Seafood Boil Recipe - Quick Seafood Dinner with Sausage! (2024)

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Katerina

4.92 from 23 votes

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This flavorful Seafood Boil recipe features smoked sausage, shrimp, crab legs, juicy corn, tender potatoes, and more! There’s truly something for everyone in this filling seafood dinner recipe.

Seafood Boil Recipe - Quick Seafood Dinner with Sausage! (2)

Welcome to the delightful world of seafood boils! This culinary tradition, celebrated across coastal regions worldwide, is an exciting blend of flavor, community, and the joy of a shared dining experience. Thus, if you can’t decide what to have for your dinner party, this recipe for a seafood boil will solve that problem. It’s got everything—shrimp, crab legs, sausage, corn, and potatoes—all tossed with garlic butter sauce.

The best part about this meal is that it can be made in just under an hour. With all that food, you would think it would take a lot longer, but the process is pretty quick! Once everything is cooked, you choose your favorite garnishes, pass around the lemon wedges, and enjoy. If you need an even quicker boil, try my Shrimp Boil in Foil Packets.

Why You Should Make This Recipe

  • Customizable: You can tailor a seafood boil to your taste preferences by choosing different types of seafood, seasonings, and extras like corn or potatoes.
  • Social Meal: Great for gatherings, a boil can bring people together and make mealtime more engaging, perfect for backyard parties!
  • Easy Preparation: This easy seafood boil is relatively simple to prepare, and there’s some flexibility in the ingredients and quantities used, so you can scale up or down.
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Seafood Boil Ingredients

While this recipe requires a number of ingredients, the cooking process remains pretty simple.

  • Cooking Oil: Vegetable or any other, for sautéing the sausage.
  • Smoked Sausage: Sliced into ½-inch pieces.
  • Garlic: Enhances flavor.
  • Seasoning: Keep it simple with old bay seasoning and bay leaves.
  • Broth: Preferably low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth.
  • Water & Beer: To blend with the broth. A light beer, like a pale lager, is recommended.
  • Corn: Sliced into 2-inch pieces for quicker cooking.
  • Potatoes: Opt for fingerling or yukon gold potatoes.
  • Seafood: Pre-cooked snow crab legs and raw shrimp.
  • Butter: Melted. You can use salted or unsalted.
  • Garnish: Fresh ground black pepper and chopped fresh parsley.
  • Serving: Optionally, serve on newspaper layers with lemon wedges and hot sauce.

How To Make A Seafood Boil

Follow my simple guide below to whip up the best seafood boil, featuring a hearty mix of sausage, crab, shrimp, and veggies, all soaked in a flavorful broth, garlic, and butter.

Seafood Boil Recipe - Quick Seafood Dinner with Sausage! (4)
Seafood Boil Recipe - Quick Seafood Dinner with Sausage! (5)
  1. Cook the Sausage: In a big pot, brown the sausage in oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
  2. Add Seasoning and Veggies: Mix in Old Bay, broth, water, beer, bay leaves, corn, and potatoes. Bring to a boil.
  3. Simmer: Turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  4. Add Seafood: Add crab and shrimp, cooking until done. Drain but save 1 cup of liquid. Mix melted butter with the liquid and pour over the seafood.
  5. Ready to Serve: Lay newspapers on a table, spread out the seafood boil, and season. Add parsley and serve with lemon and hot sauce.

How Long to Boil The Seafood

I think it’s helpful to break down the specific cooking times for each piece of seafood since they’re all different.

  • Snow Crab Legs will need between 4 and 5 minutes to boil because they are pre-cooked. If you decide to use fresh crab, it can take up to 20 minutes to cook through.
  • Raw Shrimp usually takes between 2 to 3 minutes to cook.
  • Lobster Tails, if using, need to cook in the boil for 8 to 12 minutes or 1 minute per ounce of tail.
  • Clams, if using, will need about 5 to 7 minutes.
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Recipe Tips

This vibrant meal is a feast for the eyes, especially when served on newspapers with garnishes. Here are a few pointers for this easy seafood boil recipe:

  • Versatility of Ingredients: No need to stick to the recipe strictly. Add other proteins like lobster, clams, or different sausages to your liking.
  • Fresh Veggies: While frozen seafood is acceptable, use fresh corn for the best flavor. Don’t hesitate to include other vegetables, like green beans or peas.
  • Avoid Overcooking Shrimp: Overcooked shrimp turns rubbery. If the crab needs more time, remove the cooked shrimp from the pot.
  • Cook Potatoes Separately: If concerned about the potatoes cooking thoroughly, boil them separately and add them with the crab legs.
  • Adding Heat: Include some red pepper flakes for a spicier seafood boil.
  • Serve Immediately: I suggest serving that seafood boil right away – it tastes the best when it’s fresh.
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What To Serve with Seafood Boil

I know it’s already a lot of food, but you can serve this seafood boil with extra sides if you want to!

