cover the pot and boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- In the meantime, prepare the Cajun butter by combining melted butter with Cajun seasoning. Stir well to mix and set aside.
- In the stockpot, add the shrimp and smoked sausage, and boil for one minute, or until the shrimp turns orange-pink. Remove the pot from heat and carefully drain all the ingredients using a colander. You may need to do this in two batches if your colander isn’t large enough.
- Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the Cajun butter sauce to the boiled ingredients and stir to combine well. Transfer the shrimp boil to a sheet pan or serving platter, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- I find Zatarain’s seasoning too salty so I don’t recommend using it.
- It takes practically 1 minute to cook medium-sized shrimp in boiling water. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or they will turn rubbery and bland.
- For an extra saucy dish, make more of that delicious Cajun butter sauce to drizzle on top or use as dipping sauce.
- Make a sheet pan shrimp cajun boil by combining all the ingredients together with the seasonings and spices. Instead of 4 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning, use 2 tablespoons. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp and corn are cooked through.
- Watch the cooking video for a step-by-step guide.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this this weekend for friends and family in Maine was a big hit. Served right on the brown paper on the table.
Nice!
Oh my Gosh!!! that was awesome! Didnt change a thing. 12
guests all LOVED even the 2 picky ones!!
Nice to know!
Can this be done in a slow cooker?
No, you don’t want to slow cook shrimp, they will be mushy.
Everyone loved and wanted the recipe
I have made plenty of seafood boils. Followed exactly as written and it was perfect. Made extra sauce to use at the tabke but didnt need it. Just to be clear i even used the mccormick cajun seasoning. Not to salty. Now my go to cajun seasoning.
Can you put lobster and crab iñ this recipe?
Yes.
can you give instructions for adding the lobster and crab … personally I am asking about crab legs … and will definitely not be adding tofu 😄
You add lobster and crab the same time you add the shrimp. Sounds very good with extra seafood. :)
This was so amazingly delicious!!!