What is a Cajun seafood boil?

It’s a spicy, Southern-style dish of seafood, vegetables, and sausage cooked together in seasoned broth and often served with garlic butter.

What seafood is best for a boil?

Shrimp, crab, mussels, and crawfish are all great options. Shell-on varieties hold flavor better.

Yes. Use chicken or turkey sausage and water or stock instead of beer or wine. This keeps the dish clean and still flavorful.

It can be very spicy, but the heat is adjustable. Reduce cayenne or chili flakes for a milder version.

Sticky rice, garlic bread, coleslaw, and fresh corn all pair beautifully.

Steam them gently or reheat in a covered dish with a splash of broth or water to keep everything moist.

Scale

Seafood & Vegetables:

500g large shrimp (shell-on)

300g crab legs or whole crab

2 ears corn, cut into halves

200g baby potatoes

200g green beans or okra

200g turkey or chicken sausage (optional, no pork)

2 lemons, halved

1 onion, quartered

1 head garlic, halved

8 cups water

3 tbsp Cajun seasoning

1 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp salt

4 bay leaves

100g unsalted butter

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tbsp lemon juice

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Boil the broth: In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add all broth ingredients, onion, garlic, and lemon. Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
Add hearty ingredients: Add potatoes and corn. Boil for 10–12 minutes until nearly tender.
Add proteins and greens: Add sausage and green beans. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add seafood: Add shrimp and crab. Cook for 3–4 minutes or until pink and cooked through.
Rest and serve: Let everything rest in the broth for 5 minutes. Drain and serve with optional garlic butter sauce and lemon wedges.