  • Salad: I like to make a big green goddess salad for everybody to share, or this coleslaw if it’s warm out. Potato salad is a winner as well!
  • Bread: Garlic bread is always a favorite or even just some toasted bread with butter.
  • Roasted Vegetables: Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli, Asparagus, and other veggies pair perfectly with seafood.

More Seafood Recipes

  • Baked Lobster Tails
  • Shrimp Ceviche
  • Maki Rolls
  • Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Seafood Boil Recipe - Quick Seafood Dinner with Sausage! (8)

Seafood Boil Recipe

Katerina | Diethood

This flavorful Seafood Boil features smoked sausage, shrimp, crab legs, juicy corn, tender potatoes, and more! There's truly something for everyone in this filling seafood dinner recipe.

4.92 from 23 votes

Servings : 8

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 14 ounces smoked sausage, like andouille, cut into ½-inch slices
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup old bay seasoning
  • 10 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 12 ounces light beer
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 4 ears of corn, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved (or you can use yukon gold potatoes)
  • 1 pound precooked snow crab legs
  • 1 pound fresh shrimp
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • salt, to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper, for garnish
  • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
  • lemon wedges, for serving
  • hot sauce, for serving, optional
  • newspapers, for serving the meal on, optional

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large stockpot set over medium-high heat.

  • Add the sausage pieces to the hot oil and cook until browned on all sides. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds.

  • Stir in the old bay seasoning; then stir in the chicken broth, water, beer, and bay leaves. Add corn and potatoes and bring to a boil.

  • Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook, uncovered, for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and corn are tender.

  • Add the crab legs and shrimp; continue to cook for 3 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through.

  • Remove from heat and drain, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. Discard bay leaves.

  • Whisk the melted butter into the 1 cup reserved liquid.

  • Pour the garlic butter mixture over the seafood.

  • Spread a couple of newspapers over a table and arrange the seafood boil right on top of the newspapers.

  • Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

  • Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce.

Notes

  • Ingredient Subs: The recipe is versatile – you can substitute or add lobster, clams, or different sausages.
  • Fresh Veggies: Frozen seafood is acceptable, but fresh corn is recommended for superior flavor. Add other vegetables as desired.
  • Shrimp: Avoid rubbery shrimp by removing them from the pot if the crab needs more time to cook.
  • Potatoes: If you’re concerned about potatoes cooking through, boil them separately and add them with the crab legs and shrimp.
  • Heat Adjustment: Add pepper flakes if you like spicier seafood.
  • Storing: Refrigerate this meal in an airtight container for 3 days. It makes for great leftover lunches!
  • To reheat: Add a little extra chicken broth to a stockpot with your leftovers, and cook over low heat until everything is warmed through. I don’t recommend microwaving your leftovers.

Nutrition

Calories: 478 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 40 g | Fat: 24 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 229 mg | Sodium: 1194 mg | Potassium: 1040 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 349 IU | Vitamin C: 20 mg | Calcium: 165 mg | Iron: 4 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: seafood boil, shrimp boil

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Categories:

  • Dinner Recipes
  • One Pot Meals
  • Quick Dinner Ideas
  • Recipes
  • Seafood
Seafood Boil Recipe - Quick Seafood Dinner with Sausage! (2024)

FAQs

What kind of sausage is good for seafood boil? ›

Adding the ingredients in stages ensures they don't overcook in the boiling water, so you're left with tender shrimp, juicy smoked sausages (kielbasa is traditional, but using andouille sausage will add a Cajun flair), creamy baby red potatoes, and bright yellow cobs of corn.

What is seafood boil sauce made of? ›

Seafood boil sauce is a sauce made from butter, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, and cayenne pepper. This sauce is typically served with seafood dishes such as shrimp, oysters, crab, and crawfish.

