Seafood Boil Recipe with Cajun Butter Sauce

5 from 1 vote

A Louisiana seafood boil recipe with Cajun butter sauce, crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, red potatoes, sweet corn, and boiled eggs.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Resting Time20

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Creole/Cajun

Servings: servings

Calories: 891kcal

16 ounce Zatarain's crab boil seasoning (four 4-ounce bags)
1 teaspoon liquid crab boil optional
1 pound red potatoes washed and halved
2 lemons halved, plus more for serving wedges
2 oranges halved
2 medium yellow onions halved
4 pounds snow crab legs or king crab legs
2 pounds Dungeness crab legs
27 ounces smoked sausage andouille ropes cut into 2-inch pieces (two 13.5-ounce packs)
1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined, frozen or unthawed
12 corn niblets frozen or fresh
16 ounces hot banana peppers drained
12 boiled eggs for serving (optional)

Fill a large pot up with water about ¾ of the way. Add crab boil seasoning packets and liquid crab boil (if using); bring water to a boil.
Add red potatoes, onions, lemons, and oranges to pot of boiling water. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are just parboiled (fork tender but not falling apart).
Next, add crab legs and andouille sausage. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Halfway through (at the 5-minute mark), add the shrimp and hot banana peppers.
Once shrimp is pink and opaque, turn off heat and add corn niblets to the pot.
Let everything soak in the pot for 15-20 minutes, to allow the flavors to meld together. While everything is soaking, make the Cajun butter sauce (below).
Add boiled eggs, if using. Note: Boil eggs separately until they are hard-boiled. You can add them to seafood boil in the last few minutes of cooking to infuse flavor.
Finally, use a slotted spoon or a strainer to remove ingredients from pot and transfer to individual seafood boil bags or a large serving platter or bowl.
Toss everything with Cajun butter sauce right before serving.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt unsalted butter.
Add minced garlic to melted butter. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
Stir in Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, granulated onion, granulated garlic, and coarse black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add lemon juice and lemon zest to sauce, stirring to combine.
Pour in chicken stock and stir well to combine. Allow mixture to simmer for a few minutes.
Add hot sauce and stir well.
Let Cajun butter sauce simmer for about 5 minutes.
Taste sauce and adjust seasoning as desired, adding more Cajun seasoning or hot sauce for heat, or more lemon juice for acidity. Feel free to add fresh herbs like bay leaves, parsley, chives, or scallions, if desired.