This Seafood Boil recipe is a great way to serve a crowd. Loaded with crab legs, potatoes, shrimp, sausage, corn and tons of flavor.
It is easier than you think to make a seafood boil. All you need are a few simple ingredients and your favorite seasoning. For a little heat, Cajun seasoning like Slap Ya Mama works beautifully or you can keep it milder with Old Bay seasoning.
This is hands down one of the easiest seafood boil recipe recipes you’ll ever make. It’s perfect for backyard parties, summer cookouts or family gatherings!
For a complete meal serve with cornbread, salad and plenty of melted butter for dipping!
If you like this seafood recipe, you’ll also love my snow crab legs recipe.
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Ingredients
- Seafood: crab legs, shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails on or off)
- Vegetables: onions, baby red potatoes, corn on the cob (cut into halves or thirds)
- Meat: smoked sausage (cut into slices)
- Seasoning: Slap Ya Mama or Old Bay
- You will also need: melted butter and lemon wedges for serving
Equipment Needed
- Large Pot with straining basket
- Outdoor propane cooker/burner
- Long spoon for stirring
- Disposable aluminum pans, newspaper or butcher paper
- Seafood crackers
How to Make a Seafood Boil
Since everything cooks at different times, the trick is to layer the ingredients in the pot one at a time so they finish perfectly. Below is the order to cook.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Add seasoning when water is boiling.
- Add potatoes and onions. Boil for 10-12 minutes until slightly tender.
- Add sausage and corn. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add crab legs and let simmer for 4-5 minutes, until heated through.
- Add shrimp last and cook for 2-3 minutes, until just pink (they cook fast).
- Drain well and transfer to disposable pans.
- Serve with melted butter on the side.
How to Serve a Seafood Boil
There are a few ways you can serve a seafood boil:
- Spread everything out on a table lined with butcher paper or newspaper.
- In disposable pans for easy cleanup.
- Baking sheet or platter for family style meal.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Fresh seafood is best for this recipe but frozen works in a pinch, just thaw before cooking.
- Cook the potatoes first so they soften up and able to finish at the same time as everything else.
- Add other options of seafood such as mussels, clams, crawfish or lobster tails.
- Toss everything in garlic butter before serving for extra flavor.
- Double the recipe for a larger crowd!
Best Sides to Pair with Seafood Boil
- Cornbread: Boxed or homemade
- Coleslaw: This coleslaw recipe is creamy and keto friendly.
- Hush Puppies
- Garlic Bread
- Mac and Cheese: I make this Baked Mac and Cheese recipe when I have extra time or if I’m short on time, I whip up this Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese instead.
- Salad: A cucumber, tomato, onion salad balances the richness of the seafood but you could also make a basic green salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Seafood boils are best when served fresh but you can prep the sausage, corn and onions the day before to save on time.
A large stockpot or outdoor boil pot works best. Just make sure it’s large enough for all the ingredients.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in microwave to desired temperature.
Recipe
Seafood Boil Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 quarts water
- ½ cup seasoning Old Bay or Slap Ya Mama
- 2 lb. baby potatoes cut in half if large
- 1 large onion quartered
- 1 lb. smoked sausage sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 4 ears of corn broken into halves or thirds
- 2 lbs. snow crab legs
- 1 ½ lbs. raw shrimp peeled and deveined (tail on optional)
- 1 cup melted butter for serving
- lemon wedges optional for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Add seasoning when water is boiling.
- Add potatoes and onions. Boil for 10-12 minutes until slightly tender.
- Add sausage and corn. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add crab legs and let simmer for 4-5 minutes, until heated through.
- Add shrimp last and cook for 2-3 minutes, until just pink (they cook fast).
- Drain well and transfer to disposable pans.
- Serve with melted butter on the side.
Notes
- Fresh seafood is best for this recipe but frozen works in a pinch, just thaw before cooking.
- Cook the potatoes first so they soften up and able to finish at the same time as everything else.
- Add other options of seafood such as mussels, clams, crawfish or lobster tails.
- Toss everything in garlic butter before serving for extra flavor.
- Double the recipe for a larger crowd!
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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