Do you boil the eggs first for a seafood boil? ›

One of the oft-overlooked proteins in seafood boils is eggs. These are great as they help soak up the flavors and thus add more flavor to the meal. You can boil the eggs at any point during the cooking process. Adding them towards the end helps, ensure they get all of the right flavors from other ingredients.

Do you cook sausage before adding to boil? ›

To boil sausages, simply place them one by one into a pot of boiling water and let them simmer. Pre-cooked sausages take around 10 minutes, whereas raw ones may take up to 30 minutes. Keep in mind that boiled sausages won't be brown and crispy on the outside.

Do you boil water before adding sausage? ›

Cooked Sausage

To steam precooked sausage, bring a pan of water or beer to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and add sausage. Cover the pan and let it stand 10-15 minutes. It is not advisable to add sausages to vigorously boiling water because it may cause them to split.

Why do you put vinegar in a seafood boil? ›

Adding a few tablespoons of vinegar to water that fish is soaked in(before cooking) or adding it to the water that it is cooked in will firm up the fish and improve the taste by making it taste less fishy or “sweeter” with less aftertaste.

What is a fancy name for a seafood boil? ›

As it goes by a number of different names: Beaufort Stew, Beaufort Boil, or Lowcountry Boil, its name is more commonly known as Frogmore Stew, which is taken from the small town of the same name on St. Helena Island, near Beaufort, SC.

What is the southern name for seafood boil? ›

Seafood Boil ~~ It's called many names: Frogmore Stew, Beaufort Stew, Lowcountry Boil, Louisiana Crawfish boil or a Tidewater Boil. Traditionally, found in places like Louisiana, South Carolina and New England, as well as some other coastal States that focus on their regional seafood and side dishes.

Why do people add orange juice to seafood boils? ›

A TikToker named Javaris (aka @boilmaster) boils his seafood in orange juice not only for citrus flavor but to balance out all of the many seasonings used in a typical Louisiana-style boil.

Is there orange juice in seafood boil? ›

Crawfish are often thrown into the mix, as well as less common ingredients like artichokes and littleneck clams. The hearty mix is seasoned with a blend of cayenne pepper, tart fresh lemons, sweet oranges, minced garlic — and now, orange juice.

How do you thicken a seafood boil? ›

The easiest way to thicken seafood boil sauce is to let it simmer for a few minutes longer or until the stock reduces to your liking. If it becomes too thick, add more stock to thin it out. You can also combine a teaspoon of cornstarch with equal parts water to make a slurry.

Can you overcook a seafood boil? ›

However, since shrimp and crayfish cook pretty quickly, it's more likely that you'll overcook it. Seafood that's so rubbery it bounces off the boil table is hardly appetizing, so timings are key.

Why do people poke eggs before boiling? ›

Step 1: Punch a hole

If you do not have a pin, a paring knife can be used by gently poking the egg shell with the tip and twisting the knife. The purpose of this step is to help air escape from the egg when cooking, resulting in a perfectly round shape.

When should I put the egg when boiling? ›

Lower your eggs straight from the fridge into already-boiling water, or place them in a steamer insert in a covered pot, steaming at full blast on the stovetop. If boiling, lower the heat to the barest simmer. Cook the eggs for 11 minutes for hard or six minutes for soft.

What sausages can you boil? ›

Boiling may not be the ideal cooking method for all sausages. Instead, boiling is best for sausages that contain very finely ground meat. Be sure that the water is at a high boil before you add the sausages, otherwise, the sausages may get soggy if the water isn't hot enough yet.

What kind of sausage is good in a crawfish boil? ›

Premio Hot Italian Sausage

What is a substitute for andouille sausage in shrimp boil? ›

Chorizo Chorizo is a good substitute for andouille's distinctly smoky flavour. Polish kielbasa is another substitute that you can use. Although it does not have an intense smoky flavour, kielbasa does carry a similar richness to andouille.

What's the difference between hot Italian sausage and andouille sausage? ›

While normal sausages are made from a minced meat stuffing, andouille differs in that the stuffing is chopped or sliced, giving it a chunkier texture. The flavour of andouille is also sharper and smokier than other sausage varieties, giving it a distinct flavour and odour.

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